Overview

The Bristlecone Loop Trail is a delightful, moderately strenuous 6-mile hike that can be done in either direction. Starting from the end of Lee Canyon Road (Upper Bristlecone Trailhead) or from near McWilliams Campground (Lower Bristlecone Trailhead), the trail winds around the upper reaches of Lee Canyon passing through Pine-Fir Forests, groves of Quaking Aspen, a Bristlecone Pine forest, and open sunny slopes with big views. There are great views of the surrounding mountain peaks, the ski area, and down Lee Canyon. Hiking the entire loop requires walking about 1 mile on Lee Canyon Road to close the loop, but steep use-trails can be used to short-cut the highway switchbacks.

Here, the loop is described in the clockwise direction: hiking from the upper trailhead to the lower trailhead, then hiking back to the upper trailhead. For hiking in the other direction, see Bristlecone Trail Loop (Counter-Clockwise).

Link to trail map.

The first 1/4-mile of trail is fenced to protect rare plants and the rare butterfly species that feeds only on these plants. The plants only grow here and in a few other places on Mt. Charleston. Please respect the fence, stay on the trail, and help protect our rare species.

All of the higher-elevation conifer species in southern Nevada can be seen on this trail. Ponderosa Pine, White Fir, Bristlecone Pine, and Common Juniper are common, and a few Rocky Mountain Juniper and Limber Pine are mixed in. For people who just want to see Bristlecone Pines, there are several at the upper trailhead, but the twisted ones are on Highpoint Ridge (some twisted Limber Pines too). At the trailhead, the second and fourth trees on the right side of the trail are Bristlecone Pines, and from the end of the pavement, several more can be seen a few yards out at eye level. Keep an eye out for Mount Charleston Chipmunks too, they live in the Spring Mountains and nowhere else, but don't confuse them with the more common Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels (tip: look for stripes on the face).

A good, short trip (about 3 miles total) is to hike from Upper Trailhead to Highpoint Ridge at the top of the loop, then back to the Upper Trailhead.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this is a relatively safe hike. However, this is the only loop trail located entirely outside the Mt. Charleston Wilderness Area, so it is open to mountain bikes, and hikers need to watch for bikers careening down the trail. There are some rocky spots near the top of the loop where a slip could prove hazardous, but they pass quickly. These areas are especially dangerous during winter when deep snow settles on the steep, north-facing slopes. The trail is moderately strenuous, so take it easy at this elevation if you've just come up from the desert. This hike might be a little long, but otherwise is fine for kids.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Although this hike isn't too long, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials. There is not cell service in Lee Canyon.

Getting to the Trailhead

The trailhead is located up in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (generally referred to as Mt. Charleston) in Lee Canyon, about 50 minutes northwest of Las Vegas. From town, drive out Lee Canyon Road to the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead or the Upper Bristlecone Trailhead.

The upper trailhead is located past the ski area at the very end of Lee Canyon Road. The lower trailhead is located about 1 mile before the end of the road, just before McWilliams Campground.

Even though the lower trailhead is about 200 feet lower in elevation, starting the loop hike there might be easier because most of the elevation gain is made on the gentle grade of an old road. Then, when hikers get to the Upper Trailhead, they can walk down the paved road (or take a short-cut down the steep hill below the helicopter landing zone) to the lower trailhead.

These trailheads also provide access to Old Bristlecone Trail and Bonanza Trail, which intersect the Bristlecone Trail.

The Hike

From Upper Bristlecone Trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the fenced trail runs up the little ridge above the paved parking area back towards the ski resort. Only a few yards out, the trail arrives at the first of several information signs. This one, at the first group of trees on the right edge of the trail, describes Bristlecone Pine trees. There are two such trees at the sign (look for short needles arranged like a bottlebrush around the branchlets).

The trail continues inside the fence and soon arrives at a 3-panel information kiosk. The kiosk provides information about local butterflies and regulations that hikers and campers need to know. Not far up the trail, another information sign describes the rare Mount Charleston Blue Butterfly that lives on these dry, forested slopes.

The trail angles a bit away from the paved road, and hikers briefly have a few minutes of a more-quiet experience as they amble along beneath tall Ponderosa Pines and singing birds. Soon however, at about 1/4-miles out, the trail arrives at an overlook (Wpt. 02) above the noisy ski area. Here, another sign provides information about habitat restoration and rare plants. For hikers just wanting a brief, but pleasant stroll in the pine woods, this is a good place to turn around.

The trail bends right, more to the west, and starts up Lee Canyon beneath a mixed forest consisting of Ponderosa Pine, White Fir, Limber Pine, and Quaking Aspen. At knee level, Common Juniper is common too.

At about 0.43 miles out, the trail arrives at Lee Canyon Wash (Wpt. 03). Here, a ski-area sign directs hikers and skiers down the wash to the ski resort where food, drink, and ice cream are available during winter and on summer weekends.

Continuing up Lee Canyon Wash, hikers encounter some multiple trailing. All trails, however, lead up the wash and soon rejoin.

At about 0.62 miles out, the trail passes a small spring (Wpt. 04) on the south side of the trail. During wet years, water at the spring attracts many birds because this is the only flowing water in the area. In recent years, however, the spring has gone dry late in the summer. With climate change, this spring might be a thing of the past.

About 30 yards past the spring, the trail climbs two short switchbacks onto the south hillside before continuing up the canyon. The trail passes through aspen groves with a low-growing species of juniper (Common Juniper) that carpets the ground in places. Although Common Juniper seems "common" here, it is actually uncommon in southern Nevada. Common Juniper is a northern species, and some reference maps don't even show it in southern Nevada.

When the canyon starts to widen in a nice aspen grove, a big log on the left provides a comfortable place to sit and for a few minutes while experiencing the sights and sounds of the forest.

Continuing up the trail, at about 0.89 miles out, use-trails (Wpt. 05) begin to cross the wash to the right and climb the hillside heading towards backpacker campsites on the low hilltop. This is a good spot for a picnic too. There are also some flat areas in the canyon bottom that would make suitable campsites too.

The trail generally runs west, southwest through an open area full of quaking aspen that are beautiful in the fall. At about 1.05 miles out, the trail bends to the right and begins to cross Lee Canyon Wash to the north. At the wash crossing (Wpt. 06), Old Bristlecone Trail forks to the left (actually making a triangular intersection) and heads west staying in the bottom of the wash. This trail can be used to make a longer and harder loop that eventually connects with the Bonanza Trail and returns to the Bristlecone Trail a couple of miles ahead.

After departing Lee Canyon Wash for the last time, the Bristlecone Trail angles up across the dry, pine-fir forested slope generally heading northwest. Ponderosa Pine and White Fir in this area provide ample shade along the trail, but there is only one convenient sitting log in this area.

Beyond the sitting log, the grade of the trail increases, although it is never particularly steep, and ample shade begins to be provided by tall, straight Bristlecone Pine trees. The trail winds somewhat steeply around two side canyons and then angles up across the steep, rocky hillside heading northeast as it climbs towards a rocky ridgeline. The hillside is steep, making this a good place to watch for tree-top birds, which can be seen at eye-level.

The trail climbs towards the rocky ridgeline, but upon reaching it, switchbacks back along the steep hillside heading west. The tip of the switchback provides great views to the east and is a good place to stop and rest for a minute.

Now generally heading west, the trail soon passes beneath an enormous Ponderosa Pine and climbs onto the edge of Highpoint Ridge at 9,335 ft elevation.

Upon reaching Highpoint Ridge, a spur trail (Wpt. 07) forks hard to the right and climbs 35 steep yards to a rocky knob (9,360 ft elevation) with great views of the surrounding mountains. Although the views to the north, east, and south are grand, better shade and better sitting rocks can be found a few yards further up the main Bristlecone Trail.

Back on the main trail atop Highpoint Ridge (Wpt. 08; 9,360 ft elevation), hikers are invited to sit in the shade, eat lunch, and experience an open forest of starkly beautiful, ancient Bristlecone Pines. Many of the trees here are the twisted and tortured carcasses of ancient trees, and this provides perhaps the easiest place to photograph such trees in the Spring Mountains. More photogenic examples can be found higher in the mountains, but these are fairly easy to access. While exploring this area off-trail, be careful and try not to trample the belly flowers. Also note that some of the ancient twisted trees here are actually Limber Pine rather than Bristlecone.

Following Highpoint Ridge west, the trail contours off onto the steep north side of Highpoint Ridge. The trail climbs at gentle grades to a rocky point (Wpt. 09), which at 9,400 ft, is highest point on the trail. There are some narrow sections of trail on this slope, so keep an eye on the kids. The trail winds in and out of the little side canyons generally heading northwest for about 1/4 miles to the back of McWilliams Canyon. Still winding in and out of little side canyons and crossing steep rocky slopes, the trail now generally runs northeast and begins to descend.

After hiking in wooded wilderness for some 2 miles, hikers suddenly find themselves in an area (Wpt. 10) that seems to have been worked by construction equipment, and there is even an old culvert lying in the gully below the trail. The trail then rounds a corner to the left, drops a bit, and encounters the end of Scout Canyon Road (Wpt. 11), the old road that comes up from McWilliams Campground.

The abrupt start of the road seems odd at first, but history explains it. In 1940, the Works Progress Administration (known as the WPA), one of the government-funded public works programs that put people to work during the Great Depression, was building a logging and fire road over the mountains to Pahrump. In 1942, however, World War II began, and the project was abruptly halted when the workers were reassigned to support the war effort.

Continuing north on the old road, at about 2.43 miles out, the Bristlecone Trail arrives at an intersection with the Bonanza Trail (Wpt. 12), on the left. The Bonanza Trail switchbacks up the ridge to the crest of the Spring Mountains, and then and heads north for about 12 miles to the old Bonanza Boy Scout Camp above the town of Cold Creek. The trail junction is marked by two wooden directional signs and an information sign about rare butterflies.

For details of the rest of the hike, see Bristlecone Trail Loop (Clockwise, Segment 2). The following is a synopsis of the remaining hike.

From the trail junction, the Bristlecone Trail continues east down Scout Canyon Road (Wpt. 13; Wpt. 14) for about 3 miles to Lower Bristlecone Trailhead (Wpt. 15) and the official end of the Bristlecone Trail.

From the Lower Bristlecone Trailhead, hikers can follow the gravel access road back to Lee Canyon Road (Wpt. 16). Turning right onto the pavement (watch for cars), hikers can follow the road all the way back to Upper Bristlecone Trailhead (Wpt. 01) at the end of the road.

Alternatively, hikers can follow Lee Canyon Road uphill around the round-about at the exit from McWilliams Campground to the next hairpin turn (Wpt. 17). From there, use-trails climb the steep hillside back to Upper Bristlecone Trailhead (Wpt. 01) arriving in the helicopter landing zone area.