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Adventure to occur Spring or Fall soon!
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.
You’ll begin on the Sawmill Trail Loop. To take the loop counterclockwise, take the second left in a little over 1/4 miles. This is the route I will take in the 6/4/2022 adventure.
Note: Earlier I took the first turn to the left onto the Mud Springs Loop Trail to take the loop in a clockwise direction. Failing to locate the loop later in, I continued North to the base of McFarland Peak, then retraced my steps to the trailhead. I realized I was off course when I noticed the altitude was above 9,000ft on this loop which should rise no higher than around 7,500ft! This demonstrates how difficult navigation can be on the loop with unmarked split-off trails at numerous points. Yes, GPS is recommended, but my practice is to navigate by familiarity with the land, which may require multiple attempts but results in a deep understanding of the wilderness. Besides, I want to feel the wilderness rather than be focused on electronic instruments. I only recommend this approach to those who have a lot of experience navigating the wilderness in this manner.
David Smith has devoted the better part of one day each week over the past 20 years to experiencing a mountain trail running adventure. He began in the Pacific Northwest with the Columbia Gorge and Cascade Mountains; then moved to Southern California and experienced the Angeles Crest mountains; then the Northeast where he experienced the Hudson River Valley and Minnewaska; finally in 2016 to Las Vegas where he is experiencing and documenting Red Rock Canyon, the Spring Mountains (Mt. Charleston area), Death Valley and beyond!
Return often to experience one new adventure each week! From the home page scroll to “Most Recent Adventures“. More about David Smith…
The trail adventures on this website require proper conditioning, preparation and safety precautions. There are many factors beyond our control including weather conditions, unstable ground, loose rocks, insects and snakes, people you may encounter, your own level of physical conditioning, the potential of getting lost just to mention a few. While this site offers guidance, helpful tips, direction and training, the reader assumes full responsibility for whatever may occur during their trail adventure. Have fun and be safe!
