Overview

This great hike starts by hiking 2.7 miles up through the Lovell Wash Narrows, perhaps the most scenic narrows in all of southern Nevada. The route then runs for another 2 miles following washes through red and white mud hills. Leaving the wash, the route ascends a ridge to a saddle with grand views out over the Bowl of Fire, perhaps the most scenic red sandstone in southern Nevada. Finally, the route follows a narrow rocky ridge to the summit with grand views out over the desert and Lake Mead.

Link to map or elevation profile.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is an old mining district. While mines are inherently interesting, they are always dangerous. It is never safe to go into old mines. If you go into a mine, don't touch anything, watch for holes in the floor, and if there is rubble on the floor, assume that it fell from the roof and get out. Be sure to review the standard warnings about holes in the ground. If rain threatens, don't hike in the narrows because a flash flood could ruin your whole day.

While not particularly dangerous, there are places on the summit ridge where you could fall a long ways.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this hike is fairly short, so just bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along Northshore Road in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, about 1 hour northeast of Las Vegas. From town, drive out to Lake Mead, and then to the Anniversary Narrows Trailhead.

The Hike

From the 2WD trailhead (Table 2, Waypoint 01), either walk or drive up Road 94a, which turns out of Callville Wash and runs northwest towards the hills. From the 4WD parking area (Wpt. 02), follow Road 94a down into Lovell Wash, turn right, and hike upstream all the way through the narrows. For details on this section of the hike, see the Lovell Wash Narrows hike.

Upstream from the narrows (Wpt. 06), the canyon opens into a broad valley that runs northeast for a few miles to the Muddy Mountains. Follow the wash upstream to a major fork (Wpt. 07). Take the wash to the east (Wpt. 08), which bends back to the north.

Follow the wash northeast for about 2/3 miles, then turn out of the wash into a side canyon at a cleft in the east wall (Wpt. 09).

Continue hiking generally east to cross a 30-ft deep canyon (Wpt. 12), then continue east on the far side towards a ridge that runs up to a saddle (Wpt. 14). From the saddle, the views are grand, and this is a good place to stop if you don't want to climb the peak.

Otherwise, from the saddle (Wpt. 14), hike south along the summit ridge to the peak. The view from the peak is about as good as it gets in the Lake Mead region.

From the summit, I retraced my route to the saddle, picked up the rest of my hiking party, and followed our route back down. At the 30-foot-deep canyon, turn downstream and follow that wash back to the main canyon for some interesting variety.

Alternatively, it looks like you could continue hiking south to make a big loop returning to the trailhead by the highway. The route looks fine from the top, but if anyone hikes it, send me a note and I'll update this page.

End of route description.

Bowl of Fire from the saddle (view east).

Summit (view south across Lake Mead).