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Cottonwood Wash - Downstream
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Confluence of East and West forks of Cottonwood Wash (view N)

 

Overview

Cottonwood Wash runs through a beautiful, geologically jumbled Pinto Valley Wilderness Area for about 1 mile to Cottonwood Spring, then continues another 1 mile to the Confluence of the East and West Forks of Cottonwood Wash. The route runs through volcanic mountains, red sandstone crags, layered limestone mountains, and conglomerate cliffs where blue-gray limestone cobbles are set in a matrix of red sandstone, plus mudstones and siltstones that record ancient lake beds with myriad Cenozoic fossils and ripple marks.

Presented here are photos of the descent down Cottonwood Wash and the return to the Mile 18.2 Trailhead. For details of the hike and GPS data, see Cottonwood Wash - Upstream.

Link to map.

Upper Cottonwood Wash (above the spring; heading downstream)

Cottonwood Wash
Descending from confluence of East and West forks (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Cottonwood Wash (view N)
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Cottonwood Wash (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching the Upper Narrows (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending the Upper Narrows (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Exiting the Upper Narrows (view N)
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Cottonwood Wash (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching Razorback Wash North (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Looking into Razorback Canyon (view NE)
Cottonwood Wash
Looking into Razorback Wash North (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Confluence of Cottonwood Wash and Razorback Wash North (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Cottonwood Wash (view N)
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching the Red Layers (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Alternative to bypass the pour-over (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending into the Red Layers (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Crossing the Red Layers (view N)
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching Cottonwood Spring pour-over (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching Cottonwood Spring pour-over (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Historical photo: Hikers atop pour-over with Cottonwood Trees
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching Cottonwood Spring pour-over (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Atop the pour-over (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Edge of the pour-over (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Grand scenery (view NW; looking left from atop the pour-over)
Cottonwood Wash
Grand scenery (view N; looking right from atop the pour-over)
Cottonwood Spring
Historical photo of Cottonwood Spring from above (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Atop the pour-over, looking down (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Atop the pour-over, halfway down (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Atop the pour-over; the last 5 feet are the hardest part (view NW)

Lower Cottonwood Wash (below the spring; heading downstream)

Cottonwood Wash
Bottom of the pour-over; dead cottonwoods at left (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Departing the Cottonwood Spring area (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Red mudstone full of gypsum layers (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
One of the dead cottonwoods wash down the wash (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching Halfway Narrows (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Entering Halfway Narrows (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Halfway Narrows (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Halfway Narrows (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Descending Halfway Narrows (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Exiting Halfway Narrows (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching the yellow-brown, fossil-filled wall (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching ripple marks (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Yellow-brown wall with ripple marks (view E)
Cottonwood Wash
Oyster and snail fossils in the yellow-brown wall (view NE)
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash Cottonwood Wash
Cottonwood Wash
Continuing down Cottonwood Wash (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
The last of the red outcrops comes into view (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Northshore Road comes into view (view NW)
Cottonwood Wash
Past the last red outcrop, the trail leaves the wash bottom (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
The Main trail runs down along the base of the bluff (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
The Main trail runs down along the base of the bluff (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Leaving the wash bottom and climbing the bluff (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Climbing the bluff (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Arriving at the top of the bluff (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
The trail runs across desert pavement (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Expansive desert pavement (view N approaching trailhead)
Cottonwood Wash
Approaching the trailhead (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Returning to Mile 18.2 Trailhead; watch for speeding vehicles (view N)
Cottonwood Wash
Arriving at Mile 18.2 Trailhead; watch for speeding vehicles (view N)

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240326

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