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Bristlecone Trail Hike – Lee Canyon, Nevada

September 29, 2014

GPS: N36° 18′ 23.8386″ – W115° 40′ 41.4588″ (WGS 84)

The Bristlecone Trail starting point is know as the Upper Bristlecone Trail. It is located a the very end of the Lee Canyon Road (Highway 156). Take US 95 toward Reno, pass the Mountain Charleston turn-off continuing straight for 10 miles, make a left on Lee Canyon Road (Highway 156), follow it until it ends. It trailhead starts in the parking lot of the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort, where the turnaround or helicopter landing pad is located. This hike will take you 2-3 hours to complete, depending on stops and breaks. The trail is clearly marked and you will notice a fence on either side of the trail for the first quarter of a mile. This was installed to protect some sensitive plants for butterflies. The first part of the trail is lined with Ponderosa Pine, Aspens, and further near the summit are the Bristlecone Pines. The hike offers great views of Lee Canyon and the surrounding area. Even with 105°+ temperatures in Las Vegas the mountain offer a cool escape from the dreaded heat.

Warnings: This hike starts out at 8,600 feet and reaches an altitude of 9,381 feet. So if you just came up from the valley desert floor, be prepared for some heaving breathing. Also, beware that there are mountain bikers on the trails, so watch out. The dirt road portion of the hike (last 4 miles) is quite wide and has room for everyone and has a gentle slope.

The full loop back to the parking lot is just under 6 miles. The hardest part is the first 2 miles. Once pass the summit, it is a gentle slope to the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead. A final small hike along the roadside for 1/2 mile will bring you back your starting place. This hike is not a difficult hike – just a little long and a lot of breathing for the first 2 miles. Have fun, bring water and be safe.

Update: This trail is great to hike anytime in the summer to get away from the scorching heat of the lower desert floor. But as a reminder, and if you time it right, try to hike it around September 21 and you may catch the Aspens in their golden and reddish Autumn colors before they are discarded to the forest floor.

Lee Canyon – Bristlecone Trail – Click for hi-res photo

View 360° Panoramic of the Bristlecone TrailHead

Base of Las Vegas Ski & Snow Resort – Summer

View 360° Panoramic of the Las Vegas Ski and Snow Resort

Photos by: LasVegas360.com

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Mt. Charleston: Lee Canyon

July 15, 2011

The lesser know area of Mount Charleston (Kyle Canyon) is the northern canyon of Lee Canyon, home the the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. The hiking in this area is limited to the spectacular 6.1-mile Bristlecone Trail. Along this trail, hikers find ancient bristlecone trees, battered by cold temperatures and fierce wind. Some of these trees might be as old as 5,000 years!

The Lee Canyon Ski Area is born in 1964 when the US Forest Service issues a Special Use Permit in order to provide winter recreation options in Southern Nevada. From downtown Las Vegas: Take U.S. Highway 95 north approx. 30 miles to Hwy 156, Lee Canyon. Follow Hwy 156 17 miles to the resort. The highway ends at Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort.