Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, NV

Just outside of Las Vegas lies Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Snow and ice at the higher elevations closed two of the hikes I had planned to do and added to the challenge of those I completed.

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area and Mount Charleston

Eagle's Nest

Since they shared a trailhead, I combined the Eagle's Nest and Fletcher Canyon trails to make a longer 6-mile hike. The side trail to Eagle's Nest was the easier of the two.

After a short ascent, it looped around the edge of the canyon through Pinyon Pine, Pointleaf Manzanita, and other plants that thrive in this arid area before it dropped back down.

Eagle's Nest Trail

Once I had climbed above the canyon floor, I gained clear views of the rocky crags and surrounding mountains.

Stout Rock Face

Column of Rock Projects Outward

Sun Shielded by Cloud Cover

Snow Near Mount Charleston

Looking to the southeast, I could see a long way back to the Nevada desert although Las Vegas remained hidden by a ridge.

Desert Beyond the Ridge

Although I have seen many cacti in my travels, I was intrigued by this plant's color change from green to red.

Brown-Spined Prickly Pear

Fletcher Canyon

After completing the Eagle's Nest loop and returning to the main trail, I ventured up Fletcher Canyon crossing into the Mount Charleston Wilderness. As I climbed, small plants and bushes gave way to trees and large sections of the trail became covered with a thin blanket of snow and ice.

Western Ponderosa Pine & White Fir Border the Trail

Snow and Ice

At different points, gaps in the trees provided views of the high rocks.

Pockmarked Rock

Rock Rises Above

Once I spied the frozen remains of a waterfall and broke out my telephoto lens to capture it.

Frozen Falls

The trail followed along and sometimes traversed directly in a creek bed. In the beginning, it was completely dry. Higher up in the canyon a nice stream of water flowed. I assume it disappeared underground somewhere in between.

Dry Creek Bed

Flowing Water

Eventually, the canyon began to narrow. This was also about where the canyon grew steeper and its floor became littered with many rocks. Combined with the sometimes-icy conditions, I had to carefully pick and choose my way from this point on.

Canyon Begins to Narrow

Rock-Strewn Canyon

One of the features of a canyon hike that I enjoy is the transition from wide to narrow. It provides several perspectives, one of which is having the canyon walls tower above you.

High Canyon Walls

Mother Nature Paints the Canyon Wall

Near the turnaround point, the canyon came to its narrowest point although it never reached the point where I could touch both walls at the same time. The canyon became clogged with rocks enough that I chose not to continue. The sight of a waterspout carved out the rock made it seem like an appropriate place to stop and rest before returning back down the canyon.