Red Rock Canyon: Pine Creek

If you like to hike, this is the time of year to explore the desert around Las Vegas. These are the days of temperatures in the 80s, and the little patches of greenery around our springs and creeks (invasive species, I’m sure) are turning pretty colors because it’s fall. Until it turns hot again next summer, you can pretty much count on lots of very nice 60-70 degree weather until spring warms things up. At this time of year, the hiking in Red Rock is fabulous.

Two weeks ago, I went up to Pine Creek with a friend and my son. My friend had never been to Red Rock, despite living in Las Vegas for ten years, and I was happy to show her around. We hiked into the North Fork of Pine Creek, also known as Fern Canyon, the canyon the right side of the pointy mountain, Mescalito, in these pictures. I dropped down into the canyon too soon, before we got to the pools at the base of the cliffs, but we still had fun scrambling over the rocks and watching the rock climbers ascend the sandstone.

Pine Creek offers several hikes—you can do the Fire Ecology Trail, hike to the old Wilson Homestead, or hike up either fork of Pine Creek. There’s even a trail to the peak of Mescalito, but from the trail description I read, it’s quite a test of both physical fitness and trail-finding skills.
_________________
My pictures at Pine Creek.