Overview

The Sloan West Edge Road connects Hidden Valley Road on the south with Sloan North Access Road on the north. The road runs through desert flats and down a canyon on the west side of Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA), providing hiking access to the this seldom visited side of the Sloan Canyon NCA.

Link to Road Map.

The south end of the road runs across desert flats and the road is quite good. The middle and northern portions of the road run in a gravel wash at the bottom of a deep canyon. The road mostly is firm and can be suitable for high-clearance 2WD vehicles, but conditions could easily change and require 4WD.

Access

The Sloan West Edge Road connects Hidden Valley Road with Sloan North Access Road, and so is accessible from these two roads, plus from the Sloan West Access Road.

From the north (Table 1, Site 1190), drive southeast on Sloan North Access Road for 0.5 miles to a fork (Site 1213). Stay to the right and angle out across a broad, open area, aiming to the right of a large power substation in the distance. Continue straight through 5- or 6-way intersection (Site 1212), aiming for the edge of a hillside off the southwest corner (right side) of the substation. Beyond the substation and wrapping around the hill to the right, the road becomes the Sloan West Edge Road.

From the south (Site 1195), drive southeast on Liteweight Mine Road. About 3.2 miles out, the pavement ends at a cattle guard (Site 1196). In another 1.3 miles, the Hidden Valley Road branches off to the north (Site 1197). Drive north on Hidden Valley Road for 3.26 miles to a fork (Site 1202). Hidden Valley Road continues right, while Sloan West Edge Road goes left.

The Road

From the south (Site 1202), the road leaves Hidden Valley Road and continues northwest across desert flats, thick with creosote bush and bursage, as it runs to the west of Sloan Canyon NCA and east of the Sloan Hills. After about 1.4 miles, the road forks (Site 1209). Either fork will work, but the left is more direct.

At 2.1 miles out, the road reaches the top of cliffs overlooking a deep canyon (Site 1210). Various "roads" run down into the bottom, but staying to the left from the top of the hillside is the least-steep road. By 2.2 miles out, the road hits the bottom of the canyon and intersects the Sloan West Access Road. This side road runs out to Las Vegas Blvd.

Continuing downstream, the road passes a large, trashy, illegal shooting range. I like to shoot, but these people are real slobs. Fortunately, for the rest of the way, the road is fairly easy, fairly smooth, scenic, and trash free as it winds down the canyon.

At about 4.2 miles out, the Las Vegas urban area comes into view, signaling the end of the canyon. Continuing north, the road passes a quarry on the left and a side road to the right, but the obvious road continues north, then bends to the left around a hill and the power substation comes into view, marking the end of Sloan West Edge Road. Continue to the pavement by connecting with (Site 1213) and following the Sloan North Access Road out to Las Vegas Blvd.