Overview | Blue Tree Loop | Sawmill Trailhead | Lee Canyon, Nevada

Where is the Blue Tree Loop?

The 8-mile Blue Tree Loop parallels both sides of Lee Canyon Road, descending along the Eastern slopes of the Spring Mountains from about 7,500ft elevation to about 6,500ft.

Two Blue Tree Loop Trailheads

There is an upper and lower Blue Tree Loop Trailhead. The upper trailhead is at the Sawmill Trailhead area. The lower trailhead, not as obvious, is about 4 miles below at the lower edge of the Blue Tree Loop on the East side of Lee Canyon Road. The lower trailhead has a large sign, but is still easily missed. If you start at the upper trailhead, you’re descending during the first half of your hike, then have an uphill for the second half. The ascent through Lee Canyon is more gradual, so if you take the loop clockwise from the upper trailhead that last 4 miles uphill is easier. On the other hand, if you start at the lower trailhead at the lower edge of the loop, you’ll ascend in the beginning, then have a downhill for the second half of your hike.  

Unique Features on the Blue Tree Loop

There are two unique features on the Blue Tree Loop you will not experience on the other loop trails in the Sawmill Trail network:

1. The beautiful stretch through Lee Canyon. I’d expected the typical rocky, brushy canyon wash with lots of obstacles. What a surprise! The trail through the canyon is surprisingly well defined with a great surface for hiking and running. And the terrain is pleasantly shaded by Junipers and Pines. And the canyon narrows are totally impressive.
2. Great Introduction to the Sawmill Trail Network: The Blue Tree Loop is the only trail in the network that has direct connections with all other trails in the network. The Sawmill Trails can be confusing with changes in the color coding and unmarked intersections that send you off course. One trip around the Blue Tree Loop can help you identify where the other trails are and how they connect.

Beyond the above, the Blue Tree Loop shares the delightful variety of terrain experienced on the other trails. You start in a beautiful, shaded Pinyon Pine and Juniper forest in the higher elevations. Before you’re done you’ve descended to the Joshua Tree and cactus desert zone. Along the way the views often open to include the highest limestone peaks in Southern Nevada and vast desert vistas.

Best Time of Year to Hike the Blue Tree Loop

It’s easy to calculate mountain temperatures by their relation to the temperature in Las Vegas. For every 1,000ft elevation gain the temperature drops by about 5 degrees. So, if the temperature in Las Vegas is in the 90s, the temperature on the Sawmill Trails, about 5,000ft higher in elevation will be around 25 degrees cooler. That puts you in the comfortable low 70s. On the other hand, when the temperature in the Las Vegas Valley drops to the 40s, expect the Sawmill Trails to be in the low 20s! Therefore, the ideal time of year for these trails is Spring and Fall. However, don’t rule out all Summer and Winter days.  

Trailhead Directions | Blue Tree Loop | Sawmill Trailhead | Lee Canyon, Nevada

Take Hwy 95 North from Las Vegas and take a left at the Lee Canyon Road exit (Hwy 156). Travel up Lee Canyon Road about 13 miles. Take a right onto the Sawmill Trailhead Access Road and proceed to the trailhead. Stay left to reach the upper trailhead parking area.

Narrative Guide | Blue Tree Loop | Sawmill Trailhead | Lee Canyon, Nevada

Getting Your Bearings

While at the Sawmill Trailhead parking area, take a moment to note the look of Mummy’s Head, across and up Lee Canyon Road. This will be your reference point to return to the trailhead if you go off-course and get lost. However, the Blue Tree Loop, like the Sawmill Loop, is a well-defined trail with good signage and large cairns at most of the confusing intersections. Notice the low, tree-covered ridge above just to the South of the trailhead. On the other side of that ridge are the Sisters, Macks Peak and the Mud Springs Loop.

Lee Canyon Road is also a good reference point since you can see the road below you while descending the loop’s NE side (if you’re traveling the loop clockwise) and see the ridgeline upon which Lee Canyon Road sits above you as you’re ascending the stretch through Lee Canyon on the opposite side of the loop.

Sawmill Trailhead to Blue Tree Loop Intersection

From the Sawmill Trailhead’s upper hiker’s area, keep to your right along the yellow coded Sawmill Loop for the brief half-mile stretch until you reach the intersection with the Blue Tree Loop. At that point, you have the choice of taking the Blue Tree Loop clockwise (left turn) or counterclockwise (right turn). Either way is equally great. I took the Blue Tree Loop clockwise as that’s the direction I’m taking all the Sawmill Loops (exception: Mud Springs, another story!). By taking the Blue Tree Loop clockwise, the steepest inclines on the loop are mostly downhill. The uphill inclines up Lee Canyon during the return trip are more gradual.

Next Two Intersections on the Blue Tree Loop

After taking an initial left onto the Blue Tree Loop where it intersects with the Sawmill Loop, keep to your right or straight through the next few intersections at least until the Blue Tree Trail passes Blue Tree Group Camp, below and to the right on Lee Canyon Road. The first right turn departs the Sawmill Loop. The next intersection can be a bit confusing. You want to go straight as the Blue Tree Trail becomes a forest road. A left turn here would have put you on the red coded Pinyon Pine Loop with a connection to the green coded Mud Springs Loop. A right turn would take you down to the Blue Tree Group Camp (enlarge the map on this page for greater clarity). So continue straight through this intersection. 

Blue Tree Loop Fire Road to Lower End of the Loop

Continuing through that last intersection on the fire road, there will be a few intersections. Continue straight. One confusing intersection comes at another fire road crossing. Look carefully to find a cairn and sign marking where the Blue Tree Loop again becomes a trail as you continue straight across the intersecting fire road. You’ve been in a beautiful forest, but often can see Mummy’s Head behind and the beautiful desert landscape ahead. As you continue to descend, parallel and above Lee Canyon Road, Joshua Trees and Cacti begin to appear as the terrain opens up with more surrounding views..

The next intersection can be a bit confusing. The Blue Tree Loop trail has again become a fire road. It’s now crossed by another fire road. Make a brief jog to the right on this intersecting fire road and then almost immediately turn left onto another fire road. There are some signs, but most of the signs are positioned for those traveling the Blue Tree Loop in the opposite direction (counterclockwise). This means you’ll receive more information if you look at the opposite side of the signs you pass. Where there is a road crossing, there will often be a cairn marker reassuring you where the Blue Tree Loop continues.

Lower End of the Loop to the Lee Canyon Road Crossing

The final right turn on the Blue Tree Loop is onto Blue Tree Road, a short 1,000ft road to the intersection with Lee Canyon Road. There are some interesting features along this short stretch.

• 100-meter pace counting course: I wondered at first about the meaning of a couple yellow sign posts near either end of Blue Tree Road. Then it began to make sense when the sign closer to Lee Canyon Road had words indicating you should pace yourself evenly. Walk the 100 meters between the signs, walk as you would normally walk while hiking, count your paces (one pace is both left and right foot step). This will tell you your pace count per 100 meters. This information could be useful if you’re ever in the wilderness and only know the direction and distance to some target location.
• Hidden trailhead for the Rocky Gorge Loop: The Rocky Gorge trailhead for its counterclockwise loop direction begins off of Blue Tree Road. I was not certain exactly where that trail branched off to the left, but knew it was there. I’ll document the exact location of the trail in a future adventure. There are no markings.
• A Boneyard Ditch for Burned Tree Stumps: There’s a huge ditch filled with burned tree stumps to the right (South) of Blue Tree Road. There must be some history here. Go figure!  

At any rate, within 100 meters on the short Blue Tree Road, you’ll reach Lee Canyon Road. Cross Lee Canyon Road, then turn right along a long asphalt strip on the opposite side of the road. The Lower Blue Tree Loop Trailhead with a large sign marker and parking for a few vehicles is at the far (upper) end of the asphalt strip.

Lower Blue Tree Trailhead to the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Access Trail Intersection

Enter the trail that descends from the lower trailhead into Lee Canyon below. Note that from here on out the color code for the Blue Tree Loop turns from blue to orange, but the words “Blue Tree Loop” will also be written a some of the sign posts along the way. Once you reach the wash at the base of the canyon, take a right. It’s pretty easy to see the outline of the trail even in the wash. Just know that most of the Blue Tree Loop trail through the canyon is not in the main gravelly wash. The trail will sometimes be in the wash for brief periods, but frequently crosses the wash, continuing as a nice trail on a dirt surface vs. gravel and stones. 

So, after a brief initial stretch on the gravel wash, an orange-coded sign will point you to the trail branching off to the left of the wash. Not too far beyond, there will be a fork in the trail. Keep to your right. A left turn at that fork would put you on the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop connector trail.

Ascending Lee Canyon

Ascending Lee Canyon is just a matter of staying on the well-defined trail. I normally prefer upper ridgelines to the canyon washes below, but this stretch through Lee Canyon is a different matter. The canyon is wide, and you’re in a beautiful, forested area. Lee Canyon is like it’s own unique wonderland…a hidden paradise. The nice trail through the canyon will become faint now and then, so there are times you have to stop to determine where the trail continues ahead. But a little study easily reveals the next stretch. The trail will frequently cross the gravel wash, but there are large cairns (piles of stones) at these crossings to show you where the trail resumes on the opposite side of the wash.

Lee Canyon Narrows

There is a point where Lee Canyon becomes a pretty impressive slot canyon. Before the “Lee Canyon Narrows”, the trail ascends to the upper West side of the canyon to bypass the narrows. I’m not sure if it’s possible to hike through the narrows. There may be vertical dry falls along the way. After ascending to bypass the narrows, the trail again descends into the canyon wash below for a final brief stretch before ascending again, this time to Lee Canyon Road. During this brief final stretch in the canyon you’ll pass an old 1940s vintage car, rusted and mired in the gravel of the wash. How did it get there? There must be a story!

Lee Canyon Road Back to the Sawmill Trailhead

The Blue Tree Loop Trail resumes directly across Lee Canyon Road. You’ll soon pass the lower equestrian trailhead to your left, then arrive at the original Sawmill (yellow)/Blue Tree (blue) Loop intersection where you first entered the Blue Tree Loop at the beginning of your adventure. Take a left here onto the Sawmill Loop and continue for about a half-mile to the trailhead where you started!

Conclusion

The Blue Tree Loop is the best defined, best trail surface loop in the Sawmill Trail network. It’s great for hiking and running. And the variety of terrain and scenery is incredible. This trail grows on you and can easily become a favorite hiking route! It’s also a great, gentle injury recovery route.