Lovell Canyon, Don’t Ya Just Want to Be Here?
This is Lovell Canyon, it’s about 45 minutes out of Las Vegas. This is a hard one to find a link for directions and info, so I’m going to give you a rough idea for those who end up here looking to go to Lovell Canyon.
First and foremost, there ain’t a ton of hiking here, yet. I’ve only found one real trail head, but they’re expanding the trail system. At least that’s what the 11 Americorp workers told me while walking by me with digging equipment on a day that was going to get to over a 100. They recently added a hike to a spring, the name of which I’ve currently forgotten and they were working on expanding another trail. The hitch here is that to even get to these trail heads required a 2 mile hike to start with, each way.
The current trail is a beautiful walk though through a pine-juniper forest. It’s well worth the effort in and of itself. It’s an in and out hike. No loop, not yet, we’ll see in the future. I’ve also never found a map of the trails in this area.
To get to Lovell Canyon drive over the hump to Pahrump, also known as take SR 160/Blue Diamond Road. After you get over the pass watch for the next turnout on the right, it’ll be a few miles but is well labelled. Turn down this road and just keep driving, after 11 miles the road will turn to gravel, turn left, go a 1/4 mile and park. You’re good to go.
Happy hiking.
Cairn
The Cairn, while serving a wide variety of purposes throughout the world, and possibly here in Nevada also, for what I’m doing, is usually serving one very useful purpose. For me it’s marking the trail.
Some places, like say the wood hillside of mountain, not such a big deal, pretty, but not so necessary. Out in the open desert though they can be very useful to let you know you’re going the right direction. Or when walking up a wash cairns will be placed to let you know you should still be in the wash, though it’s good to look around when you come to one because they can also mark where the trail exits the wash.
Personally, big fan of the simple solution to a simple problem. Also gotta give props for the feats of balance people occasionally pull off with them.
