Trails that will remain closed in Spring Mountains as summer approaches
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The U.S. Forest Service is preparing for the summer season, but you won’t be able to access everything in the Mt. Charleston Recreational area.
Since Tropical Storm Hilary heavily damaged the town of Mount. Charleston, trails, and trees, officials have been hard at work cleaning up.
With preparations underway, officials want you to know what’s open and what’s closed.
“What people knew coming up here before the tropical storm, you can not recognize it anymore. The force of the water has completely changed the topography of those areas,” Randy Kyes, the acting area manager for the Spring Mt. National Recreation Area, said.
He said popular trails like Bristlecone, Cathedral Rock, and Mary Jane Falls will remain closed until further notice while they undergo construction planning.
“We want a trail that’s going to be there in the long term so that’s one of the big cases and in the case of upper Bristlecone, that trail used to weave through what is habitat for the Mt. Charleston Blue Butterfly which is listed under the endangered species act so as part of redesigning that trail, we have to avoid the habitat,” Kyes added.
Kyes anticipates funding to rebuild the trails will take more than a year.
“Even once we secure the funding, then it’s gonna be planned to be doing environmental assessments under NEPA, the National Environmental Policy Act, and go through all those compliance issues before we can actually get on the ground,” Kyes said.
Echo Canyon and the trail also remain closed off to visitors as new asphalt was laid out after flood waters washed away Echo Road.
The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area’s recreation staff hopes to reopen Echo trailhead and Little Falls trail sometime this year. These sites still need to be accessed after the snow melts to determine what repairs need to be made.
Taylor Tims, the acting developed recreation officer for the Spring Mt. National Recreation Area said there are other options to try.
“So we have a bunch of trails that are less popular, for example, these trails out there that lead out of the visitors center,” Tims said. “They’re some of my favorite ones, you get amazing views on this plateau of all these snow-capped mountains.”
Picnic areas and campgrounds will also open as early as next Thursday, May 23rd, 2024. Tims also wanted to remind visitors to practice hiking and fire safety while outdoors.
“The only one that’s going to remain closed this year is Deer Creek picnic area because it did wash out,” Tims said. “We fully expect the pent-up energy from people who weren’t able to enjoy the trails last year to hit us again this year but we’re ready for it. We want you guys to come up and enjoy your national lands we just recommend you do it safely.”
Over the Memorial Day weekend, the public can look forward to having two miles of Mack’s Canyon Road and Lower Bristlecone Trailhead and Trail reopened. According to the U.S. Forest Service, only a portion of the lower Bristlecone trail will be available making it an out-and-back hike, while the upper Bristlecone trail remains closed.
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