Overview

A number of nice use-trails have become established in the Red Rock Canyon Campground Area. The Fire Station Hill Loop (3.23 miles round trip) runs west from the public trailhead, then makes a big loop out behind the fire station, climbing onto the top of the peak beyond the fire station. This is the hardest of the Campground Area Loops, but the expansive views make it worth it, and there is a nice cactus garden atop Fire Station Hill. The trail continues down the other side of the mountain and returns to the paved road. Hikers can return over the pavement or continue across the road and use other trails to return to the trailhead.

After hiking this loop, consider hiking one of the other short or long loops in the campground area. This hike is nice because it is close to town and not on the Scenic Loop Drive. This makes it free, a quick little get away from town, and it minimizes time driving to and from the trailhead.

Link to map or elevation profile.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this hike is about as safe as hiking in the desert can be, but watch out for dog poop near the trailhead.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and please try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this hike is short and close to civilization, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials. Please pick up after your pet too.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 30 minutes from town, but not on the Scenic Loop Road. For non-campers, drive out West Charleston Blvd to the Moenkopi Road Trailhead, which is located along the Moenkopi Road. Park here; this is the trailhead.

For campers, continue into the campground, park at your campsite, then walk out into the desert and pick up the trails.

The Hike

From the public trailhead (Table 1, Wpt. 01), the use-trail runs west across a flat, sparsely vegetated area where the trail is braided and poorly defined. Continuing in that direction, however, shortly brings hikers to an old road (Wpt. 02) that cuts diagonally (SE-NW) across the area. Following the road northwest, the road quickly arrives at a trail junction where the old road cuts down the steep hillside into Red Rock Wash.

Staying atop the cliff overlooking the wash, the trail continues west and shortly becomes well defined as it follows an old road. Through here, the vegetation is typical Mojave Desert Scrub habitat type with lots of creosote bush and white bursage, plus Mojave yucca, Joshua trees, Nevada ephedra, spiny menodora, and galleta grass. Also watch for beavertail cactus and cottontop cactus.

The old road becomes a two-track road, and eventually bends to the left to head more to the south. Shortly after the bend, the old road ends and a regular trail continues. The trail passes a junction (Wpt. 06) with the Campground Wash Loop Trail (on the right) and continues heading uphill to the south.

At about 1 mile out, the trail intersects an old road coming up from the Fire Station (Wpt. 07). The route turns right and heads west up the road. A minute or two west, the old road merges with another old road (Wpt. 08) also coming up from the Fire Station, and the route continues west and uphill.

The old road ends, but a constructed trail (edged with white rock; Wpt. 09) starts up the ridge and heads south towards the summit of Fire Station Hill. About 0.21 miles past the end of the road, there is an enormous cairn (Wpt. 10) along the trail. There is a bit of a hilltop here, but the meaning of the cairn remains mysterious. In the area, there are lots of California barrel cactus, cottontop cactus, and Mojave hedgehog cactus.

Beyond the cairn, the trail continues up the ridge, somewhat steeply now, and past some interesting Paleozoic fossil outcrops, to the summit (Wpt. 11), which is on a short spur trail.

The peak is craggy limestone with lots of fossiliferous material. The vegetation is sparse, but diverse, and there are lots of cactus in the summit area, including California barrel cactus, cottontop cactus, Desert Spinystar Cactus, and Mojave hedgehog cactus. Interesting shrubs around the summit include Heermann's buckwheat, butterfly bush, and even Parry's Lipfern growing in cracks in the rocks.

From the summit, return over the spur trail to the main trail, which continues southeast across the summit areas. Hikers might want to hike off-trail east to another rocky knob that overlooks the campground. From there, the route returns off-trail to the main trail and continues southeast down the steep hillside.

The trail then runs down across the hillside, somewhat steeply at times, to connect with the end of another old road (Wpt. 13).

The route follows the road to the northeast, staying to the right at a fork (Wpt. 14), until the old road is crossed by a barbed wire fence (Wpt. 15), which is to keep burros out of the campground. The trail passes through a gate in the barbed wire fence and continues down the dirt road, which shortly intersects the paved Moenkopi Road (Wpt. 16).

On the paved road, hikers can return directly to the trailhead (Wpt. 01). Watch for cars, but hiking on the pavement is actually enjoyable after hiking down the steep hillsides. Be sure to wave at the Fire Boys as you pass the Station.

Otherwise, hikers can walk a few yards north on the pavement, then duck under the fence on the east side of the road and pick up Campground Area trails. By staying left at intersections, hikers can loop out into the desert before bending back west and retuning to the trailhead (Wpt. 01).