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| Pastel Bowl and Round Mound |
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| Red Pinnacle |
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| Tri-Level Deep Potholes |
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| Left at Gibraltar Rock |
Exploring in Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park is quite an undertaking so for my first such outing, I chose what I thought would be easy pickings. (I also hoped it would provide a little excitement as only Valley of Fire can do!) Rita and I were still a little sore from our group's escapades on Frenchman Mountain so a long beautiful hike in the colors was very inviting. Vaccine business excused the remaining of the Fearsome Foursome. Jerry and Cheryl should be rejoining us soon to complete the Six with Sticks. We drove up I-15 to exit #75 and drove studiously across the next 15 miles to the park. From the visitor center, we crawled up Mouse's Tank Road to Parking Lot #3 to begin our hike. A very busy lot later in the day, we were the first to arrive there just after 9am.
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| Game Trail to Pastel Bowl |
We crossed the pavement as if we were heading to the Fire Wave. However, as the trail bent to the right, we took an unmarked trail to the left. This trail led down into the wash at the base of Gibraltar Rock and continued up alongside.
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| Pastel Bowl |
The first through crack to the right is the Corner Junction where our hike would close the loop in the end. We turned into the crack and followed the gully until the terrain to our left opened out. Climbing up a level of sandstone, we found a game trail coursing through the desert terrain.
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| View back in Pastel Bowl |
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| Entering Pastel Bowl Wash |
Ahead, there is a round mound. Our trail forked to the right and we reached an area of pastel rock just in front of the round mound. Sight for sore eyes! The pastel colored bowl gradually descended down to the right so we chose a path in the ruts and began taking several photos. The Pastel Bowl led us down into our beginning canyon wash. The fantastic colors didn't stop as we veered to the left in the wash. Settling into the sand, our interest was piqued by a slot to our right into the red rocks. We took a small exploratory look-see and came back out to our route a few yards down wash. Back in the sand, we continued down. Our first slithering slot in Serpentine Wash was a two leveler. The first level was a little high so we went up and around. But the second level was just challenging enough to have some fun.
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| From Pastel Bowl to the Slithering Slots in Serpentine Wash |
The next dry fall was also a two leveler but we couldn't handle either one of them. Up and around. So, is this the way it's going to be? Nope!
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| First Slot Ahead |
When the type of rock changed, so did the challenge level of the dry falls.
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| Slithering Slots in Serpentine Wash |
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| Small Drop |
Next, we settled into a series of narrow slots and dry falls that were all perfect for challenging fun. The slot dry falls would wind this way and that landing us in a deep hidey hole of sand. Coming out of one slot, we looked up to the ridges above and saw a single bighorn sheep keeping eyes on us. One of the last slithering slots was dubbed the Duck Slot. It was very narrow with pleasant looking conglomerate walls and a chock rock blocking the last five feet of the descent. Our method of slithering is laid out in the photo collage below. I guess if you are bigger than either of us, you might have a small problem but, perhaps you can figure it out! We were having bunches of fun!
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| The Duck Slithering Slot |
After that, there were a few more drops and we wound our way down to junction with the main wash. This wash, Magnesite Wash, begins at the White Domes and flows all the way down to Overton.
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| Under to the Left |
Very near where we came into the wash, there is a low point. It is clear that grasses and reeds have gravitated to this area where the water pools in the sand. We began our climb up through the sand and used the sandstone slab on the embankments when possible.
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| Doorway Arch |
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| Main Wash |
We took our break on one of those embankments then about half a mile from where we entered, we turned left to gently climb a beautiful and somewhat disorganized wash. Veering slightly to the right, we connected with that same game trail. We could see the round mound ahead. This time, we used the trail to circle around the ridge to our right and enter a pastel rock field. Hiking into the field, we came to a wash that was deeper than the others. Having been here once before, my GPS and I were fairly certain that this was the beginning of Weird Canyon. We dropped in and started a descent of winding beauty. When presented with a choice, we just chose the descending wash. Soon, we passed the Red Pinnacle.
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| Colors in Thru Canyon Wash |
Points of interest in Weird Canyon include scrambling around a very large chock boulder and a switchback turn in the wash. The colors are spectacular!
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| Double Trouble in Thru Canyon Wash |
Then the canyon reaches a large pool of water with reeds and grasses growing in it. This is the Delta Spring Hole. You must climb up and around the pool by starting to the left. The spring hole looks very healthy.
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| Rounding Corner to Pastel Field |
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| Starting down Weird Canyon |
However, the next spring hole (Epsilon) was almost dry. We were able to see that the deep hole is indeed about 3.5 feet deep. Weird Canyon flows into Magnesite Wash after that and we turned left for a trudge up the sand. Happily, we found a sheep trail off to the right side of the sand where hiking was much easier. Our final section of this three-part hike entered into another unknown-to-me area. I had never seen Duck Rock before so we were on a mission to see this rock that was making all the fuss. On our way, we passed the entrance to Black & White Canyon wash. We knew this was one way to exit. Right after, we reached a tri-level dry fall in Magnestie Wash. In this area, we found the very old petroglyphs I saw on a map somewhere.
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| View back to Red Pinnacle in Weird Canyon |
The tri-level dry fall had very deep potholes at each level climb so we had to climb up and around on the sandstone fins to the left. Not as easy as it sounds!
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| Delta Spring Hole |
These fins created a very large area of canyons and cracks. It isn't a simple matter of climbing up on the wall and passing all three of the wash dry falls! So, on the last fin of our up and around, we saw Duck Rock in the distance. Yes, there is no mistaking!
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| View in Weird Canyon |
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| Epsilon Spring Hole (Almost Dry) |
Our main objective here was to get a look at the "Duck." We did that! So, at that point, we decided to try to find our way to the slab exit. Again, not as easy as it sounds! Navigating the huge fins of red sandstone, we climbed up and up trying not to fall into the deep crevices. As we climbed, we found that the crevices shallowed out, the higher we went. Thank goodness! At the top of the maze, we could see the Gibraltar Rock and it rose as a beacon for our trip back up to our cars. There were still a couple of washes to cross but the crossings were easy enough. We found the slab that I had been on before and walked the length of it. To our left, we could see Virgin Peak rising up across the Overton Arm of Lake Mead.
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| Odds and Ends |
Choosing not to turn to the right and climb the long hill of deep sand straight up to the trailhead, we followed the slab out to its tip and connected with a trail.
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| Catching the Game Trail Wash Bypass |
Although the trail was a bit disorganized in the sand dune, it was clear enough and we neared the red rock on the north end of Gibraltar Rock. The trail wound us through the red rock then connected with a game trail that connects to the system of game trails we had used hours before.
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| Duck Rock from Canyon Maze |
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| Escaping the Maze |
Lo and behold! We came to the Corner Junction thereby connecting today's loop. From there, we followed the trail up beside Gibraltar Rock, through the green stuff and up to the right on the Fire Wave Trail. Back at the parking lot, we lifted our buff masks and walked into a packed and crowded trailhead. Both sides of the road were filled with parked cars. BTW, we did see evidence that the Serpentine Wash (official name) had been hiked before but not much. It is definitely worth your while! This hike is Big & Beautiful as advertised ... by me!
Stats: 7 miles; 1000' gain; 5.5 hours
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| Virgin Peak across the Pastel Field |
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| Slab to Home |
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| Closing the Loop at the Corner Junction |
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