Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Experience Cactus to Pinyon Pine Altitude Zones in One Hike! Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada On Lee Canyon Road at the Sawmill Trailhead Turnoff. Mummy's Head to the Left. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Trail Begins Here at the Edge of the Hiker's Parking Area Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Immediately Enter a Beautiful Pinyon Pine Forest. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada First Turn in Trail. Take Pinyon Pine Loop (red) to the Left. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Ascend Along a Ridgeline to a Spectacular View of Mummy's Head & Angel Peak. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Mummy's Head from Ridgeline. Good Photo for Potential Climbing Routes. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Pass Next Intersection: Green Mud Springs Loop Clockwise Entrance Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Expansive Ridgetop View North: Mud Springs Loop Bowl, Desert Regions Beyond Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Northern Spring Mts. Appear SW. Left to Right: Macks, Bonanza, Wheeler Peaks. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Turn Left at Next Connection or You'll Be on Bypass Back to East Side of Loop Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada 1/2 Mile Later Pass Mud Sprs Loop 2nd Entrance on Left. Follow Red Arrow. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada That Was the Last Red (Pinyon Pine Trail) Arrow for Miles. Descend a Long Gully Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Eventually Ascend Ridge on Right Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Emerge from Gully to an Expansive View. Desert Regions to the North. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada North Spring Mts. Appear Again to the SW. Mummy's Head (left) Marks Trailhead Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Macks, Bonanza & Wheeler Peak Mark North End of Spring Mountains Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Trails Begins to Angle Toward East Side of Loop Crossing Intervening Ridges Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada By Now You've Descended Toward the Joshua Tree and Cactus Zone Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Continue Toward the Far North Edge of the Loop Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Enjoy Ever Expanding Views of Desert Regions N and E Toward Reno Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Turn Left at This Unmarked Intersection to Continue to North Edge of Loop Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Round Loop North Edge. Now You're Heading Back on the Loop's East Side. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Cross This Unmarked Road to Continue on the Trail Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada The Trail Briefly Becomes a Road. This is a View Back Along the Road Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada DON'T MISS THIS TURN!!! Faint, Unmarked Trail Splits to the Right. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Just Beyond That Split it Begins to Look Like a Real Trail. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Continue on Trail Toward Your Distant Trailhead Reference Point: Mummy's Head. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada View Back to Spectacular Desert Regions Northeast Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Sheep Range Appears to the East (Your Left) Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Continuing Toward Mummy's Head. Angel Peak Comes into View. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Trail Descends into a Gully and "Ts" Out. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Directional Info is Missing. Red Pinyon Trail (Right); Yellow Rocky Gorge (Left) Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Mummy's Head Reassures You Made the Correct Turn (Right). Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Cross Next Road to Continue Toward Mummy's Head. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Signs Are a Confusion of Colors & Arrows. Not Much Help! Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada A Right Turn Up That Road is the Cutoff Trail to the Loop's West Side. Don't Take It. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Continue Straight Across the Road. Trail Resumes Toward Mummy's Head Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Final Stretch is Confusing. Unmarked Trails. Aim for Mummy's Head. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Left Turns Generally Take You Off Trail Toward Lee Canyon Road, Blue Tree Camp Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Keep Right, Heading Toward Mummy's Head. Prefer Yellow Sawmill Trail Markers Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada And, of Course, Aim for Mummy's Head! Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Final Turn (Right, Yellow); Blue Would Take You Straight Ahead to Blue Tree Camp. Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada Trailhead Arrival! Mummy's Head, Across Lee Canyon Road, Marks the Spot! Experience Cactus to Pinyon Pine Altitude Zones in One Hike! | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Trail Begins Here at the Edge of the Hiker's Parking Area | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Immediately Enter a Beautiful Pinyon Pine Forest. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Ascend Along a Ridgeline to a Spectacular View of Mummy's Head and Angel Peak. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada After Turning Left (Red) at First Intersection, Ascend Ridge, Pass Green Mud Springs Loop 1st Entrance | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Expansive View North of Mud Springs Loop Bowl and Desert Regions Beyond | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Northern Spring Mts. Appear SW. Left to Right: Sisters, Macks, Bonanza & Wheeler Peaks. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Turn Left at Next Connection or You'd Be on Loop Bypass to East Side | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada 1/2 Mile Later Mud Springs Loop 2nd Entrance Splits to Left. Follow Red Arrow Straight Ahead. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada That Was the Last Red (Pinyon Pine Trail) Arrow for Miles. Descend a Long Gully | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Eventually Ascend Ridge on Right | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Emerge from Gully to an Expansive View. Desert Regions to the North | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Northern Spring Mts. Appear Again to the SW. Mummy's Head (left) Marks Trailhead Direction | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Macks, Bonanza & Wheeler Peak Mark North End of Spring Mountains | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Trails Begins to Angle Toward East Side of Loop Crossing Intervening Ridges | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada By Now You've Descended Toward the Joshua Tree and Cactus Zone | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Continue Toward the Far North Edge of the Loop | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Enjoy Ever Expanding Views of Desert Regions N and E Toward Reno | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Turn Left at This Unmarked Intersection to Continue to the North Edge of the Loop | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Round the North Edge. Now You're Heading Back on the Loop's East Side | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Cross This Unmarked Road to Continue on the Trail | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada The Trail Briefly Becomes a Road. This is a View Back Along the Road | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada DON'T MISS THIS TURN!!! Faint, Unmarked Trail Splits to the Right. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Just Beyond That Split it Begins to Look Like a Real Trail. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Continue on Trail Toward Your Distant Trailhead Reference Point: Mummy's Head. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada View Back to Spectacular Desert Regions Northeast | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Sheep Range Appears to the East (Your Left) | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Continuing Toward Mummy's Head. Angel Peak Comes into View. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Trail Descends into a Gully and "Ts" Out. A Left Turn Here Would Take You onto Rocky Gorge Trail. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Turn Right. Directional Info is Missing. Red Pinyon Trail (Right); Yellow Rocky Gorge (Left) | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Mummy's Head Reassures You Made the Correct Turn. Pine Forest Deepening. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Cross a Road to Continue Toward Mummy's Head. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Signs Are a Confusion of Colored Arrows. Not Much Help! | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada A Right Turn Up That Road is the Cutoff Trail to the Loop's West Side. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Continue Straight Across the Road. Trail Resumes Toward Mummy's Head | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada This Final Stretch Toward the Trailhead is a Confusion of Unmarked Trails. Keep Toward Mummy's Head | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Left Turns Generally Take You Off Trail Toward Lee Canyon Road and Blue Tree Group Camp | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Keep to the Right Generally, Heading Toward Mummy's Head. Prefer Yellow Sawmill Trail Markers | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada And, of Course, Continue Toward Mummy's Head! | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Final Turn (Right, Yellow); Blue Would Take You Straight Ahead to Blue Tree Camp. | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada Arrival Back at the Trailhead! Mummy's Head, Across Lee Canyon Road, Marks the Spot! | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada

Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada

Loop Revisited, Correct Route Documented

Initial Exploration of Loop

Overview | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada

Variety of Climate and Plant Zones

The 9-mile Pinyon Pine Loop delivers an amazing experience of traversing climate zones with a great variety of plant life and terrain. Beginning in the Pinyon Pine and Juniper zone at the 7,487ft Sawmill Trailhead you will gain and lose 1,650ft in elevation. At the low point you’ll be in the upper Joshua Tree and Cactus zone. 

Expansive Views Along the Way

The views along the way are spectacular. At times you’re in a peaceful, shaded pine and juniper forest. Then you emerge to see the peaks of the Northern Spring Mountains, their forested Western slopes, the expansive desert regions to the North and the Sheep Range to the East.

Sawmill Trails

All 6 Sawmill Trails are loop trails. Here they are listed consecutively from Northwest to Southeast:  

  1. Sawmill Loop
  2. Mud Springs Loop
  3. Pinyon Pine Loop
  4. Rocky Gorge Loop
  5. Blue Tree Loop
  6. Deer Creek Catch Pen Loop

Trail Navigation Challenges

Navigating the 5 Sawmill trails can be a challenge, and you might want to print out the map on this page. While there is a color-coded system meant to identify the 6 trails, directional arrows along the way can be confusing, misleading or missing. Within a mile or two of the trailhead the signposts display a confusion of colored arrows not always identifying the color-coded trail you are on, sometimes pointing you in the wrong direction. As you venture further out onto the trails directional signs are almost completely missing. For the most part, there are few turns in the outer regions. However, the trail junctions out there are unmarked making it easy to spin off-course. 

To complicate matters further, your GPS will go dark for long spaces in the outer regions leaving you guessing as to your location and the direction to go at the unmarked trail junctions. Printing the map, along with the ability to read the topo contour lines is a tremendous help.

The good news is that no matter where you are on this and the other Sawmill Trails, your best guide back to the trailhead is to head for Mummy’s Head, which is visible from just about every high point along the way.

Best Time of Year to Experience the Pinyon Pine Trail

Stick to Spring or Fall. Winter can bring snow, which at this altitude level and on these fairly gradual trails is not a great problem. However the snow can further complicate your route-finding. Summer can bring dangerously high temperatures in excess of 100 degrees!

All that said, the Pinyon Pine Trail and other Sawmill Trails are amazing. Yes, everyone wants to ascend to the Bristlecone Pine zone in the upper Spring Mountains, but in your rush to reach the heights, don’t miss this beautiful mid-zone of the lower slopes!

Injury Recovery on the Sawmill Trails

A big plus for all the Sawmill Trails: With their gradual inclines and fairly well-groomed surface, they are incredible injury recovery routes when traversed slowly and gently. On this day I had been experiencing 6 weeks of knee pain from a repetitive motion injury. The day after this nine-mile loop the pain was gone! It returned the following day, but with gradually less severity. Same experience the day after the 15-mile Mud Springs Loop. It seems every time I take one of the Sawmill Loops slowly and carefully, my injury mysteriously moves a bit further toward healing! On the other hand, doing nothing or some other form of exercise, injuries tend to stay the same or worsen. Go figure! 

Trailhead Directions | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, 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 | Pinyon Pine Loop Trail, Lee Canyon, Nevada

Getting Your Initial Bearings

At the trailhead, identify your most important reference point: Mummy’s Head, with the sharp peak of Mummy’s Nose, immediately across Lee Canyon Road. This will be your guide back to the trailhead ensuring you are on course or helping you get back on course if you’re lost. Now look to the North to see a distinctive ridgeline. You know this ridgeline borders the West side of the Pinyon Pine Loop when you’re near the trailhead. Lee Canyon Road borders the East side of the loop. The loop will extend for about 5 miles to the North of the trailhead.

Confusion of Color-Coded Arrows within Two Miles of the Trailhead

We’re describing the Pinyon Pine Loop in a clockwise direction. Within about two miles of the trailhead the red-coded Pinyon Pine Loop shares the path of some of the other trails, which can make navigation confusing. Beginning in the clockwise direction the shared loops include the yellow Sawmill Loop and the green Mud Springs Loop. Once you’ve circled the loop and are on the way back within 2 miles of the trailhead the shared loops include the dark yellow-coded Rocky Gap Loop, the blue coded Blue Tree Loop and the yellow coded Sawmill Loop (with a few green Mud Springs loop indicators).

Sounds confusing? Prepare ahead to decipher these color-coded arrows pointing in various directions within two miles of the trailhead, with the red-coded arrows often pointing in the opposite direction you are headed! Have the map handy, and keep your eye on Mummy’s Nose!

Pinyon Pine Loop Trailhead to the Second Mud Springs Loop Intersection

From the trailhead keep to your left. You’re not going to see a red-coded directional sign, only green and yellow for the first mile. Just trust you’re heading toward the red Pinyon Pine Trail. In less than a mile you will see the first red-coded arrow pointing left. Take a left ascending toward the Western ridge. As you ascend the ridge a spectacular view will open including Mummy’s Head in its full glory and Angel Peak. You can look down to see the trailhead below.

At the ridgetop you’ll come across the second trail intersection. It’s the green-coded Mud Springs Loop clockwise direction trail branching off to the left. Continue on the ridgeline past this intersection to see an expansive view opening to your left (North). Spreading below is the huge forested bowl around which the Mud Springs Loop circles. The West (left) side of the bowl is bordered by the peaks of the Northern Spring Mountains. From South to North (left to right) they include Mummy’s Head, the Sisters, Macks Peak, Bonanza Peak and Wheeler Peak. Stretching beyond, to the North is a spectacular mountainous desert terrain.

Continue along the ridgeline to the second intersection: You’re still on the Pinyon Pine Loop, but you’ll see no red-coded indicators. There’s a left turn green-coded Mud Springs Loop arrow; straight ahead would put you on the cutoff trail to the East side of the Pinyon Pine loop — coded brown…go figure! Turn left, in the green-coded direction.

In another half-mile, a green-coded arrow will indicate a left turn split-off onto the counterclockwise Mud Springs Loop. Your second, and last (for the next 5-6 miles) red-coded Pinyon Pine arrow indicates that you continue straight ahead to remain on the Pinyon Pine Loop.

Second Mud Springs Loop Intersection to the Outer Edge of the Pinyon Pine Loop

Now, simply continue past the Mud Springs Loop cutoff. You’re on the trail that is completely and only Pine Pine Loop until you eventually circle the loop and are within 2-3 miles of the trailhead.

At first you’re on a ridge bordering the East side of the Mud Springs bowl, looking across the bowl to the high ridgeline of the Northern Spring Mountains. But soon you’ll descend into a long gully as this, the Western side of the Pinyon Pine Loop continues North. It’s a peaceful, beautiful shaded forested gully. After a couple miles the trail ascends the ridgeline to your right once again elevating you to a spectacular view of the Northern Spring Mountains to your left and the expansive desert terrain ahead to the North. Behind you is Mummy’s Head pointing back to the trailhead.

Next, the trail crosses a second ridgeline bringing you to an unmarked “T” intersection. A right turn will send you back toward Mummy’s Head and the trailhead. Take a left to continue to the Northern (outer) edge of the Pinyon Pine Loop, now less than a mile ahead. During this stretch you’re entering the upper region of the Joshua Tree and Cactus zone, at the edge of the spectacular desert terrain stretching further to the North.

Outer Edge of the Pinyon Pine Loop to the Rocky Gorge “T” Intersection

It’s pretty obvious when you round the outer Northern edge of the Pinyon Pine Loop. You’re now on the East side of the Pinyon Pine Loop turning back toward Mummy’s Head. Cross an unmarked, unpaved road and shortly thereafter, the trail will become an unpaved road. Continue along the unpaved road for about a quarter-mile. IMPORTANT HIDDEN INTERSECTION: As the road angles to the left, watch carefully for a very faint split-off trail to your right. You’ll likely miss it if you’re not extremely observant because it doesn’t look like a trail until you precede about 20ft, round some trees and shrubs and see that indeed, it is the continuation of the distinctive Pinyon Pine Trail ahead, stretching toward Mummy’s Head. If you missed this hidden, unmarked intersection and stayed on the road you’d be off the Pinyon Pine Loop and probably be headed toward Lee Canyon Road to the East.

Let’s assume you identified the intersection and are still on the Pinyon Pine Loop. Continue for less than a mile with the Northern Spring Mountains far to the right (West) and the Sheep Range to the left (East) and Mummy’s Head directly ahead. In less than a mile the trail will take a dive into a gully to your left. At the base of the gully the trail “Ts” out at a color-coded sign with two colored squares: Red and Yellow. There are no directional indicators, but turn right to continue on the red Pinyon Pine Trail. A left turn would put you on the West side of the dark yellow Rocky Gorge Loop.

Rocky Gorge “T” Intersection to a Confusing Intersection

After turning right at the “T” intersection, in about a mile you’ll reach a road crossing with a lot of confusing color-coded arrows. You’re now within a couple miles of the trailhead where many trails converge. In short, to stay on the Pinyon Pine Trail cross the road and continue straight, with Mummy’s Head ahead in the distance.

Here is my reading of the other connections and colored indicators at this intersection:

  • A Right Turn Up the Road: There’s a post with Red, Green and Blue arrows. Red (Pinyon Pine) points upwards, but actually takes you on the cutoff trail back to the West side of the loop when you wanted to cross the road and continue straight along the East side of the loop. A Green arrow (Mud Springs) also points up the road to the right. I guess that is meaningful if you were coming from below on the Blue Tree Trail. A Blue arrow points down the road, probably back to a Blue Tree Loop trailhead. A Brown TH indicator points to a trailhead, but that’s not the trailhead you want. It’s a Blue Tree Loop Trailhead.
  • Pointers Across the Road – the Direction You Want: A Red Arrow (Pinyon Pine) points back the way you came, but does not indicate you’d be on the Pinyon Pine Trail were you to continue across the road. Continuing across the road you WOULD be on the Pinyon Pine Trail headed toward Mummy’s Head. A Blue (Blue Tree Loop) arrow points you to the continuation of the Pinyon Pine Trail across the road, indicating that this is the Blue Tree Loop, but not letting you know it’s also the continuation of the Pinyon Pine Loop. A Green (Mud Springs) arrow points you back toward the direction you came from, but you’d never reach the Mud Springs Trail in that direction!
  • A Left Turn Down the Road: There is another set of pointers down the road. Again, an additional confusion of arrows. 

In short, cross the road at this point to continue on the East side of the Pinyon Pine Loop toward Mummy’s Head.

Confusing Intersection to the Sawmill Trailhead

From here onward, your best bet is to continue toward Mummy’s Head. There are some more intersections. Generally, follow the Blue (Blue Tree Loop) arrows and Yellow (Sawmill Loop) arrows, favoring the Yellow Sawmill arrows when the Blue Arrows run out. At the first unmarked intersection continue straight, don’t take the left split. Unmarked left splits will generally take you down to Lee Canyon Road too soon. There will be a few more intersections, and the trail will momentarily loop back away from Mummy’s Head. Stay on the trail. It will again circle toward Mummy’s Head.

A final intersection indicates that continuing straight will take you to a Blue Tree Loop Trailhead. A right turn onto the Yellow Sawmill Trail is what you want here. Turn right and within less than a quarter-mile you’ll be back at the original Sawmill Trailhead. All day you’ve actually been on the Red Pinyon Pine Loop, but the colored arrows you see along the way most often don’t confirm this.

Summary

All directional arrow confusion aside, the Pinyon Pine Loop, if you get it right, is an awesome variety of peaceful forests, high desert terrain and expansive views.

Summary
Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
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Pinyon Pine Loop Trail | Lee Canyon | Mt. Charleston Wilderness | Spring Mountains, Nevada
Description
The Pinyon Pine Loop Trail is a peaceful, serene emersion in nature including juniper and pine forested areas and high ridges with spectacular views of Mummy’s Head, Macks Peak, McFarland Peak, Bonanza Peak, the Sheep Range, Gass Peak and points North of the Sheep Range.
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LasVegasAreaTrails.com
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