Lake Mead NRA – Anniversary Borax Mine and Canyon Hike

on January 15, 2025

Introduction:

What? :

The Anniversary Narrows of Lovell Wash is probably one of the most scenic and easy to access narrow slot canyons around Las Vegas.

Here layers of the limestones rock have pushed up into a steep angle creating saw teeth shape steep mountain sloops.

At the narrow canyon the Lovell Wash water cutting deep channels for about 1/3 of a mile long through the mountain ridge, creating a narrow deep slot canyon.

The hike leading into the Narrows is reasonably straightforward, get into the creek and hike to the narrows. Some scrambling will be required in the slot canyon bit not something to complicated to overcome.

Overall, this hike to the far end of the narrows and back to the parking lot is 2.5 miles with minimal elevation gain.

Where? :

Located in Lake Mead NRA less than an hour away from Las Vegas center. To be accurate the trail start at the NRA, but the canyon itself is located outside the park, Muddy Mountain BLM area.

If you are coming from Las Vegas after National Park Entrance Fee Station (highway 564) drive north for 16.2 miles following the North Shore Road (Nevada State Route 167) north of Lake Mead.

If you are coming from the north (Valley of Fire SP or Moapa Valley) you need to drive 28.2 miles south.

You will see a clear large exit on the west side of the road, Callville Wash N. Rd. Look for a brown sign marked “Muddy Mountain Wilderness”.

Go about 1/4 mile into the creek and turn left on Anniversary Mine Road.

Follow this road for about 1.7 miles, on your way you will pass gem collecting area. There are a number of branches in the road but stick to the left in the direction of Lovell Wash.

Once you reach the descent to the creek stop and park in the small parking lot on the left, this will be your trailhead. This parking lot is 1.8 away from the road.

Do not drive down to the creek, the last step can be challenging drive.

Google Map Link

Nearby Related Blogs:

When? :

The park is open year-round but Fall, Winter, or Spring are the preferred time to visit here.

The temperatures during the long summer months are extremely hot, easily reaching over 115f and even early morning temperatures are above 80f.

Hot temperatures kill!

Winter temperatures start with low temperatures during the night and early morning, and it warms up to be around 50-60 mid-day.

Due note 1:

Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Admission fees for Lake Mead National Recreation Area are $25 for vehicles. These passes are good for up to seven days. Campgrounds are $20 per night. You can use here the National Park Year Permit.

Only electronic card payments are now accepted for entrance, lake use, and campground fees. Entrance stations will continue to sell passes but will no longer accept cash for payment.

Due note 2:

The dirt road leading from the park road to the trailhead is in a good shape. When I visit here it does not look like do not need to have high clearance vehicle, 4WD vehicles will do, just drive carefully and slowly. If the road becomes impassible park and follow it on foot.

Due note 3:

When hiking carry plenty of water; at least one gallon of water per person.

Due note 4:

The canyon is typically dry but be aware of flashfloods, do not hike here when there is heavy rain.

Due note 5:

Dogs are welcome to Lake Mead NRA but must be on a leash.

Due note 6:

This is a great family friendly hike; it is not long, and the kids will have a lot of fun at the narrow slot canyon.

Due note 7:

During the early 1920's the area was used for extensive Borax mining by West End Chemical Company, closed the mine operation in 1928. You can see the dirt roads, gravel piles and ruins. Borax is powdery white substance, Borax widely used as a household cleaner and a booster for laundry detergent.

Due note 8:

Just before the hike trailhead you can see on the left side of the road a clear sign that allow open rock and gem collecting area.

The Las Vegas Gem Club holds rights to the area.

Due note 9:

This is a popular hiking destination so expect to see others, especially on weekends and holidays.

Due note 10:

From the south you can find every service in Las Vegas Valley and from the north you can find service, gas and food at Overton and Moapa Valley, just north of the park on highway 169.

Due note 11:

I saw in old blogs with false warnings of closure to the south entrance of the canyons, the private area closure was canceled and there is no issue with access.

My thoughts:

This was fun hike, combination of a slot canyon, desert wash, exploration of old mine tunnel and climbing off trail mountain.

The Hike:

The creek hike starting point is right where the road is crossing the creek.

Do not drive all the way down because there is a “break” in the road with few stairs and it will be very challenging to drive there if you do not have 4x4 high clearance car.

Just before the end of the road there is a small parking lot on the left side, if it full you can park along the road.

Walk down to the creek and turn right.

Soon you will pass an area where there are rock spikes where the creek cross the mountain formations fold and uplift creating “rock spikes”.

After that short section you will reach a large left U turn loop where on your right side you can find the old Anniversary mine entrance above the creek.

Visit the old borax mine tunnel:

Warning: for any tunnel entrance – do it on your one risk and do not see this blog as encouragement to get into any tunnel.

Climb to the right side and reach the mine level.

There is a fence gate, but you can pass it without any problem, looks like many are doing it.

I do not remember that I saw and private property or keep away warning signs, so I decided to go inside.

The mine tunnel is starting low but and a series of wooden frames holding the roof, soon ceiling get higher.

The tunnel keep heading straight into the mountain following the tilted rock layers.

Keep walking into the deep tunnel and the outside light fade away and you will be in complete darkness.

You must have a flashlight or use your cell phone light.

Always have a backup light source.

After keep walking into the tunnel, you will start to see mine shafts with wooden protected opening from above the main tunnel.

Most of the shaft’s opening are blocked by rocks but there are some that are open and you can see that above them it was dug up the mountain following the same Borax rock layer.

The wooden shafts are numbered.

The main tunnel V fork but it connect right after, so overall this is one long straight tunnel getting into the mountain.

At some of the shafts there are wooden ladder going up into the upper tunnel digs.

The tunnel walking surface is level and there is no problem to walk.

At some point you will reach a deep dig-out at the tunnel floor, you can see the bottom of this dig.

Be careful here !

There is a narrow trail on the left edge of the large deep pothole.

Cross these 10 feet section carefully and do not fall.

From here the cave floor level and you will pass more wooden shafts, above and to the left.

In some you can see the ladder going up into the mountain where all the rocks in this specific layer were taken out.

At some shafts the rock fall into the main cave creating a small hill, but overall, the tunnel ceiling is high, and you can walk straight up, you do not need to bend.

At some point I saw that someone left a baby doll here...

I did not reach the end of the tunnel; I reached wooden shaft 43 and the tunnel keep going…. I decided to turn around here.

I did not know exactly how far I went but because I did not saw other information about the tunnel, I decided this is the time to turn around.

Walking out was with less exploration, and it was faster.

Keep walking in the creek:

From the mine tunnel I keep walking up the creek, there is a large rock formation in front of you and here the creek make another sharp U turn, this time to the right.

From here the dry riverbed widening and open-up with steep walls of mountain on both sides.

Soon you will pass another mine opening on your right, I did not go to explore it.

At this point the creek is heading straight into the direction of the narrow canyon opening.

Side Hike to the ridgeline:

I saw a side canyon to the right and decided to explore it.

This is not a marked trail !

I do not recommend nonexperience hikers to take this side hike.

I started my way into the narrow creek, cross few boulder sections and after few twists the creek climbing up.

There was no trail or clear footsteps, but I keep walking up in the center of the creek.

At some point you can see that the creek leading to a very steep climb to the mountain, following a rock ledge. Here I saw footsteps leading to the right, heading to the saddle between the mountains.

After a short climb I reach the saddle.

Here I saw small pile of rocks, marking that people use this saddle to cross to the other side of the mountain.

The view from here was not impressive so I decide to follow the tilted rock ledge up to the top of the ridge line.

This was a very steep climb over rocks and boulders.

You need to decide which rock layer you are following to get up. After short but slow climb I reach the ridgeline.

From here the view to both sides of the mountains were impressive.

You can see the area leading to the road, the straight steep rock leading down, the main canyon I came from and the mountains on it far side.

I took a rest from the instance climbing effort and enjoy the view.

I was much higher than the mine mountain range and I saw all the holes of the mining operation, probably the shafts exit I saw in the tunnel.

This was a high point but not the highest point on the ridgeline. I was debating with myself if I want to keep climbing up. It was getting late in the afternoon and I still wanted to go to the slot canyon section of this hike.

Getting down was much easier but because the sharp incline and the rocks I had to take it slow. I walk back into the creek and soon I reach the main canyon.

I turn right and headed up the creek in the direction of the slot canyon.

The narrow Slot Canyon:

When walking up the main canyon you can clearly see the location where the creek cutting its way into the rocks tilted layers and becoming a slot canyon.

The canyon starts after 1 mile from your hike starting point (not including the tunnel or the climb of the side creek).

The narrow slot canyon section is very beautiful and unique.

This is not similar the Utah/Arizona red sandstone slot canyons; here the water cut the white limestones rocks and created a relatively narrow canyon with smooth rock surface, pebbles and small stones on the creek surface.

This is not extremely narrow, and it is more a V shape and does not have any overhanging rocks and it is not getting dark inside.

There are few rocky/boulder obstacles you need to overcome but nothing major.

The length of this slot section is about quarter of a mile.

Enjoy this fun section of the canyon.

It will take you about 15 minutes to walk along this canyon section.

After walking up this section the canyon open-up to a large riverbed. This is Lovell Wash continues upstream into the direction of Muddy Mountains Wilderness.

I kept walking up creek until I reach the trail junction heading to the right. From here the official loop trail heading to the right.

It was getting dark, and this was my “sign” to turn around and hike back.

I quickly walk down passing downstream through the slot canyon, into the open section, passing the S twist near the mine tunnel and walking up left, back to my car.

It was after sunset so my timing was good.

Short drive out to the main road and from there home.

This is a fun hike and interesting slot canyon to explore.

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