Overview

The SMYC Trail is a 1.3-mile segment of the Escarpment Route that runs through spectacular open desert along the base of the Wilson Cliffs. The SMYC Trail runs between Lost Creek Canyon and Ice Box Canyon. This is a pleasant trail with relatively little elevation change that generally runs at gentle grades. There are two short, steep sections, but both are associated with nice viewpoints.

The SMYC Trail connects two trails, so it can be walked in either direction. Here, it is described as running south from the Lost Creek Canyon Trail to the Ice Box Canyon Trail, which is the downhill direction. For hikers going the other direction, see SMYC Trail - Northbound.

SMYC stands for "Spring Mountains Youth Camp," which is a long-term correctional facility for young men convicted of felonies. In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, these guys have been doing nice trail work for more than 30 years.

Link to map. Link to BLM Georeference PDF map file.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a safe hike, although parts of the trail are rocky and might be difficult for people with walking difficulties. Water sometimes runs in Red Rock Wash, and care should be taken on wet or icy rocks.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this is a short hike, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along the Scenic Loop Road in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 45 minutes west of Las Vegas. Drive out to Red Rocks, pay the fee, and then drive about half-way around the Scenic Loop Road to Willow Spring Road. Turn right and drive north 0.2 miles to the Lost Creek Trailhead. Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

Two trails run west from the parking lot. The Lost Creek Trail starts near the middle of the parking lot and runs straight (west) across Red Rock Wash towards a big willow thicket, a pine tree, and the mouth of a little side-canyon. The Children's Discovery Trail starts at the northwest corner of the parking lot (by the big sign) and angles upstream and angles across the wash (northwest).

From the Lost Creek Trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), this trail runs west on the Lost Creek Trail. About 80 yards out (1 minute), the trail forks, and the SMYC trail (Wpt. 02) goes left. A sign at the junction states that it is 1.0 miles to the Ice Box Canyon Trail; it's actually about 1.1 miles.

Running downstream, the SMYC Trail runs out into the gravel wash. The wash crossing, less than 0.2 miles out, is marked by sandstone stepping stones that must have been set by a very energetic trail crew.

In the wash, the vegetation consists largely of desert willow and other tall shrubs. This contrasts greatly with the hillside beyond the wash where the vegetation is dominated by singleleaf pinyon pine, Utah juniper, and blackbrush. The differences in vegetation largely are due to differences in soil moisture and flooding tolerance.

Across the wash (Wpt. 03), the trail climbs somewhat steeply up the red-dirt hillside, bends left, and runs south at a slight downgrade running parallel to, but high above the wash. After about 0.25 miles, the trail runs over the crest of a low ridge and starts to drop off west side (away from the main wash).

As the SMYC Trail drifts onto the west side of the little ridge, it runs slightly downhill to a trail junction (Wpt. 04) marked with a regular trail marker. At the junction, the left fork is a short spur-trail that climbs gently towards the Northern Promontory (Wpt. 05) at the end of the ridge. Views from the promontory are grand.

From the trail junction (Wpt. 04), the SMYC Trail drops steeply off the side of the ridge into a ravine (notice the aging rock work), then turns downhill and runs southeast under the promontory. The trail runs south across flats with Singleleaf Pinyon Pine trees to a little wash coming down from the cliffs.

The SMYC Trail crosses wash, bends right, and begins to climb a steep set of stone stairs. Right a the top of the stone stairs, the trail seems to fork, but actually it switchbacks to the right. The left fork gets lost in the bushes.

Staying right, the trail traverses the hillside climbing gently. There is some multiple trailing here, but the built trail stays right (lowest trail) until switchbacking back to the left. Now heading southeast again, hikers might notice the other trails fighting up through the bushes.

Back on gentle terrain, the trail runs across the hillside climbing gently until reaching a highpoint at the Southern Promontory (Wpt. 06), which is only a few steps left of the trail. As with the previous promontory, the views are grand, and this make for another nice lunch spot.

From the Southern Promontory (Wpt. 06), the trail winds down the south side of the ridge. In the rocks, watch carefully for twists and turns in the trail. The trail continues down across the hillside and wraps around the toe of a little ridge passing lots of big boulders that came rolling down the hillside (but hopefully not today).

Wrapping around the toe of the ridge (Wpt. 07), the SMYC Trail bends left and starts out across desert flats entering the Ice Box Canyon drainage system (almost directly opposite Ice Box parking area). Here, the trail really starts to angle away from the high cliffs above.

Up until about this point, the trail has fairly clean and nice to walk on, but as the trail crosses ancient alluvial flows from Ice Box Canyon, it gets quite rocky (much like the Escarpment Route south of here).

In this area, it is interesting to notice that a fire burned through here long ago. The shrubs have since recovered, but there are almost no living Utah juniper trees here, even remaining old juniper skeletons have fallen over in the last 20 years.

After a few minutes of walking on stones, the SMYC Trail reaches a trail junction with the Ice Box Canyon Trail (Wpt. 08). The SMYC Trail ends here.

From this point, hikers can continue south on Dales Trail, turn right and hike west and up the Ice Box Canyon Trail, turn left and hike east out to the Ice Box Canyon Trailhead (Wpt. 09), or retrace your footprints back to the Lost Creek Trailhead (Wpt. 01).