Overview

The Desert View Overlook Trail is a 1/2-mile (round trip) paved trail, fully accessible, that leads from the parking area to two overlooks with grand views of the desert and mountains to the north and east. Both overlooks have signs with information about the area, the views, and the history of the site.

Historically, people came here to watch atomic bomb blasts on the Nevada Test Site, and this still is a good place to watch U.S. Air Force maneuvers (jets making bombing runs and firing rockets; also ground artillery) on the Nellis Bombing Range. Keep an eye out for drones, stealth bombers, Janet Jets, and of course UFOs dropping into Area 51 out just over the horizon.

This trail was rebuilt and extended in 2014; click here for historic photos.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, this is a safe paved trail; however, be careful of cars in the parking lot and zooming down the highway.

While hiking, but please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this hike is so short that you probably don't need to bring the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

The trailhead is located up in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (generally referred to as Mt. Charleston) on Deer Creek Road between Kyle and Lee Canyons, about 1-1/4 hour northwest of Las Vegas. From town, drive out to the Visitor Center, then continue to Desert View Overlook Trailhead.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the paved trail runs north around the east edge of a low ridge. The trail is relatively wide, paved, fully accessible, and has a railing on the downhill side.

The short trail passes through a mixed forest of singleleaf pinyon pines, Utah juniper, rocky mountain juniper, curlleaf mountain mahogany, Fremont's mahonia, green ephedra, sagebrush, and a few other shrubs. After about 1-2 minutes of walking, the trail arrives at the First Overlook (Wpt. 02) with a grand view to the north and east.

The view from the overlook covers a grand sweep of the northern Mojave Desert, with the Great Basin Desert in the distance to the north. Signs at the overlook describe the panorama and identify the mountains and other landmarks, including the Nevada Test Site, that can be seen in the distance.

To the northwest is the Nevada Test Site. This is the best view of the Nevada Test Site that most people will ever get. If you look carefully at a bearing of 333 degrees, you can see over a low point on a ridge in the middle distance and see part of Frenchman Flats Playa. The first above-ground atomic bomb tests in Nevada were conducted at Frenchman Flat, but then they moved the tests north to Yucca Flats and "whomped off" many more bombs underground.

When the bombs got too big for the alluvial soils of Yucca Flats, they moved farther north and set off big bombs under the volcanic mesas (e.g., Rainier Mesa) that can be seen far in the distance beyond Frenchman Flats. Signs provide information on the history of above-ground atomic bomb testing and how people came up here to watch the blasts.

To the north and northeast is the Nellis Bombing Range. In the bottom of the valley to the north, you can see a bit of Creech Air Force Base and Indian Springs town just over a ridge. This is where the air force trains and operates drone aircraft. Keep an eye out for them doing touch-and-go landings on the airfield.

The overlook also provides good views of a playa (to the northeast) that the Air Force uses for bombing practice. Sometimes you can see fighter jets on bombing runs as they dive-bomb and drop bombs or shoot rockets at targets on the dry lake northeast of the overlook. Using binoculars, you can see a big bulls-eye bulldozed into the playa. South of the playa, in the valley along Highway 95, you might also see tank and artillery practice.

To the east are the Sheep and Las Vegas ranges. These two mountain ranges, plus four others, are part of the Desert National Wildlife Range, a National Wildlife Refuge set up primarily to protect Desert Bighorn Sheep. Other than at Refuge Headquarters (Corn Creek), the Wildlife Range is essentially undeveloped (few roads, no developed trails), making it a wonderful and wild place to hike and wander among the vast beauty and solitude of the desert.

From high on the mountain, we can look down into Frenchman Flat (arrow at left) and see where they whomped 'em off back in the 1950s at the dawn of the nuclear age. From here, it feels like you are looking into the belly of the beast, or perhaps Mordor, but people actually work in buildings out on the flat these days.

The military still practices within sight of the Desert Overlook. This dry lake to the east of the overlook, and just east of Highway 95, is a good place to watch things blow up. Here (arrow at left), we seem to have artillery shells bursting in air above the lakebed.

From the First Overlook (Wpt. 02), the cement trail continues on down towards the Second Overlook (Wpt. 03), passing three switchbacks (four if counting the First Overlook) and a few information signs along the way.

The trail eventually runs out to the Second Overlook (Wpt. 03), another broad paved area with numerous information signs. I'm not sure the view is any better than it was at the First Overlook, but the longer trail is a welcome change.

After taking in the view, retrace your footprints to the trailhead.