Catch Pen West | Deer Creek Road | Mt. Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

Overview | Catch Pen West | Deer Creek Road | Mt. Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

Diverse Climate Zones

Journey through a diverse climate and flora & fauna zone similar to traveling from Southern Nevada to Canada. If you add Mummy’s Nose North Alpine Loop you can stretch the Northern climate zone nearly to Alaska!

Series of Eastern Spring Mt. Regions Between 6,000-8,300ft

Exploring the lower Eastern regions of the Spring Mountains these adventures will eventually connect everything:

• Mud Springs Loop – Between Lee Canyon Road and Macks Peak. Add the other loops from the Sawmill Trailhead.
• Catch Pen West – This adventure between the West edge of Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop and Lee Canyon Road (today’s adventure)
• Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop
• Catch Pen East – Between the East edge of Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop and Angel Peak

This mid-altitude range, roughly between 6,000 and 8,300ft, has its own beauty. At the upper end you’re in majestic Ponderosa Pine forests. At the lower end you’re in Pinyon Pines and Junipers and just beginning to see the first Joshua trees.

The Adventure Route

The route begins at the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trailhead, taking the Western side of the loop. I had originally intended to complete the loop, returning on the Eastern side. However, not recognizing I’d reached the bottom of the loop, I continued to descend a trail below the loop. The trail angled across a few ridges, ending up at Lee Canyon’s main wash: Lee Canyon Narrows, bordering Lee Canyon Road. Descending into Lee Canyon Narrows I was now on or near the Blue Tree Loop and Rocky Gorge Loop which originate higher up at the Sawmill Trailhead area on Lee Canyon Road. So, I began to ascend Lee Canyon Narrows, then ascended the high ridge to the left (East) of Lee Canyon Narrows. At the ridgeline I sighted Mummy’s Nose (reference point to the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trailhead) and made a beeline across the intervening ridges and gullies. I finally emerged onto Deer Creek Road at the Desert View Overlook just 1/4th mile below my starting point at the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trailhead. In the process I ended up traversing the beautiful ridges and gullies from around 6,000-8,300ft between the West edge of the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop and Lee Canyon Road.

Prominent Reference Points Along the Way

• The Sheep Range guides your descent.
• Mummy’s Nose guides your returning ascent.
• The Sisters (South, North, Black Rock) mark the Northwest edge of Lee Canyon
• Angel Peak and its descending ridgeline line the horizon to the East

Additional Reference Points

• Mummy Mt. Main Summit
• Mummy Mt. Toe
• Bristlecone Pine Ridgeline (marking the North Loop Trail)
• Fletcher Peak
• Gass Peak
• The Las Vegas Valley
• Hwy-95 Corridor stretching across the desert toward Reno
• Bonanza Peak

Best Time of Year for This Adventure

The best time of year for this adventure is Fall through Spring at times when the ground is free of snow and temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley do not exceed 85 degrees. I made this adventure the last week of August when temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley were predicted to rise to 103 degrees. However, it was a day with thunder clouds and thunderstorms, cooling the area and preventing my originally intended adventure toward Mummy’s Forehead. It seemed wise to head downward below Deer Creek Road rather than upward above the road. And, this decision played out well with comfortable temperatures and escape from lightning, thunder and rain throughout the day!

Directions to Start Point | Catch Pen West | Deer Creek Road | Mt. Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

To get to the trailhead from Las Vegas head North on Hwy-95 taking a left at one of the last Hwy-95 exits in the Las Vegas area, Kyle Canyon exit. Continue up Kyle Canyon Road about 17 miles and a couple miles before Charleston Village take a right on Highway 158 toward Lee Canyon. You’ll wind around the hillside to the left and as the road briefly levels off before descending toward Lee Canyon. Pass the North Loop Trailhead, Deer Creek Picnic Area and the Camp Stimpson turnoff. The trailhead is a small parking area on the right just before the Desert View Overlook parking area. It’s the trailhead parking for the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trail.

↓ Narrative Guide ↓

Narrative Guide | Catch Pen West | Deer Creek Road | Mt. Charleston Wilderness, Nevada

Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trail

Begin by taking the West side of Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop (to your left) from the trailhead. Note that the East side of the loop emerges just 20ft to your right. Great looping trail!

Descending Through Seven-Mile Canyon’s Main Gully

The West side of the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop quickly descends through a beautiful Ponderosa Pine forest into a gully between a tall ridgeline to your right and to your left. This gully is most likely an extension of Seven-Mile Canyon, and its main wash originates at the cliffs of Mummy’s Nose above. You can explore the upper region by taking the Mummy’s Nose North Alpine Loop.

Staying On Course

Once in the gully, you’ll continue to descend the gully between the ridges all the way to the base of the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop. The trail crosses the gully a number of times during its descent. A few branches block false turns and a couple signs marked “Trail” help guide the way. However, note that the branches may easily wash away in the next storm and the signs marked “Trail” do not indicate which trail you are on. This becomes a problem at the bottom of the loop when signs marked “Trail” actually refer to different trails! So, the most dependable guide along the way downward is the Sheep Range ahead and Mummy’s Nose behind. If you get off track, just turn around when you’ve descended as far as you want to go and head for Mummy’s Nose!

Intimate Beauty of the Canyon Gully

The gully had its own intimate beauty as it descended below the Ponderosa Pine zone and smaller Junipers and Pinyon Pines began to open a larger view all around. The size of the vegetation diminishes as you descend in order to conserve moisture in the hotter lower elevations. In many places the ground was carpeted with wildflowers. It was like experiencing Spring blooms even during the last days of August! There were the sounds of birds all around. Where the vistas open, watch for spectacular views of Mummy’s Nose, Mummy Mountain, Angel Peak and the Sheep Range.

U-turn at the Base of the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop

Eventually, you’ll reach a sharp U-turn with a sign post marked “Trail” and pointing toward the route you just descended! Actually, this is the point where, if you are taking the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop, you need to circle around the U-turn and take the trail in the opposite direction to the pointer.

Continuing Below Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop to Lee Canyon Narrows

Here is where I continued downward to the next “Trail” signpost, thinking I had not yet reached the base of the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop. The trail continued to angle downward toward the direction of Lee Canyon Road. It wound around intervening ridges, sometimes heading toward Mummy’s Nose, sometimes heading toward the Sheep Range. The terrain change was fascinating, beginning to look more like high desert with Joshua Trees and Cacti beginning to appear. They would eventually replace the Junipers and Pinyon Pines with another 5-800ft descent, and ultimately give way to the stark desert at the base of the Sheep Range.

Lee Canyon Narrows

Finally, the “Trail” topped the last ridge and opened to a spectacular view of Lee Canyon Narrows, Lee Canyon‘s main wash. Traffic on Lee Canyon Road was visible along the summit of the ridge on the opposite side of the narrows. This was about a mile or so below the Sawmill Trailhead on Lee Canyon Road. It was the region of the Sawmill Trailhead‘s Rocky Gorge Loop. Another loop trail in this area is the Blue Tree Loop. Below Lee Canyon Narrows is a wide sandy wash with tall, steep ridges on either side. Once in the wash, you’ll feel you’ve totally left the forested zones above and landed in the desert! The “Trail” crosses the wash and ascends the opposite ridge to Lee Canyon Road. Feeling this was a good turn-around point, I took a split-off trail heading up the East side of the Narrows main wash. That trail soon gave out and I ended up ascending the base of the main wash. The East side trail again appeared. I took it for a while until it again disappeared. At this point I was through trying to follow disappearing trails! I sighted Mummy’s Nose and ascended the tall East side Ridge angling in the direction of Mummy’s Nose.

Return Route Choices

There are multiple choices for your return route:

1. Take Lee Canyon Narrows wash to Deer Creek Road: The Narrows Wash is spectacular and fun. This would be a great route if you like wide, sandy desert washes and their unique flora and fauna. Turn left once you reach Deer Creek Road to head back to the Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop Trailhead. One disadvantage of this route is that you straddle the narrow left shoulder of Deer Creek Road, dodging traffic for the last couple miles. One advantage is that Deer Creek Road is much faster terrain for that last couple miles than the ridges and gullies below.
2. Ascend the Eastern Ridgeline above Lee Canyon Narrows and take that all the way to Desert View Overlook on Deer Creek Road: This ridge is the most direct, scenic route back to your starting point. It angles in a Southeastern direction to reach the Desert View Overlook.
3. Stay on the Eastern Ridgeline above the Lee Canyon Narrows. Don’t descend into the Narrows at all. Staying on the Eastern Ridgeline above the Narrows is the most direct route to the Desert View Overlook. But you’ll miss the Narrows, which was a beautiful stretch!
4. Cross the Eastern Ridgeline above the Lee Canyon Narrows. Then cross about 5 additional intervening ridgelines before reconnecting with the main Eastern Ridgeline and ending up at the Desert View Overlook. This is the somewhat brutal rolling, ridge & gully traversing route I took. The winding gullies between the ridgelines were intimate and beautiful. Topping each ridgeline brought a new surprise view. The variety of terrain between the gullies and ridgelines was amazing. However, the steep ascents and descents were a bit brutal.

In hindsight, my recommendation is #3 above. Better view, relatively easy ridgeline terrain to navigate. I didn’t take that choice because I was not sure that ridgeline would lead to the Desert View Overlook on Deer Creek Road. Terrain maps later proved the ridgeline to be a great route, winding around and eventually landing on the Desert View Overlook!

Conclusion

The mid high desert terrain you’ll traverse on this route is like its own unique world. It’s so dramatically different from the higher Bristlecone and limestone alpine terrain far above on Mummy Mountain. And its so dramatically different from the low salty desert terrain along the base of the Sheep Range below. This slice of terrain between 6,000 and 8,300ft is a region of dramatic change as a transition zone between the low desert and the alpine heights above. Few people traverse this area, rather flocking to the popular heights around the upper mountain peaks. Give yourself the opportunity to be one of the few!