birdandhike.com logo
Home | Wilderness | Hiking | Mt. Charleston
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Spring Mountains (Mt. Charleston)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Kyle Canyon Road round-about, third exit to Visitor Center (view S)

Overview

The Spring Mountains Visitor Center, or the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway as they prefer to call it, is a typical visitor center on par with those found in many National Parks. Visitors can stop in and pick up maps, ask questions, peruse the educational displays to learn about the area, pick up souvenir trinkets, and perhaps attend an interpretative program.

Outside, there are several exhibits on the back porch (ecology, native peoples, cold war memorial), an amphitheater, and trailheads to short and longer walking trails and a picnic area. There is also a classroom that groups can use.

Link to map.

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Exiting round-about towards Visitor Center (view S)

Getting to the Spring Mountains Visitor Center

The Visitor Center is located in Kyle Canyon up in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, about 35 minutes northwest of Las Vegas.

From downtown, drive north on Highway 95 towards Reno for 17.0 miles. Just beyond the edge of urban Las Vegas, exit the highway onto Kyle Canyon Road (Highway 157; Exit 96); watch for signs to Mount Charleston. Be forewarned: this is one of those weird, new-fangled highway intersections, so be careful and try to stay in the middle lane.

Kyle Canyon Road curves left under the highway and heads west, up the hill. At about 16.3 miles out, drivers encounter a "round about." Drive 3/4 of the way around the loop (third exit) and exit to the right under the Spring Mountains Visitor Center ranch gate, which leads straight into the large visitor center parking lot. Continue towards the tall building ahead in the distance and find a convenient place to park.

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Approaching the Visitor Center ranch gate (view S)

The Visitor Center

Inside the visitor center, displays provide information on several aspects of mountain history and ecology. Read about the native people who called this home and the loggers, miners, and settlers that came after them. Other displays provide information on how plants and animals survive in this arid and cold environment. Some species occur only on this "sky island." What does that mean and who are they? Stop in and find out!

Also inside the visitor center is a gift shop with the usual trinkets, but also books and other materials with information about the Spring Mountains. They also provide a small supply of hiking and camping items.

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Entering the Visitor Center parking lots (view SW)

Outside the visitor center, there are displays about mountain ecology, a memorial to people who died in an airplane crash near the summit of Mount Charleston on their way to Area 51 work on a secret project during the cold war, and an area where native peoples who lived on this land are remembered (they are still here). Staff provide educational discussions in the outdoor amphitheater.

In addition, short and somewhat longer trails begin from the back porch, and there is a nice picnic area.

The trails here have funny names, such as Kunav Huveep, Pack Rat, and Acastus. They make sense, however, in the local area. Kunav Huveep is the local Paiute name for Kyle Canyon. The Pack Rat Trail leads to an enormous and ancient Pack Rat toilet that is still in use (don't worry, even this makes sense). The name "Acastus" is for a rare orange butterfly species that lives in this area: Spring Mountains Acastus Checkerspot Butterfly (Chlosyne acastus robusta).

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Visitor Center (view on approach; view SW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Passenger drop-off (view E)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Reserved accessible parking (view NE)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
General and reserved parking (view SE)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Lots of parking (view E)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Lots of parking (view NE)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Bus and large-vehicle parking (view N)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Spring Mountains Visitor Center walkway entrance (view SW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Spring Mountains Visitor Center walkway entrance (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Entrance sign (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Entrance sign (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Walkway to the Visitor Center (view W)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Bridge to the Visitor Center (view W)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Approaching the Visitor Center front doors (view SW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Walkway to the trails and back porch (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Front entrance to the visitor center (view SW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Outdoor map (view S)
more to come
More to come ...

Visitor Center Interior

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Entrance vestibule
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Important and updated information
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Front Desk
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Long suffering, but cheerful staff
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Exhibit Hall
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Exhibit Hall
Spring Mountains Visitor Center Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Spring Mountains Visitor Center Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Information about local people
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Gift shop
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Polarized glasses on loan
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Upper window -- not much to see ...
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
... but hold up the polarized glasses ...
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
... and the miracle of light comes into play revealing a beautiful scene
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Rare plants found only in the Spring Mountains
more to come
More to come ...

Visitor Center Exterior

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Back porch with seating and winter fireplace (view W)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Cold War exhibit and memorial (view SW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Cold War exhibit and memorial (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Cold War exhibit and memorial (view W)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Nuwuvi Seven Stones and trails on the hillside across the valley
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Native people's display (Nuwuvi Seven Stones)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Native people's display (Nuwuvi Seven Stones)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Native people's display (Nuwuvi Seven Stones)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Overlooking the outdoor amphitheater (view SE)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Outdoor amphitheater (view SW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Back porch ecology information signs (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Back porch ecology information signs (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Sign: Where's the Water?
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Sign: Different Everyday
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Sign: Reading the Landscape
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Classroom and picnic area in the distance (view E)

To the Trails

Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Walkway to the trails and back porch (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Walkway to the trails goes through the amphitheater (view SE)
Spring Mountains Visitor CenterDown through the amphitheater and out to the right (view SE) Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Entering the amphitheater (view SE)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Inside the amphitheater (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Exiting the amphitheater (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Approaching the trails (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Sign: Hiking trails straight ahead (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Start of trail and sign on the left (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Sign: map of area trails, not just those behind the visitor center)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Trail marker at start of trail (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Trail marker with name of trail (view S)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Returning off trails to the Visitor Center (view NW)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Trail runs back through the amphitheater (view N)
Spring Mountains Visitor Center
Return to parking (view NE)
more to come
More to come ...

Table 1. Hiking Coordinates Based on GPS Data (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S). Download Hiking GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file.

Site Location UTM Easting UTM Northing Latitude (N) Longitude (W) Elevation (ft)
1609 Spring Mountains Visitor Center 626923 4014720 36.27089 115.58697 6,647
1610 Kyle Canyon Road at Visitor Center Road 627158 4014886 36.27236 115.58433 6,601

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240329

Hiking Around Mt Charleston Hiking Around Las Vegas Glossary Copyright, Conditions, Disclaimer Home
Google Ads