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Muffin Trail
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Muffin Trail
Muffin Trail
Cowboy Trail Rides Trailhead (view NE)

Overview

This hike starts at the Cowboy Trail Rides parking and works up and across the northwest face of Blue Diamond Hill to the North Ridge, then turns south and climbs the ridge. At about 1.8 miles out, the trail passes the Muffin Rocks, which are Lower-Triassic-age Timpoweap Conglomerate rock. The Muffin Rocks make a nice destination, or at least a nice place to rest in the shade and gaze east over the Las Vegas Valley, or if you prefer, gaze west to the Sandstone Bluffs of Red Rock Canyon.

From the Muffin Rocks, hikers can return over the same trail or continue south towards the summit of Blue Diamond Hill and take one of the several Blue Diamond Hill Bike Trails back down to the trailhead.

Link to map

Muffin Trail
Cowboy Trail Rides lower parking and corrals (view NE)

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a fairly safe hike, but there the trail runs along the top of some cliffs where a stumble would be fatal, and be careful climbing around on the muffin rocks.

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 short, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 30 minutes from town, but not on the Scenic Loop Road. Drive out West Charleston Blvd, past the entrance to the Scenic Loop Drive, to the Cowboy Trail Rides Trailhead on the left. Park here; this is the trailhead.

Muffin Trail
Cowboy Trail Rides lower corrals (view NE)

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the hike runs northeast on the dirt road about 200 yards towards corrals ahead on the left. Just past the corrals, the trail departs the road to the left (Wpt. 30) aiming for the deep canyon left of the limestone ridge in the foreground. Hiking through this area, there are lots of Joshua Trees and many clumps of Big Galleta Bunchgrass with a few Silver Cholla mixed in.

The trail intersects several trails on the desert flats (Wpt. 31, Wpt. 32, Wpt. 33) as it runs towards the deep canyon ahead. Trails seem to breed on the flats, so aim for the deep canyon on the left side of the ridge in the foreground.

At a trail junction near the mouth of the canyon (Wpt. 34) and on the edge of a deep wash, the hike goes right and up the hill, while another trail goes down the wash.

Muffin Trail
Departing road behind lower corrals (view E)

Across the deep wash, the trail climbs steeply as it switchbacks up the face of the hill (north side of the canyon) to yet another trail junction (Wpt. 35). Here, the Muffin Trail stays left and heads uphill, while the other trail turns south and runs slightly downhill before turning into the canyon.

The Muffin Trail turns another switchback, and now heading northeast, climbs a bit more before running more or less on the contour. In this area, the hiking is easy and the views are grand. To the west lie the Sandstone Bluffs of Red Rock Canyon, and to the north lie the limestone ridges of the La Madre Mountain Range. On these rocky slopes, which are limestone, cactus does well, evidenced by the number of cactus species here (including California Barrel Cactus, Engelmann's Hedgehog Cactus, Desert Spinystar, Beavertail Pricklypear, and Silver Cholla. Watch for gastropods, corals, and two types of sponge fossils in the rocks along the trail.

The trail climbs gently along the hillside, then turns eastward and up somewhat steeply into a shallow canyon. From the back of the canyon, the trail climbs quite steeply before traversing out towards the North Ridge at a somewhat energetic pace. Passing two more switchbacks, the trail reaches the ridgeline (Wpt. 36) and turns back to the southeast along the top of the ridge.

Muffin Trail
Trail runs past the lower corrals (view NE)

Shortly, the trail passes along the west side of the Muffin Rocks (Wpt. 37). This is a good place to stop and rest in the shade, enjoy the view, and eat lunch.

When ready, hikers can return over the same trail or continue southeast and up towards the summit, then take one of several Blue Diamond Hill Bike Trails back down to the trailhead.

Continuing south on the ridge, the trail is more faint than before, but it runs along the top of the ridge with nice views to the east over the Las Vegas Valley. Eventually the trail meets another major trail at a low point on the ridge (Wpt. 38). Hikers can turn down the canyon to the west and head back to the trailhead (this is the same canyon bypassed at the trail junction in the switchbacks; Wpt. 35) or they can continue following the maze of trails in the area that will eventually lead downhill to the trailhead.

Muffin Trail
Lots of trails - take either one here
Muffin Trail
Lots of trails - stay right
Muffin Trail Muffin Trail
Muffin Trail
Trail on desert flats with Joshua Trees and bunchgrass (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Multiple trailing
Muffin Trail
Trail starting up towards deep canyon (view SE)
Muffin Trail
Hitching posts (view SE)
Muffin Trail
Muffin Trail crosses this wash, then stays right (view SE)
Muffin Trail
Starting up steep hillside (view SE)
Muffin Trail
First switchback heading up steep hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Third switchback heading up steep hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Fifth switchback heading up steep hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Seventh switchback heading up steep hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Past 7th switchback heading up steep hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Trail junction; stay left (straight; view SE)
Muffin Trail
Ninth (last) switchback heading up steep hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Trail winds steeply up the rocky hillside (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes (view N)
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes (view N)
Muffin Trail
Nice example of ocean-bottom sponge fossils
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes above cliffs (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes above cliffs (view E)
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes (view E)
Muffin Trail
Trail angles right into side canyon (view N)
Muffin Trail
Trail climbs somewhat steeply into side canyon (view E)
Muffin Trail
Trail climbs somewhat steeply in side canyon (view E)
Muffin Trail
Nice ocean-bottom fossils; perhaps algal mat
Muffin Trail
Trail climbs aggressively out of the side canyon (view N)
Muffin Trail
Trail climbs aggressively (view N)
Muffin Trail
Nice spherical sponge with internal structure
Muffin Trail
Nice spherical sponge with internal structure
Muffin Trail
Looking back down across side canyon to Red Rock cliffs (view W)
Muffin Trail
Approaching another set of switchbacks (view N)
Muffin Trail
Turning another switchback (view SE)
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes (view N)
Muffin Trail
Hikers on trail traversing gentle slopes (view N)
Muffin Trail
Trail traverses gentle slopes, then turns up ridgeline (view N)
Muffin Trail
Hikers the the main Muffin Rock (view E)
Muffin Trail
Lunch with the Muffins (view S)
Muffin Trail
Triassic-age Timpoweap conglomerate rock
Muffin Trail
Triassic-age Timpoweap conglomerate rock
Muffin Trail
Looking back, hikers departing the Muffins (view NW)
Muffin Trail
Faint trail continues up the ridge (view SE)
Muffin Trail
Looking back, faint trail continues up the ridge (view NW)
Muffin Trail
Faint trail continues up the ridge (view SE)
Muffin Trail
Looking back, faint trail continues up the ridge (view NW)
Muffin Trail
A now well used trail drops into a low point on the ridge (view SW)
Muffin Trail
Hikers at trail junction: end of Muffin Trail (view NE)
Muffin Trail
Consider returning via the rocky canyon (view NW)

Table 1. Hiking Coordinates and Distances based on GPS Data (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S). Download Hiking GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file.

Wpt. Location UTM Easting UTM Northing Elevation (ft) Point-to-Point Distance (mi) Cumulative Distance (mi) Verified
01 Trailhead Parking 641052 3998352 3,705 0.00 0.00 GPS
30 Trail Departs Road 641257 3998377 3,686 0.16 0.16 GPS
31 Trail Junction 641390 3998437 3,677 0.09 0.25 GPS
32 Trail Junction 641666 3998438 3,686 0.18 0.43 GPS
33 Trail Junction 641824 3998424 3,711 0.11 0.54 GPS
34 Trail Junction 641948 3998190 3,764 0.17 0.71 GPS
35 Trail Junction 642037 3998071 3,915 0.22 0.93 GPS
36 North-most Point 642669 3998579 4,413 0.72 1.65 GPS
37 Muffin Rocks 642793 3998417 4,526 0.16 1.81 GPS
38 Trail Junction 643572 3997502 4,739 0.80 2.61 GPS

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 210711

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