Grotto near Lake Las Vegas

Grotto near Lake Las Vegas

The hike to this grotto takes less than half an hour and is a short distance from the paved bike trail by Terrazzo Park in Lake Las Vegas. Park in the Terrazza Park parking lot and walk down the bike path towards the bridge over the wash. Walk over the bridge and up the hill until you see a dirt path going off to the right. The path is marked with cairns and go down and back up through some washes. The trail leads up and around the hill into a canyon where it leads to the grotto. The hikes is best in the morning because the sun shines up through the canyon. If you go in the evening the canyon will be shaded by the walls of the canyon. If it is a hot day stop at the wash to cool off.  You can walk down to the wash if you make a right hand turn on the dirt road right before the bridge. Right after the sign for the Wetlands Park you can walk down into the wash next to the weir (small damn).

Lava Butte Road - Beautiful Desert

Lava Butte Road

Scene from Lava Butte Road with Lake Las Vegas in the Background

Star enjoying the view from Lava Butte Road

Looking Down on Lava Butte Road from overlook. You can see Lake Las Vegas looking in the opposite directions at the top of the bluff.

Barrel Cactus growing out of the cracked rock.  

Orange rock along Lava Butte Road

Orange Mountain Along Lava Butte Road

Lava Butte Road follows the power lines for a little ways.  In the backgound you can see Henderson, NV.  If you keep going on this road you come out at Las Vegas wash.  You can turn around and go back the way you came, take Rainbow Garden Road back or drive up to Sahara.

Scene from Lava Butte Road

Lava Butte Road has some of the best scenery in the area and most people do not know about it. It is just north of Lake Las Vegas. Take Lake Mead Drive to North Shore Drive, Past Lake Las Vegas and make a left onto Lake Mead Blvd. Not too far past the National Park entrance you will see a dirt road that goes off into the desert to the left. This road will take you to Lava Butte Road and Rainbow Garden Road. If you want to travel the entire Lava Butte Road, you should take a four wheel drive vehicle and lost of water. The road is pretty good, but in a few places there is high clearance. Do not go in the summer!

When you get down to the wash you can turn around and go back the way you came or drive all the way out to Sahara. Either way is about the same distance. The drive to Sahara is a much better road and much faster.  They have been working on the roads in this area so this might have changed since I have been there.

Las Vegas Wash - Soft Shell Turtle

Soft Shell Turtle - Las Vegas Wash