Red and Black Mountain

This would be a great trail run for those who are into that. It is a well maintained trail, with gradual elevation gain (1,200 total) and it offered great views from the top. Not too many rocks on the trail to twist your ankle. I saw a few trail runners while I was up here. Once you reach the saddle, one way is red mountain, which offers great views of Lake Mead and Boulder City, and the other is Black Mountain, which is where they launch the bootleg canyon ziplines. The other side of black mountain is a popular spot for downhill mountain biking.
If you decide to go to both peaks, it’s 6 miles RT. This was a nice, short out and back hike.

For Review 300, I wanted to spend time in a beautiful place that is as good as it gets. This is achievable when I live in a metropolitan area with access to spectacular parks. So, this past weekend’s outdoor adventure was when I returned to Red & Black Mountain to climb up Red Mountain.
There are two hiking routes to hike up Red & Black Mountain. Hiking Route A is from the River Mountain Trail (not the River Mountains Loop Trail).To get there from the Las Vegas area, travel on US 93 toward Hoover Dam. After turning left on US 93 to bypass downtown Boulder City, the sign for River Mountain Trail will be on your left. Hiking Route A begins in a residential subdivision, passes through a desert landscape under power lines, and then climbs up switch backs to a summit. At the top of the summit, you have the option of turning left toward Red Mountain or turning right toward Black Mountain. Hiking Route B is from the Bootleg Canyon Park Trailhead. From the Las Vegas area, drive on US 93 as if you were headed to Boulder City. After the first traffic signal, US 93 changes from a divided limited access highway to a commercial thoroughfare. Get on the left lane and turn left on Yucca Street. Taco Bell will be the landmark. From here drive on Yucca Street to it dead ends at the Bootleg Canyon Park parking lot. Once you park your car, you will hike on the River Mountains Loop Trail for a short distance. At the first junction, you will make a left on the road toward a valley. This is Bootleg Canyon. You will see restrooms and picnic tables. From this point continue on the road, which is now gravelly. It will bring you up Red Mountain. Just a note, to the right of the road is a large mountain adorned with a large «B.C.» and communication towers on top. This is the mountain that you will be climbing.
From my experience hiking up Red & Black Mountain, I STRONGLY suggest, hiking each mountain on two separate hikes. Two separate hikes will reward you with hours of recreation and experiences. This review is on Hiking Route B: Bootleg Canyon Park to the summit of Red Mountain. Hiking Route A: River Mountain Trail to the summit of Black Mountain will be a future review, which I will place under Unilocal’s River Mountain Trail Listing.
From ground level to the summit, there are three types of topography to hike. From the Bootleg Canyon Park parking lot to the valley, the topography is pavement. Through the valley and up the north side of Red Mountain, the topography is a sandy and gravelly road that is used by vehicles transporting people and dirt bikes to a parking lot at the end of the road. With the exception of the gradual change in elevation, this is an easy hike. Beyond the parking lot, the topography is very rocky and gravelly for a short segment, and the trail has changed from a dirt road to a narrow trail that becomes narrow with steeper elevation gains. At this point, the hike is moderately difficult to the degree that I strongly suggest «focus on the moment «concentration and reliable hiking boots.
The scenery is as good as it gets. Red Mountain (with the B.C.) is beautiful from ground level. As the dirt road travels through Bootleg Canyon northbound, then gains elevation gain eastbound, the closer up vistas of Red Mountain are captivating. Especially at dawn! As the dirt road travels through Bootleg Canyon, it treats the hiker to spectacular vistas of the River Mountains and valleys. Once the dirt road turns toward the north to travel uphill, the vistas become as good as it gets. It is at this point where the panoramas of the Las Vegas Valley featuring the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding mountain ranges overtake the landscape. It is at this point where you could look down on the top of the Stratosphere and across at French Mountain with open desert below. I said the scenery is as good as it gets? I was ahead of myself. At the parking lot where the dirt road ends, the scenery gets better! This is where you have the option of turning left and hiking to the summit of Black Mountain, or staying straight on a narrow path to the left of the gate toward the Red Mountain summit. At this point you are consumed by breathtaking scenery. To your left is the mesmerizing black Mountain and to your right hundreds of feet below you is Boulder City. I said the scenery is as good as it gets? It is almost as good as it gets! The narrow part of the trail looks over even better scenery. When you look to the right you will be able to see Black Mountain Henderson and to the left you will be able to see Lake Mead and the bridge. At the summit where people board the Bootleg Canyon Flight Lines the scenery is as good as it gets. Looking below there is Lake Mead, Boulder City, and desert. And yes, this scenery is as good as it gets and why Red & Black Mountain is 5 stars.

This is a moderately strenuous hike because of the nearly 1,200 foot elevation gain. The hike is approximately 6.5 miles round trip if you go to both peaks.
The trailhead is along US Highway 93. As you approach Boulder City, turn left the way you’d go to Hoover Dam. After you start down the hill past Industrial Road, watch for a sign on the left that says River Mountains Trail parking. It’s just before the entrance to the St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. There is ample parking here.
From the parking area, walk behind the interpretive marker and the trail goes between the wall of an area of houses on the left and a concrete drainage ditch on the right. From there, the trail is fairly easy to follow as it’s well defined. Follow the signs for the trail. There are side trails that are mountain bike trails so watch for the hiking only trail markers. The first part of the trail meanders around a bit and goes up and down until it works its way around and into a wash that comes down from the saddle between the two peaks. The saddle is the first goal.
As you hike toward the saddle, the trail becomes a series of switchbacks to make getting to the top easier. Please DO NOT CUT the switchbacks. This damages the trail and when rain comes, wash outs are more likely. You’ll also be trampling some native plants so stay on trail.
Turn left at the saddle and keep heading up. There’s still a bit more to go. After a few more switchbacks, you’ll come to a road – a road you could have driven up, but that would defeat the whole purpose of hiking, no? This road is used to get to the antenna array at the top of Red Mountain. It’s also used to take those who are doing the Bootleg Canyon flight lines near the launching area for the first flight. When you reach this road, you have a stunning view of Las Vegas and the Spring Mountains on the west side of the valley. You walk a short distance along the road and you’ll see the trail to Red Mountain continue on your left.
Follow the trail as it goes higher. It’s a bit rocky and there is one spot that has some loose gravel. After a short time, you do reach the Red Mountain area and you see the antenna array you’ve probably seen many times driving to/​from Hoover Dam. The actual peak for Red Mountain has a stake and you can go there if you want to be at the topmost point. In this area, you can see the first flight for the Bootleg Canyon Flight Lines, Lake Mead, The Eldorado Valley with its two solar plants, and of course, Las Vegas. It’s a wonderful place. If you’re lucky, you’ll be here when a group does the flight. You can also see the mountain bike trails that make up the Bootleg Canyon
trails. It’s interesting to see these people riding down the steep slopes.
Now for the bad news, Black Mountain is on the opposite side of the saddle. You can see the trail you need to follow from Red Mountain. If you’ve had enough, just return to your car. It’s only about 3 miles away. If you’re going to Black Mountain or your car, you need to head back the way you came passing the dirt road and looking carefully watching for when the trail to the saddle goes off the dirt road to the right.
When you get back to the saddle, continue straight ahead on the trail if you’re going to Black Mountain or make a right if you’re going back to the car now.
The trail goes about ½ mile to Black Mountain. It is very well defined and you hike on volcanic rock. That’s what makes Black Mountain its color. At the top of Black Mountain, there’s a bench and several interpretive markers explaining the geology of the Las Vegas Valley. It’s a good place to have a snack and enjoy the view.
Follow your tracks back to the saddle and then descend the switchbacks. They’re so much nicer now that you’re going downhill. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your car. There is a picnic table at the parking area, so you can have an après hike lunch. We call it Guinness time!
Happy hiking!