deborah Wall/special to viewA hiker heads around the bend in the narrows of Fletcher Canyon, located in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.
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Located in the Kyle Canyon area of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Fletcher Canyon is a moderate 3.5-mile round-trip hike that brings you through a dense evergreen forest, past a small spring-fed stream then through a narrow limestone canyon.
This hike is a fine one for children as there are no high drop-offs or major obstacles. There will be some moderate rock scrambling and fallen logs across the trail in its upper reaches. But keep in mind there is an elevation gain of 800 feet, which might prove too strenuous for some.
Since the trailhead elevation is at about 7,000 feet, expect temperatures much cooler than Las Vegas. When I last embarked for this hike two weeks ago, the temperature was 87 degrees in Las Vegas, but at the trailhead it was only 61 degrees. That is about the average temperature difference.
From the signed trailhead, pick up the obvious trail, which heads up a small hill. Here you will find ponderosa and pinyon pine trees, mountain mahogany, manzanita and oak. After a couple of hundred yards, the trail curves around to the left and you will be walking next to a wide, but usually dry, wash.
The trail is well-worn and an easy one to follow. You will cross over the main drainage three times. At about one-and-one-quarter miles from the trailhead, you will cross the drainage once more, but this time you will find a small spring-fed stream.
From here on, the canyon has more vegetation, including some late-blooming wildflowers. Two weeks ago there was plenty of thistle and red columbine showing good color and even a few penstemon here and there.
I also saw a handful of Steller's jays, recognized by their dark blue color and a prominent crest, and a few broad-tailed hummingbirds. This is mountain lion territory, so keep an eye out for tracks in the damp or muddy areas. For those of you who hike with your dogs, this is one of several good reasons to always keep them on a leash. If a city pooch decides to follow a country lion's scent, the dog may get into more trouble than the lion. Unfortunately, leashes seem to be the exception rather than the rule on this route.
Once you cross the stream, the trail becomes a little more strenuous over the next 50 yards or so, then drops into the drainage itself where you will head left. If thunderstorms threaten, stay out of the wash in case of flash floods. From here on up, there is no easily accessible high ground for refuge.
Even days after rains, you might find pools of water in this part of the canyon. Be careful hopping from rock to rock, they are slick and can twist an ankle, or worse.
As you head up the rocky canyon, the wash itself will serve as your trail most of the time. In a few areas, there are paths that take you up and around small obstacles. Look for chipmunks in this area. They are either the Panamint or Palmer's variety. They are very similar in appearance, but the Palmer's is a bit larger and brighter in color, and a species unique to the Spring Mountains.
When the canyon narrows even more, you will come to a boulder and small log jam blocking easy progress. Although you will see a faint path heading up the terrain to the right, it is easier to climb up to the left of the boulder.
After this, the walking is easy except for crossing a few fallen logs. In the canyon's narrowest section, the walls rise some 100 feet, yet the walls are so close in places that a long-armed person could probably touch both sides at once.
The narrows continue for about 50 yards and then you will reach a boulder-choked area, which marks the official end of the hike. It's worth climbing up above the 10-foot boulder to the right though to see what the upper canyon offers. Here the canyon forks. To the right is a small canyon worth exploring. It's short and ends after only 30 yards or so at a box canyon and dry fall.
Good climbers with more adventure in mind can continue up the canyon along the left fork. Be prepared for some intense rock scrambling, as the path is choked with boulders. Once above these obstacles, though, the terrain is easier.
Deborah Wall is the author of "Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide," published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.
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