Lake Mead NRA – Redstone Area Hike

Introduction:

What? :

The Redstone Picnic Area is located along Northshore Road, here you can see colorful red rock formation, hills and large boulders.

 

You can stop here for only 5 minutes taking few pictures and get on or go and hike and explore this vast area and discover unique red stones formations.

 

I hiked here for 2 hours, exploring the rocks with overall hiking 3.6 miles with 700ft of elevation gain.

 

 

Where? :

Located inside Lake Mead NRA, along Northshore Road, 18.7 miles south of the North Toll Gate.

 

This location will be 23.6 miles north of the junction of highway 167 and highway 147.

 

You can see the clear sign pointing into the parking lot.

 

Google Map Link

 

 

 

Nearby Related Blogs:

• Valley of Fire State Park
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• Red Rock Canyon Nevada
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• Red Rock Canyon – Guardian Angel Gully Passage
• Red Rock Canyon – Calico Hills Loop Hike
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• Lake Mead NRA – Goldstrike Hot Springs
• Lake Mead NRA – Hoover Dam South Viewpoint, Off Trail Hike
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• Lake Mead National Recreation Area – Visiting Hover Dam
• Lake Mead NRA – Boulder City, NV; Old Train Track Hike
• Lake Mead NRA – Sunset View Scenic Overlook
• Lake Mead NRA – Owl Canyon Hike
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area – Northshore Road
• Lake Mead NRA – Anniversary Borax Mine and Canyon Hike
• Lake Mead NRA – Rogers Spring

When? :

The best times to visit here are October through April.

For the hot summer months that has extreme high temperatures, mid-day may be too hot to enjoy.

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

 

 

 

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:

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

 

Due note 3:

Overnight camping is not permitted.

 

Due note 4:

As always in the desert I recommend long sleeves shirt, heat, sunblock, and sunglasses.

 

Due note 6:

The area has picnic tables, restrooms, garbage cans, covered picnic tables and grills.

There is no drinking water.

No Cellphone reception.

 

Due note 7:

This is a perfect family destination for winter day, having a picnic after the exploration of the red stone and climbing the large boulders.

 

 

 

 

My thoughts:

Finally, I came here during winter day and had the time to really explore this area. I had about 2 hours fun, exploring the red boulders, “discover” unique rock formation, climbing to the arch and over to the other side and explore the far side.

 

 

 

The Hike:

Ancient sand dunes have become into large boulder hills with colorful red rocks.

Behind the picnic area follow the trail up and around an ‘island’ of giant red rocks in the Pinto Valley Wilderness.

The relatively short loop trail meanders through ancient sand dunes rocks if you are just hiking this loop hike it can take you about 30 minutes.

Hiking the eroded red rock areas of the west is always done at a casual pace, since there are so many animated outcrop shapes to interpret along the way. This kind of hike outing and the weird looking red rocks are natural entertainment at its best.

My hike start heading up all the way to the top of the red rock formation. From here I start heading back down in the direction of the large pile of rocks near parking lot.

 

Just before getting to the parking lot, I turn left heading west.

I cross the open area, cross the deep creek and start heading in between the rod rock piles to the direction of the small arch that you can see on the ridgeline that is connecting the two large hills.

 

You can climb to the arch from the left side. Reach the ledge and progress on the narrow ridgeline. be careful here on the other side of the short climb there is a very tall cliff line.

The arch is not so big but the rock there has many interesting formations.

 

This arch is fun to explore. After here I find my way on the right heading trough a crack in between the rocks and reach the low small opening underneath the arch cliff.

 

From here I start heading left (south) up the open wash and circle to the right above the red rock. I climb the ridge line and start heading northwest. I went into the wash to the left and circle the large red rock hill.

From here I start heading in the direction of the parking lot. I cross the large wash, circle the large red hill on it left, cross the deep creek and headed back to the parking lot.

 

I spend here two hours and had a lot of fun.

 

 

 

Additional Pictures: