Overview

Lime Canyon Road, a spur off the Red Bluff Spring Road (part of the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway), is the 1-mile-long gateway to the wild and rugged Lime Canyon Wilderness Area. The road runs down a narrow corridor (the edges of which are bordered by designated wilderness) to a trailhead at the end, thus providing hiker and horseman access to Lime Canyon Narrows. Historically, the road has been in reasonably good shape and suitable for 2WD-HC vehicles and medium-clearance vehicles such as a Subaru Forester.

The 0.7-mile sandy section of this road frequently washes out, so always use good judgment. Consider walking ahead to determine the best route, and the far end of the road follows the cliffs on the north side of the wash.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about being in the desert, ... this is a wild and remote area without services of any kind (no restrooms, no water, no gas, no food). Bring what you need to survive. Be prepared and be self-reliant. Someone will find you eventually if you stay on a main road, but be prepared to survive alone for a day (or two if you get off the main road). Historically, the road has been in reasonably good shape and suitable for a 2WD-HC vehicle, but conditions change, so use your good judgment.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this is a remote area, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials.

Road Guide

Lime Canyon Road is located out in Gold Butte northeast of Lake Mead, about 2.5 hours northeast of Las Vegas. From town, drive out to Gold Butte. Drive south on the paved Gold Butte Road to Whitney Pocket where the pavement ends. Continue south on the scenic unpaved Gold Butte Road for 20.2 miles to Red Bluff Spring Road on the right. Drive north on Red Bluff Spring Road 3.2 miles to Lime Canyon Road, on the left behind a Lime Canyon Wilderness Area sign.

Turning left onto Lime Canyon Road (Table 1, Site 1690), the road descends a firm-dirt hillside at a moderate grade. The grade lessens, and the road passes a small parking area on the left just before dropping into the sandy wash at about 0.3 miles out.

The road follows the wash westward. There are some tight spots between rocks and some sandy spots, but generally the road is fine. At 1.05 miles out, the road ends (Site 1691) at a fence inside the mouth of Lime Canyon Narrows, which is the Lime Canyon Trailhead.