Karsten at North Peak, Red Rock Canyon

To enjoy Red Rock Canyong, but get away from the crowds which clog the main visitor's area on good-weather days, one only needs to get away from the paved scenic loop. To quickly access Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area, of which the sandstone bluffs which make up the south wall of the visitor's area are part, you can exit the paved scenic loop at Willow Springs and keep going even when the pavement stops. You'll be on Rocky Gap Road, which is, in fact, quite rocky.

It is unmaintained, and will require a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle to navigate. You'll quickly discover this when, shortly after you ditch the pavement for dirt, you have to cross Red Rock Wash. The first time I tried driving down this trail, in the Spring of 2005, the road was impassible because of erosion from the heavy flooding in 2004.

After crossing the wash several times, overcoming the large rocks and holes, and winding your way up the mountainside in a series of hairpin turns, you'll reach Red Rock Summit trailhead. It will be five and one-half bone-jarring miles after Willow Springs. The trip will take about an hour.

At the trailhead, your truck gets to rest while you walk up the steep trail, just over a mile, to North Peak. From there, about 7,000 feet above sea level, the entire valley stretches out before you. You can clearly see Lake Mead to the east. Despite having all of the hustle and bustle spread out below, it's amazingly quiet on North Peak. Only the occassional helicopter breaks the solitude of the wilderness around you.

Rough and Winding Rocky Gap Road

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