Willow Springs Canyon Petroglyph (Summary Page)

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This page last updated on 10/11/2017

(Fig. 01)

Area Description: The Red Rocks Wash runs through the middle of the deep, cool and moist Willow Springs Canyon which is surrounded by the east-west trending La Madre Mountains and the north-south trending Spring Mountains. Permanent water is available here at two springs: Willow Spring (north end of the Willow Springs Picnic Area) and Lost Creek Spring. There are seven trails that either start at, run through or converge at Willow Springs. The 1.1-mile Willow Springs Loop trail; the .61-mile Children’s Discovery Loop Trail;  the 0.15-mile Petroglyph Wall Trail; the 1.8-mile La Madre Spring Trail; the .5-mile Upper Lost Creek Falls Trail; the .31-mile Lower Lost Creek Falls Trail; and the southern portion of the 6.35-mile White Rock Loop Trail. Petroglyphs and pictographs shown here were found on both the Petroglyph Wall Trail and the Willow Springs Loop trail.

Petroglyph Wall Trail: At the end of this short walk there is a petroglyph panel (Fig. 01) containing a dozen images on the open rock face to the right. On the left there is another petroglyph with a complex geometric design (Figs. 02 & 03) and several pictographs (Figs. 04-06) located near the ground under a low rock overhang. Unfortunately, due to their age, they have deteriorated to the point that they are unrecognizable and just barely visible.

(Fig. 02) (Fig.  03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05) (Fig. 06)

Willow Springs Loop Trail: Starting from Willow Springs to Lost Creek down the east side of the canyon, the trail leads a few yards east to some huge boulders (Fig. 07) that has five very distinguishable Native American hand paintings (Fig. 07 & 08), pictographs using red paint. After more hiking the trail eventually crosses the road and begins heading toward Lower Lost Creek Falls. After passing the wooden walkway, turn right at an unmarked T-intersection. From the T-intersection, the trail runs north. About 20 yards out, the trail winds around and under a huge boulder, then quickly arrives at another Native American rock art site(Fig. 09) located behind a pole fence. The overhang at the top of the low rock wall protects the faint red marks (pictographs in Fig. 10) painted on the rocks.

(Fig. 07)

(Fig. 08)

(Fig. 09)

(Fig. 10)

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Wild Burro (Equus asinus) – Red Rock Canyon

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(Fig. 01)

09/17/2014 Trip Notes: Out of the dozen times that I have visited this area, I have only spotted burros on three occasions. I attribute the fact that we spotted 6 burros on today’s trip to the time of day. I don’t think I have ever visited this area this close to sunset before. We spotted these burrow along Blue Diamond road as we were headed back to highway 160 on our return home. I'm not sure if this is breeding season, but the burro in (Fig. 01) appeared rather young. Notice that the burro on the left in (Fig. 04) appears to be pregnant.

(Fig. 02) (Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04) _________________________________________________________________

(Fig. 05)

08/09/2014 Trip Notes: I spent the morning hiking trails in Willow Springs Canyon taking pictures of petroglyphs and pictographs. On my way out of the park, I came upon this lone burro (Fig. 05) munching on the grass. Luckily, I was able to work my way around him to capture a picture with the mountains in the background (Figs. 06 & 07), before he scampered off. In all of my visits here, this is only the second burro sighting I have had inside the park, the first being about eight years ago.

(Fig. 06)

(Fig. 07)

Willow Springs Canyon Hikes - RRCNCA

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This page last updated on 04/10/2018

(Fig. 01)

Destination: Willow Springs Canyon (RRCNCA) Distance from Point of Origin: 26 miles. Estimated (One Way) Travel Time: 45 minutes. Directions: From the Stratosphere Casino take a right onto Las Vegas Blvd south (the Strip) to Sahara Ave. Turn right onto West Sahara Ave (NV-589) and continue to follow W. Sahara Ave for 10 miles until it turns into Desert Foothills Drive. Continue on for another 4.5 miles and turn left onto NV-159 W Charleston Blvd. Continue to follow NV-159 (which becomes Blue Diamond Road) west for about 4.5 miles and turn right onto Scenic Drive which leads into the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA). After paying the entrance fee, bear right at the fork to stay on the 16 mile Scenic Loop road. Travel roughly 8 miles past the visitor center, a little more than half-way around the Scenic Loop. Turn right onto Willow Spring Road and drive north about .6 miles, past the Lost Creek Trailhead, and park on the right side of the road. This the Willow Springs Picnic Area. General Description: The picnic area is located adjacent to a spring with large cottonwood trees. From this location you have access to seven trails. The two most popular trails, both containing petroglyph and pictograph sighting are the Lost Creek Trail and the Petroglyph Wall Trail. You can also hike farther up the dirt road deeper into the canyon itself. Special Attraction or Points of Interest: Petroglyphs, pictographs and waterfalls when the timing is right. Primary Activity: Hiking. Secondary Activities: Photographing and birding. Elevation: 4,575 feet. Best Time To Visit: Open year-round, the best time to visit is in the early spring and the cooler months of fall and winter. Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Pit Toilets. Estimated Round-trip Time: Four to five hours depending upon how much hiking, exploring and picture taking you do.

For more info on Willow Springs go to: http://www.birdandhike.com/Bird/Red_Rocks/Willow_Springs/_Willow_Spr.htm

(Fig. 02) There are six trails that either start at, run through or converge near the Willow Springs Picnic Area in Willow Springs Canyon: The 1.1-mile Willow Springs Loop trail; the 0.15-mile Petroglyph Wall Trail; the 1.8-mile La Madre Springs Trail; the .5-mile Upper Lost Creek Falls Trail; the 0.31-mile Lower Lost Creek Falls Trail; and the southern portion of the 6.35-mile White Rock Loop Trail. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to each of these hiking trails/areas. Refer to the map in (Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

Willow Springs Picnic Area: Located about halfway around the Scenic Drive, is a destination known as the Willow Springs Picnic Area. See (Fig. 02). The Red Rock Wash runs through Willow Springs Canyon, next to the picnic area. The pictures in (Fig. 01 & 03) were taken while standing in the middle of the wash, (01) looking up the wash, west towards the La Madre Mountains and (2) looking east, down the wash towards the Blue Diamond Hills. The picnic area is located adjacent to a spring with large cottonwood trees (Fig. 04). It has approximately 28 picnic tables, various trash receptacles and toilets. Over the past several years I have made numerous stops here; it is a great place to either start or end a full daytrip of hiking.

(Fig. 04)

08/09/2014 Trip Notes: Recently I made another visit here to try and find some pictographs that I had either missed or failed to take pictures of on previous visits. Rock art pictures from this visit can be seen on the following page … Willow Springs Canyon Petroglyph Photos. While hiking the Willow Springs Loop Trail on today’s visit I encountered a Black Ground Beatle and a Great Basin Whiptail Lizard. Check these pages for info and pictures … Common Black Ground Beetle (Pterostichus melanarius) and Great Basin Whiptail Lizard (Aspidoscelis tigris). 11/14/2013 Trip Notes: My hiking group made this spot our lunch stop after hiking the White Rock Loop Trail. If you visit this place at the right time in the Fall, you can always get some colorful pictures (Fig. 05). After lunch we celebrated Bill Terrance’s birthday (our van driver). The collage in (Fig. 06) shows Bill in the upper left corner eating a sandwich.

(Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06)

Hiking trails in and around Willow Springs Picnic Area

Petroglyph Wall Trail in Willow Springs Canyon:  Just northwest of the picnic area, this is almost too short to even be called a trail. This .15-mile walk takes you to the side of a cliff that contains both petroglyphs and pictographs.

Willow Springs Loop Trail: This trail actually incorporates portions of the Children’s Discovery Loop Trail, the Lower Lost Creek Falls Trail and the Upper Lost Creek Trail. This trail provides views of pictographs, agave roasting pits and petroglyphs. Although I do not have a separate page for this trail, pictures taken along it have been included into other pages.

La Madre Spring/Dam (RRCNCA) - Summary Page: Heading northwest up Rocky Gap Road takes you to the trailhead for the La Madre Springs hike, about a half mile from the parking at Willow Springs. This trail leads into the 47,180 acre La Madre Mountain Wilderness Area. At about a 10% grade till you get to the end, this is a fairly strenuous hike.

White Rock Loop Trail (RRCNCA),: White Rock Loop Trail: Though this is not the trailhead for the White Rock Loop Trail, you can actually begin and end this trail from here in either direction. No matter which direction you take, this 6.35-mile hike has a fairly strenuous elevation gain heading out, The return is much easier.

Lost Creek Falls (Lower) Trail (RRCNCA): Located just southeast of the picnic area is the trailhead for the Lower Lost Creek Falls Trail. This trail takes you across Red Rock Wash to a natural spring surrounded by this shrubs and small trees, before taking you to the falls and then on up to come caves and pictographs.

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Slideshow Description: The slideshow above contains 21 pictures that were taken at the Willow Springs Picnic Area.

Lower Lost Creek (Falls) - Summary Page

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This page last updated on 03/09/2019

(Fig. 01)

Destination: (Lower) Lost Creek Falls Trail - (RRCNCA) Distance from Point of Origin: 26 miles. Estimated (One Way) Travel Time: 45 minutes. Directions: From the Stratosphere Casino take a right onto Las Vegas Blvd south (the Strip) to Sahara Ave. Turn right onto West Sahara Ave (NV-589) and continue to follow W. Sahara Ave for 10 miles until it turns into Desert Foothills Drive. Continue on for another 4.5 miles and turn left onto NV-159 W Charleston Blvd. Continue to follow NV-159 (which becomes Blue Diamond Road) west for about 4.5 miles and turn right onto Scenic Drive which leads into the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA). After paying the entrance fee, bear right at the fork to stay on the 16 mile Scenic Loop road. Travel roughly 8 miles past the visitor center, a little more than half-way around the Scenic Loop. Turn right onto Willow Spring Road and drive north 0.2 miles and park on the left side of the road; this is the trailhead. Lost Creek is located about a mile before Willow Springs Picnic Area. General Description: There are two trails that lead to the Lost Creek Falls, the ‘lower’ trail being the easiest. The ‘upper’ trail goes by some caves and petroglyphs. Lost Creek is a typical of the type of stream that exists in the desert. It is covered with the brush that it sustains and that brush sustains it by protecting the stream from the direct sunlight and increased evaporation. This short trail runs across Red Rock Wash and up a short canyon in the red rock cliffs to a waterfall inside the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area. The trail ends in a pretty little box canyon with a waterfall that flows during winter and after rainstorms. Special Attraction or Points of Interest: There is a spring in the willow thicket at the base of the canyon, before you reach the falls, that almost always has water. This is a good place to look for birds. During extremely wet years, the trail into the canyon can be flooded and travel can be somewhat difficult if you want to keep your feet dry, but the waterfall can be spectacular under those conditions. Also, just a short distance up the road from the trail head to the falls is Willow Springs Picnic Area, a good place to stop for lunch. Primary Activity: Hiking. Secondary Activities: Photographing. Elevation: 4,452 at the trail head to about 4,518 at the falls. Best Time To Visit: Early Spring. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. The "lower" trail is relatively easy. The "upper" trail is a little more difficult. I would suggest walking out on the lower trail (.3 miles) and returning via the upper trail (.5 miles). The upper trail has some serious exposure and is not appropriate for the inexperienced or faint of heart. The route up the hillside is steep and rocky, and at the top of the cliff, you have to find a route across exposed ledges. Facilities: None. Estimated Round-trip Time: 3-3-1/2 hours depending upon picture taking and hiking of side trails..

(Fig. 02)

03/07/2019 Trip Notes: Today I visited the Lower Lost Creek falls with Bob Croke, Jim Herring and Harvey Smith. Two of them had never been here before and everyone was glad we made the effort. In all of my previous hikes here, this is the most water I have ever seen coming over the waterfall. Click here for pictures and a description ... Lower Lost Creek (Falls) - 03/07/2019 - Trip Notes.

03/03/2011 Trip Notes: I Took this hike with the the rock-hounds from the Henderson Senior Facility. Even though I have probably been here two or three times, this is the first time that there was a fair amount of water coming over the falls (Fig. 01). As you leave the parking area, the first section of this trail (Fig. 02) is also part of the Children’s Discovery Trail and the Willow Springs Loop Trail. After hiking through the “spring” area, the trail starts to rise towards the falls, leading you past a flowing stream of water (in early Spring) (Fig. 03). When you reach the area of the just below the falls, there is a relatively flat area covered with water (Fig. 04). After viewing the falls (Fig. 05), backtrack to a t-intersection in the trail that will now be on your left. Taking this trail will lead you up higher into some the rocky cliffs with some caves (Fig. 06) and some pictographs (Fig. 07). This turns into the Upper Lost Creek Falls Trail that ends back at the Willow Springs Picnic Area.

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05

(Fig. 06)

(Fig. 07)

03/03/2011 Trip Notes: While showing my cousin around Red Rock Park, we made a stop her on the halfway point of the 13-mile scenic loop. After visiting the waterfall, we went to the Willow Picnic area and had lunch. Even though there wasn't a lot of water at the waterfall, he still enjoyed the hike and the fresh air. Click here for pictures and a description of this visit ... Lower Lost Creek (Falls) - 04/12/2006-trip.

Note: Every attempt is made to provide accurate information, but occasionally depictions are inaccurate by error of mapping, navigation or cataloging. The information on this site is provided without any warranty, express or implied, and is for informational and historical purposes only.

Petroglyph Wall Trail in Willow Springs Canyon (RRCNCA)

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(Fig. 01)

Destination: Willow Springs Picnic Area - (RRCNCA) Distance from Point of Origin: 26 miles. Estimated (One Way) Travel Time: 45 minutes. Directions: From the Stratosphere Casino take a right onto Las Vegas Blvd south (the Strip) to Sahara Ave. Turn right onto West Sahara Ave (NV-589) and continue to follow W. Sahara Ave for 10 miles until it turns into Desert Foothills Drive. Continue on for another 4.5 miles and turn left onto NV-159 W Charleston Blvd. Continue to follow NV-159 (which becomes Blue Diamond Road) west for about 4.5 miles and turn right onto Scenic Drive which leads into the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA). After paying the entrance fee, bear right at the fork to stay on the 16 mile Scenic Loop road. Travel roughly 8 miles past the visitor center, a little more than half-way around the Scenic Loop. Turn right onto Willow Spring Road and drive north about .6 miles, past the Lost Creek Trailhead, and park on the right side of the road. General Description: The picnic area is located adjacent to a spring with large cottonwood trees. There are a couple of trails here. The Lost Creek Trail leads to a willow thicket, waterfall, and creek flowing from a side canyon. You can also walk farther up the dirt road into the canyon itself. There is also a short trail opposite the picnic area that leads you past some Petroglyphs. Special Attraction or Points of Interest: Petroglyphs and waterfalls when the timing is right. Primary Activity: Hiking. Secondary Activities: Photographing and birding. Elevation: 4,575 feet. Best Time To Visit: Open year-round, the best time to visit is in the early spring and the cooler months of fall and winter. Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Pit Toilets. Estimated Round-trip Time: Two hours depending upon how much additional hiking, exploring and picture taking you do.

08/09/2014 Trip Notes: The only reason I came here today was to try and locate some pictographs (Figs. 2 & 3) that I failed to take pictures of on a previous visit. For a more complete collection of pictograph and petroglyph pictures from this area go to … Willow Springs Canyon Petroglyph Photos.

(Fig. 02)  (Fig. 03)

05/10/2012 Trip Notes: The picture in (Fig. 01) is a view westward toward the canyon above the picnic area at the start of the trail. The two picture in (Figs. 04 & 05) show members of today’s hiking group heading out across the wash on the trail opposite the picnic area that leads to “Petroglyph Wall”. Though I was hoping to see more Petroglyphs, we only came across two sightings, shown in (Figs. 06 & 07) below.  The remaining shots (Figs. 08-10) show some of the plant life we found along the way.

(Fig.04) (Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06) (Fig. 07)

(Fig. 08) (Fig. 09) (Fig. 10)

The Cabins Petroglyph Site (Summary Page)

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This page last updated on 10/11/2017

(Fig. 01)

Area Description: “The Cabins” (Fig. 01) are located just a couple of miles inside the east entrance to Valley of Fire State Park near Overton, Nevada. Etched into the dark patina covered cliff side behind the cabins, there is only one panel containing a couple dozen glyphs. For more information on this area go to … Valley of Fire Trip Notes for 06/28/2012.

Petroglyph Information: Even though there are several sandstone cliffs here that contain a dark patina, only the one located directly behind the cabins has any petroglyphs. As you can see from the pictures in (Figs. 02-04), many of the glyphs here are quite abstract in nature if not downright strange. There are however, a couple of zoomorphs, “sheep-like” figures as seen in (Figs. 05 & 06). For more information on who may have created these glyphs, go to the page … Mouse’s Tank Petroglyphs.

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03)

(Fig. 04)

(Fig. 05)

(Fig. 06)