Overview

The Fletcher Canyon Trail provides a pleasant 1.4-mile hike to a perennial spring with lots of vegetation and mountain birds. The trail runs at a moderately strenuous grade through Pinyon-Juniper Forests and Pine-Fir Forests in a deep canyon that is surrounded by towering limestone cliffs. Birding the lower canyon provides the typical experience in this dry region, but water at the spring concentrates bird use and can provide very active birdwatching. Keep an eye out for Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Canyon Wrens, Hermit Thrushes, Cassin's Finches, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and other species here. Painted Redstarts were seen here in 2009 and 2010.

For details of the hike, see the Fletcher Canyon Trail Hiking Webpage.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...stay out of the narrows above the spring area if thunderstorms threaten to avoid flash floods. Rocks in the bottom of the canyon may be water-polished and slick. If you drink the water, be sure to treat or filter it.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this hike is a short hike, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials. This hike goes into the Mount Charleston Wilderness Area, so pay particular attention to respecting the land.

Trail Guide -- Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located in Kyle Canyon up in the Spring Mountains, about 1 hour northwest of Las Vegas.

From town, drive out to the Spring Mountains. From the Spring Mountains Visitor Center (Table 1, Site 726), drive back down the canyon (east) for 0.1 miles to the trailhead (Site 1003). Alternatively, the trailhead is 0.5 miles west of the Highway 158 (Deer Creek) turnoff (Site 727). The trailhead is marked by a small dirt pullout and sign on the north side of the road. There are large paved parking areas on the south side of the road. Park here; this is the trailhead. Be careful walking across the highway.

Trail Guide -- The Hike

As you approach the wash, you get a good view of the limestone cliffs high on the far side of the canyon. The spring is located at the base of the cliffs where the canyon pinches into a narrow slot, so from here you can get a good idea of how far it is to the spring.

The trail continues northwest at a moderate grade, and by 1-1/4 miles out, the sides of the canyon have narrowed (Wpt. 5). Shortly, the canyon narrows a bit more and the trail crosses the wash to the south (1.37 miles out) at a point where water drips into the trail from two metal pipes. The spring is a few yards farther up the trail (Wpt. 6).

From the spring, the trail runs quite steeply for the next 0.2 miles and passes through a heavily vegetated area with damp soils and lots of forbs, including lots of stinging nettle. This area can be good for finding birds.

After enjoying the birds and the cool of the canyon, return to the trailhead by retracing your footsteps.