RonnieAdventure #0395 - First Creek Hike - Red Rock Canyon NCA, Clark County, Nevada

First Creek Falls - Panoramic Picture by Kolohe

First Creek Canyon is a nice winter hike because the elevation is less than the typical winter snow level in the Spring Mountains.

The First Creek Canyon Trail starts from State Highway 159 about two miles west of the Red Rock Canyon NCA Loop exit. Along the trail leading to the canyon there are a variety of desert plants and animals. Unfortunately, the desert plants were not flowering in January and we did not see a lot of animals. This is the first time that I have ever make the hike without encountered at least a few wild burros along the trail.

Picture by Kolohe

Shortly after crossing a dry wash, there are a number of wooden post along alternating sides of the trail. The posts are remnants of fence segments that were installed along the trail after a fire in 2006 burned through the area, destroying most of the plants. BLM installed wooden post with a cable strung between the post to keep hikers off of the burn area until the desert plants had an opportunity to regenerate. The fence segments were placed on alternating sides of the trail to give hikers a feeling of openness and not feel like they were trapped between two fences. The cables have been removed, but some of the post are still in place.

There are a few plants that survived the fire, but for the most part the landscape in the burn area is all new vegetation.

Picture by Kolohe

After the burn area, there is more old-growth vegetation on both sides of the trail.

Banana Yucca (Yucca baccata) - Picture by Kolohe

Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) - Picture by Kolohe

Mormon Tea (Ephedra viridis)

Buckhorn Cholla Cactus (Opuntia acanthocarpa) - Picture by Kolohe

Pricklypear Cactus (Opuntia phaeacantha) - Picture by Kolohe

Closer to the mountains, the trail becomes very uneven and rocky, so I was glad that I had my hiking poles.

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

And, there are some interesting rocks along the trail.

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

At "First Tree" it is possible to leave the trail and go straight east to "First Creek Falls."

Picture by Kolohe

Since it was early in the day, we continued up the trail to the mouth of the canyon before turning around. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Kolohe had her infrared camera along, so she took some additional interesting pictures.

BONUS HISTORICAL PICTURES

Pictures of me in my World War II Navy uniforms (I had to lie about my age to get into the military). My Mother made my uniforms using material from her brother's Navy uniforms.

After I outgrew my shoes, my Mother had them bronzed and made into bookends!