Round Trip Distance: 0.8 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 4460 - 4550 feet
Cellphone: 0-4 bars
Time: 45 mins.
Trailhead: Lost Creek Canyon
Fee: $15/vehicle or annual pass
Attractions: Children's Discovery Loop
The Lost Creek Canyon trail, aka the Children's Discovery Loop, is located in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area just west of Las Vega, Nevada. Cultural sites like an agave roasting pit and a pictograph, combined with a variety of plant life make the area a pleasant and interesting place to explore. A short side trail leads further into Lost Creek Canyon where at times a waterfall can be seen spilling over the cliffs from above.
One route to get to the Lost Creek Canyon trailhead would be to head west from Las Vegas on US-95 for 4.5 miles and take exit 81A for the Summerlin Parkway. Continue on Summerlin Pkwy. for 5.6 miles before exiting onto the Bruce Woodbury Beltway. After another 2.17 miles take exit 26 for Charleston Blvd/NV-159. Continue on NV-159 for 5.18 miles and turn right onto the Red Rock Canyon Toll road. Continue on the Scenic Loop Drive for 7.15 miles and turn right onto the Rocky Gap Road where it is another half mile to the trailhead. Entering Red Rock Canyon in your driving app for turn by turn directions always works best.
A rock lined path leads away from the trailhead and across Red Rock Wash.
Many of the plants have to send their roots deep into the ground to find enough moisture to sustain their greenery through the hot summer months.
As the trail climbs the rocky slope out of the wash it passes a fence that protects one of its cultural resources, an agave roasting pit.
The trail continues climbing the hillside, passing the spot where the Willow Springs Loop branches off on the right, before leveling off and slowly looping around toward the east.
Beneath an overhang is a pictograph that appears to be waving at passersby. There is at least one more similar image off to the right that is much more faded and harder to see.
After passing an area with several rock shelters beneath some large boulders the trail comes to a short spur that leads into Lost Creek Canyon. The trail has been improved with many stone steps but still feels primitive in nature as it climbs over tree roots, under low hanging branches, and through passages in the boulders. Children that we watched were finding this to be quite the enjoyable adventure.
After a short distance the trail reaches a spillover that occasionally will have a waterfall. At this point one must turn around and retrace their steps back to the main trail.
Back at the main loop the trail makes use of a boardwalk that carries it over a wide area watered by a spring that has a lush growth of brush encroaching upon it from all sides.
We did see some bear scat on the trail but we didn't see the bear that left it. The scat didn't look all that fresh but it's nice to know what a person might come upon in the area.
The Lost Creek Canyon trail is a nice hike for families with children of all ages. There are a few places where toddlers can walk by themselves but they will need to be carried for much of the time. Like most places out of doors once you get the kids there nature can work its magic that will beckon them back time and again for the rest of their lives. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
