Moenkopi Trail
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Moenkopi Trail
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Best appreciated in the early morning, the Moenkopi Trail is a gorgeous loop that ventures out from the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Centre and climbs up a ridge to yield stunning panoramic views of almost the entire park. Bring your camera, folks!
Getting there
To get to the Moenkopi Trail from Las Vegas, follow Route 157 West as it exits the city. After less than 10 minutes of driving past city limits you will reach the turn off for Scenic Drive, and signs towards the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Visitor Centre. Make this turn and pay your dues at the park entrance. Park at the visitor centre to begin the hike.
About
| When to do | Spring and Fall, avoid summer heat |
| Backcountry Campsites | No |
| Toilets | At Visitors Centre |
| Family friendly | Yes |
| Route Signage | Average |
| Crowd Levels | High |
| Route Type | Circuit |
Moenkopi Trail
Elevation Graph
Weather
Moenkopi Trail Description
To begin your hike, find the Moenkopi trailhead to the left of the visitor centre, just past the small picnicking area. Most of the intersections along this trail will feature signs to help with navigation; however, there are one or two that are unmarked but obvious. We recommend completing this route counter clockwise, as the elevation gain will be more gradual.
Setting out on the trail, you will very quickly merge onto a slightly wider path, and after less than a hundred yards of hiking, you will reach a fork. Turn right here, and continue along the mostly flat plain that snakes around cacti and other resilient shrubs that can be found in the desert. You will be able to see the beautifully rugged red Calico Hills directly in front of you.
Along this entire hike there are informational boards flanking the sides of the trail. These are great for the whole family to check out, and offer welcome breaks from the hike! As you continue down the trail it will start to veer left and gain elevation, allowing you to see a small ridge in the middle distance – this is your final objective.
Here, the trail will snake around to the right of the ridge and you will almost imperceptibly start to climb. The views of the La Madre Mountains will become broader and more panoramic, so try to wait until the top to take pictures, as it is from there that they are the most astounding. Like a castle wall, the sheer cliffs of these mountains guard the prize of their peaks and form a picturesque amphitheatre around the valley floor. There is a bench at the apex of the ridge that provides a great place for you to rest and soak in the view.
As you start to descend the other side of the ridge, the path will transition into slick rock. Continuing on until you reach a junction, turn left towards the visitor centre before you. Finally, as you near completion of the hike, you will reach the same merge as you did at the beginning. Turn left here to return to the picnic area and your car.
Trail highlights
La Madre Mountains
Featuring 47,180 acres of protected landscape, the La Madre Mountains Wilderness Area is a beautifully scenic place filled with spectacular cliffs, rugged canyons, and stunning mountain peaks. At the centre of the area, Le Madre Mountain stands proudly at 8,154 tall.
Located within Clark County Nevada, just west of Las Vegas, the wilderness area features several archaeological sites and is the ancestral home of the Western Shoshone, Southern Paiute, and Chemehuevi tribes that have inhabited the area for countless generations.
Check out more amazing hikes around Las Vegas:
Insider Hints
The visitor centre has fantastic information for further exploration of the park, as well as clean washroom and a gift shop.
Before heading out, check what time Scenic Drive opens and closes, and try to get there as close to opening as possible. The early morning light on the mountains is nothing short of spectacular.
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Clara Fields 4 years ago
Child friendly trail! Stunning views!
Bill Parks 4 years ago
Surely not to be missed hike in Las Vegas! This hike is surrounded by natural beauty. That type of beauty that sparks some curiosity.
AltaVito 4 years ago
The park was wide. Perfect for picnics and flying kites.
Angel Wu 5 years ago
Took us less than an hour to explore the whole area. We really enjoyed the views. It's perfect for short brisk walks in the morning.
Cisco K. 5 years ago
An incredible area with dramatic views of the whole park during sunset. Nice monotonous trail.
Stewart M. 5 years ago
Fairly easy walk in the park. Nice views of the ridge. The sweeping scenery was remarkable.
Elsa K. 5 years ago
Magnificent trail in Nevada. Trail was mostly flat and not very technical.
Betty Jackman 5 years ago
It's a gorgeous hike that does not take too much stamina. It's perfect if you don't want to sweat that much.
Shin Kite 5 years ago
It is a great hike. The 360-degree views were more spectacular than photos.
Lars Rindle 6 years ago
It's pretty short but the panoramic views were simply outstanding. We started around 8am and finished before 9am.