Overview

The Arnight Trail is a 1.7-mile segment of the Escarpment Route that runs through open desert along the base of the Wilson Cliffs. The Arnight Trail runs between the Oak Creek Canyon Trailhead and the Pine Creek Canyon Trail. The Arnight Trail also is part of what I refer to as the Rainbow Mountain Loop. The Arnight Trail provides a pleasant hike through some spectacular desert country with relatively little elevation change and great views of the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area.

Link to map.

The Arnight Trail lies between two trailheads, so it can be walked in either direction. Here, I describe it running from Oak Creek Canyon Trailhead to Horace Wilson's old homestead in Pine Creek Canyon. The trail could also be walked from the Pine Creek Canyon Trailhead. The total distance between the two trailheads is about 2.5 miles.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a safe and easy, but rocky trail, so watch your step and don't twist an ankle. Watching your step, however, is difficult because the Wilson Cliffs, Rainbow Mountain and Bridge Mountain in particular, just seem to get taller, more vertical, and more spectacular the closer you get, and you will want to watch the scenery rather than your feet.

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 1 hour west of Las Vegas. Drive out to Red Rocks, pay the fee, and then drive most of the way around the Scenic Loop Road to the Oak Creek Canyon Trailhead, located at the end of Oak Creek Canyon Road.

The Hike

From the Oak Creek Canyon trailhead (Table 2, Waypoint 01), the well-defined trail runs north from the northeast corner of the parking area. The trail winds among boulders and shrubs, and passes little washes, as it climbs the bajada at a slight grade. Along this part of the trail, there are many low-growing shrubs dominated by blackbrush with some yucca, buckhorn cholla, and a few other species mixed in. The low-growing shrubs don't block your view, and the land is fairly flat, so there are great views in all directions. In fact, you can look back and see the trailhead from most places along the trail.

About 0.6 miles out, the trail crosses the wash that comes down from Juniper Canyon (Wpt. 02). There is a fairly thick stand of shrub live oak, manzanita, and singleleaf pinyon pines in the wash, and this should be a good place to stop and listen for birds. There was a fire on edge of trail on the north edge of the wash. It will be interesting to watch the site recover over the years.

After crossing the wash, the trail runs uphill for about 0.5 miles to a T-intersection with the Knoll Trail (the north end of the Knoll Trail) (Wpt. 03). From this point, the Knoll Trail runs south (left) for about 1.25 miles to intersect the Oak Creek Canyon Trail.

From the trail junction, the Arnight Trail continues northwest (right), immediately dropping into and crossing a wash, then staying more-or-less on the contour as it runs north. About 120 yards (straight line) north of the Knoll Trail junction, a well-used use-trail branches off to the southwest (Wpt. 04). If you are hiking north, this isn't a problem because the use-trail goes the wrong way, but if you are hiking south, it is hard to tell which is the correct trail. Going either way, just stay to the east and you will be on the right trail.

Continuing north, the trail gets to the edge of Pine Creek Wash (great views), then turns to the west and cuts steeply down the bank towards Pine Creek, dropping more than 100 vertical feet. At the bottom of the hill, about 0.5 miles north of the Arnight-Knoll trail junction, the Arnight Trail reaches a T-intersection with the Pine Creek Trail (Wpt. 05). This is the end of the Arnight Trail.

At this point, you are on the edge of Pine Creek and just upstream from Horace Wilson's old homestead. There are lots of cattail, rushes, willow, and rabbitbrush in addition to ponderosa pine and shrub live oak where the trail crosses the creek.

From here, you can go back the way you came, go back some other way, or pick up the Pine Creek Trail and hike about 0.85 miles to the Pine Creek trailhead. If you continue on the Pine Creek Trail, turn east (right), cross the creek, and walk out into Mr. Wilson's garden area, which, except for yerba santa, is still mostly clear of shrubs after all these years. Wander across the garden area and visit the homesite (Wpt. 06) where Mr. Wilson built his house in the early 1920s. He lived here for about 10 years and planted a big garden and an orchard. Only the foundation of the house and some fruit trees remain. He left the canyon in 1933 and moved to the big city (Las Vegas). You can pick up the Pine Creek Trail by the home site (foundation) and walk out to the Pine Creek trailhead.