Sloan Canyon NCA - Petroglyph and Cowboy Trail Loop

Hiked March 23, 2026. Fourteenth hike of the year.

Apparently, I lied about blogging Hike 12, next. Had some issues getting the right photos uploaded.

This is a place I frequent, because of the combination that it's near Las Vegas, of moderate length (not too long, not too short), and very rewarding, on account of the petroglyphs.

It's in the Inspirada neighborhood of Paradise Township. "Paradise Township" is what the area of Clark County near "The Strip" is formally called. "Inspirada" is the particular new neighborhood, with pretty continuous construction over the past 12-14 years. As a result, the drive to get here changes all the time.

The first time I tried getting here, the BLM directions were out of date, and I tried to make it from the Las Vegas Blvd side. That was kind of crazy. Looks like my first successful trip was a bit later in March 2013.

Apparently, it's been a while since I've been back, since, upon researching a return to this site, I learned the "new" parking area and visitor contact station that was there the last few times I was here was being replaced by a larger parking lot and permanent visitor contact station, so access to that parking lot was/is closed, from November 2024 to November 2026.

Currently, parking is limited to a wide area of the road, on the south side of Democracy Drive, just east of Nawghaw Poa Road. If your GPS won't take you there, you can try Adventura Park, which is currently also the nearest public restroom to the parking area. Once at Adventura Park, keep heading south, then jig left, then right, again (getting back on to Via Firenza), continuing south, until you hit Democracy Drive. Make a right at Democracy drive, then look for the wide shoulder on the left (south) side of the road, and park, there.

For a small number of people coming from eastern Henderson, south of Anthem, or the western part of Inspirada, you may be directed straight to Democracy Drive, and you'll arrive south of Adventura Park.

On March 23, 2026 (the day of this hike), the creosote was blooming like wild. Desert mallow were also pretty common. Also, some desert chickory, yellow primrose, and a few Mojave aster.

Despite the modest distance for the loop, the way out is slightly uphill, and largely in a sandy or gravelly wash. It can also get hot, and there is very limited shade, so be sure you have enough to drink. The "official" recommendation on the sign is 1/2 gallon per person. Personally, I think that's high, unless it's well into the 100s, but it's better to have more liquids than you need than not enough.

The other slight barrier is that there area few dry waterfalls. While some of them are easy walk ups, a few will require a step or two of scrambling, meaning some size, balance, and strength. They are literally just a step or two, but you'll use your hands, and smaller people may need some help.

You can avoid having to descend those dry waterfalls by continuing past the petroglyph panels an additional 1/4 mile or so, until you see the "Cowboy Trail," to your right. That takes you up a fair incline, adjacent to a volcanic plug.

As you reach the pass at the side of that plug, you've got a nice view over the Las Vegas Valley.

The trail then zig-zags down the canyon, rejoining the Petroglyph trail about 1/2 mile south of the petroglyph area.

Because the trail now starts down on Democracy Drive (near where I used to park, before Democracy Drive got paved) the roundtrip distance is now a little over 6 miles, at least according to my Alltrails recording. Total altitude gain is given as 633 feet. So figure an extra 1/2 mile and 50 feet or so from if you started at the visitor contact station.

Plenty more pictures below, but nothing else to add.

In addition to hike 12 (Big Morongo Canyon Preserve), which I haven't blogged, yet, I redid the Mount Wilson Trail, to Firest Water. Not sure which of those two I'll blog next. Also, should get at least one decent hike in next weekend.

Whitewater Preserve -- Canyon View Loop Trail

Hiked March 15, 2026. My thirteenth hike of the year. My twelfth hike was the previous day, which I'll blog, next.

The first two photos are from just south of the preserve boundary, along Whitewater Road.

Whitewater Preserve is owned and managed by the Wildlands Conservancy. It's also within the boundaries of the Sand to Snow National Monument. The monument has basically no development, however, so the only obvious access points are from private preserves such as this one (and also Mission Creek and Pioneertown Mountain Preserves, also managed by the Wildlands Conservancy, and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, which is not.

I hiked the Canyon View Loop trail, which is listed as about 3.5 miles. I also wandered around the visitor center somewhat, as they were recognizing the Tenth Anniversary of the creation of Sand to Snow National Monument, so I walked somewhat more than 3.5 miles for the day.

My Alltrails recording shows about 5.3 miles and 700 feet of altitude change, but that includes about 3/4 of a mile of accidental recording, as I got in my car and started driving back towards the freeway.

This is a nice hike, provided the temperatures are not too high. The changing altitude and sun exposure angles along the trail meant there was a nice variety of wildflowers on this hike.

The lower altitudes had some very dense areas of brittlebush. The photo here was of some desert poppy. Lots of the other flowers I saw, I could not identify, but may, later. Well, except for the Indian paintbrush, which was only on the lower, south-facing slope, as I neared the flood plain, just prior to starting the floodplain part of my leg.

This was my first hike in Whitewater in about ten years (!). Sometimes, you just never manage to get back to a place, even if you enjoy it. Other times, there are acts of nature that close an area off.

This was a combination of the two. First, the former. Then, there were fires and floods. The area was closed for what seemed like several years. But they're open, again, so I was glad for the opportunity to return.

I hiked this trail because I was thinking I hadn't hiked it, before. Previous trips were to Red Dome, and further, to the overlook to the end of the watershed, where you look into the Mission Creek Preserve. I also hiked up Rainbow Rock Canyon, and in from the Cottonwood Trailhead access to the PCT.

I didn't recall hiking this particular hike, before, but on reviewing some of my earlier posts, and walking the path, I think I probably did pass this way, before. Definitely hiked the northern part, on the PCT, up a ways towards the Cottonwood trailhead, though I don't see it in my blog.

The physical appearance of the area has changed somewhat at the "micro" level. Mind you, the big picture is the same: Whitewater is a large flood plain, with sand, silt, and boulders washed down by occasional torrential floods coming off of Mount San Gorgonio. The main area of the Preserve is thus a broad, flat area, leveled with sand, gravel, and boulders, with water courses shifting regularly as it cuts through the debris.

There is evidence of recent major moving of piles of gravel, sand, and boulders by bulldozers or other heavy duty machinery, to build stable channels to funnel the runoff in preferred directions. Some barriers are built quite high, indicative of the need to control the periods of high water due to rain or snow runoff. No doubt, they do this to keep the water crossing the road at a known and reinforced location, and not at other areas, more vulnerable to flood damage.

In some areas, the vegetation has grown in quite different from my earlier visits. This is particularly true around the two palm trees at the northern end of the developed portion of Whitewater. That's the "micro" thing I noted. Those palm trees have long been a prominent landmark on the way to the PCT.

However, despite the changes, it's still a nice place to enjoy a spring wander in the Mojave Desert.

Informationally, dogs and drones are not permitted in the Preserve. Bikes, hunting, fishing, fires, or off-highway vehicles are also prohibited.

Chino Hills State Park - Upper Bane Ridge, Sidewinder, Aliso Canyon, Raptor Ridge, Bovidian Delight, and South Ridge Trails

Hiked March 1, 2026. Eleventh hike of the year, taken the day before my previous post, which was my twelfth of the year. My second visit to Chino Hills State Park in as many weeks. The trip last week was blogged, here. Previous hikes were linked inside that post.

The Chino Hills are still pleasantly green. The most common flowers are black mustard and wild radish, but there was a wider variety of flowers on this hike than what I saw last week, or at least greater densities of those other flowers. On the other hand, the snow cover around Mount San Antonio / Mount Baldy has *really* retreated!

The last time I came this way, the entrance from Sapphire Road was just curb parking, outside of a gate, that blocked a dirt road, that you walked up. Now, Bane Road is paved (albeit very narrow, in places). This isn't helped by the fact that groups of pedestrians often walk 4 or 5 abreast, more than filling entire lanes.

About 1/2 mile after turning on Bane Canyon Road, you reach the entry kiosk. Normal entrance costs $10, or $9 for seniors over age 62. Dogs are permitted on the paved road and parking areas, but not on the trails. The same with e-bikes. Mountain bikes and equestrians are permitted on trails. Flying of drones is not permitted.

The pavement continues for about another mile, ending in the camping area, where day parking is not generally permitted. A 1/4 mile or so before that is the equestrian / group camping area, where there is substantial parking. Between the equestrian area and the entry kiosk were about three overlook or picnic areas, each with room for only two or three vehicles.

I parked in the equestrian area. There are flush toilets and an outside water spigot there. The Upper Bane Ridge trail starts from above the restrooms, at the north end of the parking area.

It's a pretty long set of climbs to get to the ridge top. The trail is narrow in spots, at least when the grasses are tall and hug the trail, as they do, in late winter and early spring. The main flower on the lower areas were invasive black mustard and various wild radish.

The trail generally trends north or north-northwest. Some nice views of Mount San Antonio / Mount Baldy, beyond mustard blooms.

This was a Sunday, and the trail was moderately busy. Seems like most people walking up the pavement must have hiked elsewhere, however, and there were less than a dozen cars in the parking area, here.

This trail eventually takes you to some high tension powerline structures. There's a "trail" that shoots off to the left around here, but it is signed for SCE use, only. Another trail (Pomona Trail) goes down the right, just before the powerlines, towards the paved Bane Canyon Road (a trail parallels much of the road down there).

The upper Bane Canyon Road ends at the next fork. Going straight is the East Fence Line trail, which also loops down towards paved Bane Canyon Road. Left is the Sidewinder trail, which I took.

The Sidewinder trial was narrow on the way down, with lots of thistle. Even through my long pants, I could feel the point leaves, poking through.

I wanted to get to San Juan Hill, the highest point in the park, so I took the most direct route, as I looked at a two-dimenstional map. This may have led to some unnecesssary climbing and losing of altitude along the way. When I came to the Aliso Canyon Trail, I turned right, there, crossing a small, seasonal seep.

The next right was the Raptor Ridge trail, just over a mile after starting the Aliso Canyon trail. Followed Raptor Ridge for another mile, to where it ends, at "Five Points."

In addition to Raptor Ridge, the Telegraph Canyon Trail passes through Five Points, as does another trail, from the north. Heading straight through Five Points from Raptor Ridge, however, the trail becomes Bovinian Delight. This reminds me of a previous trip to Chino Hills State Park, when I ran into a cow. I don't think cow graze here, anymore.

About 1.25 mile from there to the South Ridge Trail. A left turn there leads you up to San Juan Hill, albeit with a slight diversion off the South Ridge Trail, for a more direct approach to the summit. Communications antenna and a concrete marker are at the top.

Spent about ten minutes snapping photos up there, then continued on down the South Ridge Trail for about three miles. Slight jig down near the campground to get from the South Ridge trail over to a spur trail that would take me back to the group camping parking area without needing to spend much time walking on the actual road.

10.44 miles for the day, and 1834 feet of vertical gain. Pretty long hike. Some nice flowers. Lots of green grass. It was a good day for hiking.