Ronnie Adventure #0455 - Blue Diamond Overlook Hike, Red Rock NCA, Clark County, Nevada

 

Picture by Kolohe

The Blue Diamond Overlook Trail is a little known little used trail that goes up the side of a mountain to a point that overlooks the community of Blue Diamond. We had never been on this trail and after hiking it we now know why it is little known and little used!

There is no official trailhead for the hike, so we just had to find a safe place to pull off of the highway near an "S" curve in the road, climb across the fence, walk across a dry wash, and then find the Old Spanish Trail that is now a popular trail used by mountain bikers.

After following The Old Spanish Trail for about half-a-mile, we turned up an alluvial slope that was so washed out and overgrown with desert vegetation that we would not have even known that we were on a trail if we hadn't had some gps coordinates. Once we gained enough elevation to be above the alluvial slope, the trail went up the mountain at a steep incline until it reached a bench near the top where the terrain flattened out. From there the trail was more visible, but it was also washed out in several area as it wrapped around the mountain top. And, to make matters worse, in the sections that were washed out the cliff dropped straight down for about 400-500 feet. This definitely is not a hike for people that do not like heights, or families with small children.

After reaching the observation point we had the choice of following our same route back down the mountain, or following a faint dotted line on the topographic map that led down to the community of Blue Diamond. Since the terrain did not look too bad, we decided to go down to the community of Blue Diamond.

It did not take too long to realize that it was not possible to find the topographic map dotted line when we were actually on the mountain. After a lot of rock scrambling, sliding down the slopes on loose scree, and fighting our way through brush that contained a lot of nasty thorns, we arrived at the outskirts of Blue Diamond. From there we decided to follow Molly's Trail back to The Old Spanish Trail and then back to our vehicle.  

Normally, for trails like this one we say once-is-enough. However, this time we decided that we might return sometime - not to follow the Blue Diamond Overlook Trail; but to ride our mountain bikes on The Old Spanish Trail and other connecting trails that go around the perimeter of the mountain. 

BONUS PICTURES BY KOLOHE