Great Hike in Mt. Charleston

Now is the time to drive up to Mt. Charleston, which is only 35 miles west of Las Vegas. Why? It's about 25 to 40 degrees cooler in Mt.Charleston. This is due the the elevation, which is 5,000 to almost 10,000 feet higher than Las Vegas, NV. You lose about four degrees for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Mt. Charleston starts at 7,000 feet and tops out at 11,918 feet.

Looking for a Great Hike?

Cathedral Rock seen from SR 157

Currently, this is the best time in years to do the Cathedral Rock hike. Why? All the water from the snow melt has turn this normally dry hike into something that looks like a hike in the High Sierra. The normally dry falls is flowing and the pipe that runs under the trail gushes water out like a fire-hose.

 Stats:
This hike is suitable for those hikers in descent shape and strong children.
Here are the stats:


Distance: 3 miles — round trip (from the picnic area); 2.5 miles — round trip (from before the picnic area).
Elevation gain: 900 feet
Elevation peak: 8,600 feet
Time: 2.5 hours — up and back
Difficulty: 2
Hurry and do this hike before the water is gone.