Overview

A number of nice use-trails have become established in the Red Rock Canyon Campground Area. The Campground Knoll Loop (4.1 miles round trip) runs east from the Public Trailhead to the base of Gun Range Ridge, then turns south and makes a long run to the top of Campground Knoll, requiring a bit of cross country hiking at the end. From the summit, more cross country hiking leads to an old road that loops back to the family campground. Unfortunately, the easiest walk back to the public trailhead is via Moenkopi Road.

After hiking this nice 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 trail map or elevation profile of the route.

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. There is some cross country hiking, but the terrain is fairly easy. There is no need to down climb the cliffs encountered after leaving the summit -- just hike north past the cliffs before turning downhill.

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.

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. Drive out West Charleston Blvd to Moenkopi Road and turn left towards Red Rock Campground.

For non-campers, drive south on Moenkopi Road about 0.3 miles to Moenkopi Road Trailhead (Moenkopi Road Recreation Site parking area). Park here; this is the trailhead.

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

The Hike

From the Moenkopi Road Trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the Campground Knoll Loop starts by running east on the Campground Flats Trail (Wpts. 18, 19, and 21) to a T-intersection (Wpt. 25).

At the T-intersection (Wpt. 25), the Campground Knoll Loop turns right and heads south on the Gun Range Ridge Trail, following that trail to a T-intersection (Wpt. 26) with the Campground Knoll Trail at a point northeast of the Group Campground.

Alternatively, campers can make a shorter loop by walking off the end of the group campground road and up the old road to the same T-intersection (Wpt. 26).

In this area, the vegetation is diverse, but typical Mojave Desert Scrub habitat type with lots of creosote bush and white bursage, plus Nevada ephedra, spiny menodora, desert globemallow, littleleaf ratany, and galleta grass. Also watch for beavertail cactus, matted cholla, pencil cholla, and silver cholla.

From the T-intersection atop a little highpoint (Wpt. 26), the Campground Knoll Loop continues east on the old road, passing a side trail to the left (Wpt. 27) and continuing up towards the base of Gun Range Ridge. The trail sweeps around below the Gun Range Ridge to head south.

Note that there really is a gun range on the other side of the ridge and that the ridge is the backstop for the bullets. Don't climb up the ridge to see for yourself! Signs along the trail warn hikers away. Also understand that the crest of the ridge is less than 1 mile from the main shooting area, that .22 rifle bullets can travel about 1.2 miles, and that typical AR-15 rounds can travel 3 miles.

Continuing, the old road runs south and up onto the crest of a ridge where a bike trail forks to the left. Staying right on the Campground Knoll Trail, shortly the trail passes a huge cairn (Wpt 28) that was constructed for some unknown reason. Perhaps it was to memorialize the great views in all directions, but it has now been torn down and the stones lie in a loose pile.

Beyond the cairn, the old road continues southwest over rolling terrain. The Campground Knoll Trail bends to the south and descends rather steeply into a saddle where it continues straight at a T-intersection. Here, a bike trail branches to the left (connects with the previous left trail).

Climbing out of the saddle at more moderate grades, the Campground Knoll Trail stays left at a fork where yet another bike trail angles off to the right. The right fork could be used to shortcut the trail, bypass the summit, and return more directly to the family campground.

Past the fork, the Campground Knoll Trail climbs at moderate grades across the hillside and passes a nice cactus garden before climbing back onto the top of a ridge. The old road now contours around onto the east side of ridge and suddenly ends (Wpt. 29) for no apparent reason, although a foot trail continues straight. For bikes, however, a better trail turns left at the end of the road before turning right to continue south and eventually connect with the previous bike trails to the left.

From the end of the old road (Wpt. 29), the Campground Knoll Trail turns right and runs off-trail up the hillside to the top of the knoll, a false summit as it turns out, but one with great views out across the Las Vegas Valley.

The route continues west, dropping into a saddle and climbing onto the next hilltop, which is part of the summit ridge. Now turning south, the off-trail route drops into yet another saddle before climbing onto the true summit (Wpt. 30). The summit is rather broad and flat, but someone put up a small cairn that serves as the summit marker. There is no register.

All along this off-trail section, there are been great views out across the Las Vegas Valley. Somehow, it seems extra peaceful to sit on a rocky hill, surrounded by cactus and yuccas, while watching people driving around and going about their daily hustle and bustle down below.

While on the summit, be sure to notice the fossils. There are calcite (white) fossils of bivalves and crinoids embedded in the limestone and lots of dark fossiliferous material eroded out onto the surface of the limestone.

Vegetation on the summit is typically diverse Mojave Desert Scrub, including Eastern Joshua Trees and Mojave Yucca, Creosote Bush and White Bursage, lots of cactus (California Barrel Cactus, Cottontop Cactus, Engelmann's Hedgehog Cactus, Desert Spinystar, and Pencil Cholla), Blackbrush (usually found at higher elevations), Eastern Mojave Buckwheat, Mormon Tea, Desert Needlegrass, Matchweed, Red Brome, and lots of Biocrust growing among the rocks.

From the summit (Wpt. 30), the loop turns west and wanders down towards the edge of cliffs. Enjoy the view, but don't stray too close to the edge. The off-trail route follows the top edge of the cliffs back north towards the campground, which can be seen from the summit and all along here.

The cliffs eventually run out, and the route, still running north, drops off the ridge into a saddle (Wpt. 31) just before the last rocky knob. Contouring around the south side of the knob, the route drops onto another old road (Wpt. 32). This old road runs straight into a newer road near the campground and ends by the entrance to the family campground (Wpt. 36). Hikers can duck under the fence onto the pavement and follow Moenkopi Road back to the trailhead (Wpt. 01).