Bootleg Canyon

I have read a lot about the trails in Bootleg Canyon and I have crossed some of them when hiking to Red and Black Mountains from the St. Jude Ranch side of the mountains.
I was looking for some new hiking places and I checked in a book given to me about the best bike rides in Las Vegas. It turns out that several of them were for Bootleg Canyon and I decided to do the Outer Caldera Loop Trail.
Entrance to the canyon is from Canyon Road in Boulder City. As you go up the road, there are two traffic circles. The second one has a metal mountain bike sculpture and the 35 mile River Mountain Trail passes one of the circles.
There are bathrooms at the small park and this is a trailhead for some of the trails in this section of the canyon. The historical marker in my photos tells how the canyon got its name.
This is a wonderful area for outdoor activities on foot or wheels (non-​motorized). The geology is very colorful and interesting.

These trails will kick your… But wow! The payoff is worth it! The views of lake mead to one direction and the strip, red rock, and my Charleston to the other. The trails are very well marked as well.

This is a great place to hike. It’s more of a mountain biking place, but it’s fun for hiking too. The trails are lots of loose rock and steep up and down hills. So be sure to wear proper foot gear. When you make it to the top, it’s quite rewarding with great views of Lake Mead, the Strip, and Boulder City. And you’ll probably see several big horn sheep during your hike. We even saw a whole little family — cute baby big horn sheep! It’s not the prettiest hike as there’s a lot of dirt and boring loose rocks. But there are some beautiful desert spots with brightly colored rocks and little cactuses. And the views and wildlife are well worth the hike.

Very peaceful when you are on the bike trails or on top of the hills.
The air is clean, and its good to be outside when on this canyon.
Boulder City is right at the bottom, so stores and such are close.
I like the little dirt jumps, and I like the paved road as well.
Some of the trail is pretty challenging, its good for all ranges of experience.
All the riders and canyon attendants are always veery friendly, and say hello when passing by.
This place is just a good thing all around.
My boyfriend practically lives there.

I like bootleg. It’s not too far from my home in Boulder City.
We take the boy scout trail that leads to an over look of the city and lake mead. It’s truly awesome to know that serenity and nature is right in our back yard.
The only thing that can get a little weird/​challenging is that for the first half of the hike, bikes are also allowed on the trail. You can get mowed down pretty easily if both parties aren’t careful.

This is my second run on this river mountain trail. The first time I went was on a weekday and I was the only one on the trail. I ran up most of the trail. This time, my wife and I went on Thanksgiving morning and there were a few others walking the trail. It’s a moderate 3 mile run to the top. Once up there the view is quite scenic. You see Lake Mead on one side and the City of Las Vegas in the distance on the other side. It was a very pleasant workout trip not too far from home.