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This page last updated on 02/11/2019
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| (Fig. 02) |
Directions: To reach Lovell Canyon Road from the Stratosphere on Las Vegas strip, take the I-15 to Blue Diamond Rd (SR-160 aka Pahrump Highway). Head west on SR-160 passing the turn to Red Rock Canyon, passing Cottonwood Valley, and passing over the pass and the town of Mountain Springs. About 3 miles west of Mountain Sprint Summit, watch for highway signs and a right turn onto Lovell Canyon Road. Lovell Canyon Road is a paved road that dead-ends at the entrance to the Torino Ranch, about 11 miles out. A left turn here is the beginning of Lovell Summit Road.
Area Description: The area loosely referred to as Lovell Canyon lies within the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. It is bordered by the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area on the east. Refer to (Fig. 02). Lovell Road and the Lovell Summit Road cut through the heart of the Lovell Canyon area. North, it is bordered by the Mount Charleston Wilderness Area. Its 57,442 acres is spread across the entire Spring Mountains Range and includes Mount Charleston (Charleston Peak), at an elevation of 11,908 feet. Access to the canyon is the Lovell Canyon Road, an 11-mile-long paved road that parallels the Lovell Canyon Wash. The surrounding area encompasses approximately 24,997 acres. Its unique geology and microclimates support several endemic plant communities, some plants that are found nowhere else in the world. The soils of lower elevation washes of Lovell Canyon have alluvial soil deposits. Alluvial soils deposits are eroded rock debris transported from higher elevations in mountains down to the valley floor. The soils of the higher elevation rolling hills of Lovell Canyon consist of weathered sandstone rock fragments and finer particles. Traveling west at the end of the paved Lovell Canyon Road, elevation 5,958 feet, is the beginning of the 9.7 mile Lovell Summit Road that ends at Trout Canyon Road. The roads highest point is Summit Peak around 6,500 feet (Refer to Fig 02).
02/07/2019 Trip Notes: Today Jim Herring, Bob Croke and Ron Ziance decided to take a ride up Lovell Canyon Road to Lovell Summit Road to drive in the snow and get some wintry snow pictures. As you can see from the pictures, it was a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in the sky. Driving NV-160 to get there, we took this snow covered picture of Mt. Potosi (Fig. 03) along the way. As we drove up Lovell Canyon Road we captured the pictures of the snow covered Spring Mountains in the distance (Figs. 01 and 04). As we neared the end of Lovell Canyon Road, the road became completely covered in snow. After turning onto Lovell Summit Road the snow got a little deeper. As we climbed up this snaking road to Lovell summit, 6,740 feet, several of the sharp corners got a little slippery (Figs. 06 & 07). Several places provided opportunities for some nice views (Fig. 08). This picture is looking east back down onto the beginning of the road. (Notes continued below)
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| (Fig. 03) |
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| (Fig. 04) |
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| (Fig. 05) |
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| (Fig. 06) |
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| (Fig. 07) |
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| (Fig. 08) |
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| (Fig. 09) |
Trip Notes Continued: At Lovell Summit, looking up there were pictures of the frosted and snow-covered trees at the ridge lines (Figs. 09 & 10). Looking due west from the summit you look down onto a fairly flat valley that is pocked with nearly a dozen houses (Fig. 11). From the summit the road lead down into and across the valley below (Fig. 12). The picture in (Fig. 13) shows one of the larger, more substantial houses. From here is was still several miles to the end and the intersection with Trout Canyon Road. About two miles before Trout Canyon Road I got a flat tire. Luckily the snow barely covered the dirt road and we were in a spot where changing the tire was relatively easy. We all admitted that none of could even remember when we had to ever change a flat tire, but even being a bunch of old geezers, we managed it quite well. Thanks guys, I don't know how well I would have done if I'd been alone. When we reached Trout Canyon Road we stopped and took a shot north toward the town of Trout Canyon (Fig. 14) and the snow-covered mountains behind the town before heading down the road to NV-160. For all the years I've been hiking around the Spring Mountain area, this is the first time I ever attempted to come in the winter and can say I really enjoyed it. Driving in the snow and hiking around was really an enjoyable experience. When we reached the highway we headed into Pahrump for lunch at Symphony's, the restaurant located inside The Pahrump Winery. After a nice long leisurely lunch and excellent desserts, we called it a day and headed home.
Side Note - Symphony's: Symphony's is a Zagot rated establishment is an up-scale casual restaurant that serves both lunch and dinner. Served on white linen clothed tables, in a very quiet, elegant atmosphere, the fine food is beautifully served, and is reasonably priced. Dining here is worth the trip to the winery all by itself. The addition of a closed-in outside patio with a lovely, relaxing view provided a lovely setting for any meal. Click here for some pictures ... Pahrump Valley Winery.
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| (Fig. 10) |
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| (Fig. 11) |
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| (Fig. 12) |
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| (Fig. 13) |
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| (Fig. 14) |
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