Moenkopi Trail offers panoramic views

deborah wall/special to VIEWThe Calico Hills, with Turtlehead Peak in the background, can be seen from the Moenkopi Trail at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Advertisement

While most hikers in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area head out along the 13-mile Scenic Drive and take trails into the surrounding hills or canyons, there are also a couple of very worthwhile hikes in the lower elevations.

One, the Moenkopi Trail, adds a new dimension to a visit here, rewarding you with panoramic views of the Spring Mountains, La Madre Mountains and Calico Hills through the entire hike.

Moenkopi is an easy loop trail suitable for all ages, with a mere 300-foot elevation gain over the two-mile round trip. The trailhead is located behind the visitor center and those who don't have an annual pass, or don't wish to pay an entrance fee, can park in the lot next to the vehicle entrance station and walk to the trailhead. This will add about half mile to the round trip.

Pick up the signed trail at the south side of the tortoise oasis. From here, look directly west and you will see Moenkopi Hill, which rises gently up from the valley floor. This is your destination. The trail is well marked and easy to follow, as it circles around to the hill, traverses the ridgeline and then down its west side and then loops around and back to the trailhead. A couple of other trails intersect with this one, but all are signed, so sorting out your route shouldn't be an issue.

The trailhead is about 3,700 feet in elevation, so be prepared for temperatures as much as 10 degrees cooler than Las Vegas. While Las Vegas receives about 3 to 4 inches of rain annually, Red Rock receives 6 to 10 inches. When prevailing winds are forced up and over the escarpment, here at Red Rock known as the Wilson Cliffs, it cools the air and makes some of its moisture condense as rain or snow.

The most obvious vegetation along the trail is creosote, but there are plenty of Mojave yucca and blackbrush, and even a few Joshua trees here and there.

About a half mile from the trailhead, you will notice the landscape changes dramatically. In this area in July 2005, a lightning strike started the Loop Fire, which burned 859 acres. Noxious weeds such as red brome and cheat grasses, which are not natural to this area but spread rapidly after their introduction, provided extra fuel. High winds and low humidity made the fire burn fiercely.

The area is in the process of rehabilitation, by both natural and human means. The Bureau of Land Management, along with the Nevada Conservation Corps, recently planted native shrubs, such as blackbrush and Mormon tea. It is especially interesting to return to this trail once in awhile to see the progress. Immediately after the fire, this was a blackened landscape, but now the only visible black to be seen is on the burned stumps of the Mojave yucca. Looking closely at the base of those stumps, you will see new yucca sprouts growing from some. Healing has begun, and observing it comforts the soul.

Although desert hikers should always stay on the official trail to minimize damage, it is especially important when crossing a burned and unusually fragile landscape.

Once the trail heads in south, you will be walking up the ridge of Moenkopi Hill. The ascent is gradual and until you reach the summit and look back toward the visitor center, you probably won't even notice you have gained much elevation. As the trail traverses the ridgeline, look for the wide and obvious band of Moenkopi limestone on the trail. In some areas you will be walking on this band.

For millions of years, this area was the bottom of a shallow ocean. The deposits left by ancient sea life, such as shells and skeletons, have over the years compressed into limestone and other carbonite rocks. Camouflaged in the nooks and crannies of the rock are lots of mound cactus.

About halfway across the ridge, you will literally find a front row seat to one of the best vistas at Red Rock. If you could place a bench anywhere in the conservation area, this would be my pick, and in fact someone has put one here. This bench is a great place to stop and ponder how fortunate we are to have 195,819 acres of well-preserved, Southwestern nature in the backyard of a sprawling city.

The trail continues south along the ridge and then descends to the west. Follow the trail down as it loops around the hill's southern end and then makes a straight shot east on what appears to be an old road. As you get closer to the visitor center, look for the obvious spur trail on the left, which heads up a small rise and returns you to the trailhead.

The entrance station and free parking lot is open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Feb. 29. Starting March 1, evening hours will be extended through fall.

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