Fall hiking is closer to home

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Now that cooler weather has returned, we can start hiking some of our local, lower-elevation trails. One that always makes for a short but sweet outing is the Wetlands Trail in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

The path follows the north bank of the Las Vegas Wash, east of Lake Las Vegas. Although the trail itself offers some good viewpoints, the big reasons to come here are the off-trail opportunities to walk along the bank of a rushing stream within a riparian habitat, something that's becoming extremely rare in our desert.

If you've been here before, but maybe not for a few years, be prepared for some surprises, as this area has changed dramatically because of erosion. The official 1-mile-plus loop hasn't changed, but those of you who have headed farther downstream in the past will find that it has been altered substantially.

From the trailhead, head down the obvious, 5-foot-wide, rock-lined path. The terrain is flat and easy to walk on. After about a five-minute walk, the trail narrows and heads down across a pencil ridge for about 40 yards. This ridge has steep drop-offs on both sides, so if you have children along, this is one section of a few along the way where you'll need to keep a close eye on the little ones. Here you will receive your first views of the stream as it flows east on its final journey to Lake Mead, which it enters at Las Vegas Bay.

The trail makes a steep descent down the ridge and to a junction, marked by a large metal sign that warns you that the water contains contaminents and human contact is not recommended.

Although the stream appears pristine and clear, remember that all the water flow comes from urban runoff, shallow groundwater, reclaimed water and storm water, all of which have water quality issues. As the population in the valley increases, so does the amount of water entering the wash. More than 150 million gallons of water flow through Las Vegas Wash each day.

To continue from the sign, you will have to choose among three routes. In the past, the ideal choice was to go straight and continue on downstream. But now that trail ends abruptly after only about 20 yards, with a 20-foot drop-off. This is worth a look, if you had hiked here before, to see the changes from a number of severe erosion events. In some areas, this wearing away has taken out more than 30 yards of former stream bank.

For those of you who want to make this a short hike and return to the trailhead on the official trail, go left at the junction, down a couple of short switchbacks, and then just head up the small canyon along the well-marked trail. For more adventure and to really enjoy this riparian corridor up close, descend the embankment to the right, following a noticeable trail onto the north bank of the stream.

There is a wide, flat area here, at least for now, and it is a good place to just enjoy the outdoors listening to the rushing water and maybe even do some birding.

If you are up to the challenge of some bushwhacking, head upstream to enjoy more of this. This way also will loop you back to the trailhead, but you'll have to find the route, as it is very overgrown with plants.

Because of the heavy water flow, this area is constantly changing, so always keep a wide distance between you and the stream. I once watched as a 30-by-20-foot chunk of bank broke free and fell into the stream. You will see a waterfall that reaches across the entire stream.

This is a man-made grade control structure built to reduce streambed erosion, one of many that were installed more than four years ago.

Directly next to the stream are a multitude of water-loving plants such as reeds, bulrush, cattails and small cottonwoods, mesquite and willow. A lot of wild animals also live here. Look for evidence of bobcats, coyotes, rabbits, mice and reptiles.

This also is one of the finest places around our area to go birding. The wash is on the Pacific Migratory Flyway and is a critical habitat for birds, especially the species that rely on riparian and wetland habitats. A couple of weeks ago, we inadvertently startled a great blue heron enjoying the day. It flew a ways downstream to a cliff on the opposite shore to wait out our visit.

As you head upstream, keep an eye out for the second waterfall. Next to it you will see the roller-compacted concrete walkway. From here, look for the faint gravel path to your right. This will take you up the steep slope and back to the trailhead.

If it has rained recently or rain is threatening, do not descend down to the canyon on the official trail, or to the banks along the wash. Flash flooding here can be extreme and there is no fast escape route.

Deborah Wall is the author of "Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide," published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.