Hiking Las Vegas: 60 Hikes Within 60 Minutes of the Strip (Paperback)

by Branch Whitney (Author) "Las Vegas is the new vacation capital of the United States, with more than 30 million people visiting every year..." (more)
Key Phrases: Red Rock, Scenic Loop, Willow Springs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This one-of-a kind guide is devoted to southern Nevada's recreational wonderland. It details 20 hikes on the slopes of Mt. Charleston, the highest mountain in southern Nevada and only a 60-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip. It also describes 40 trails, paths, and routes in BLM's showcase Red Rock Canyon Recreation Area, less than half an hour from Glitter Gulch.

About the Author
Branch Whitney first visited the mountains (Rockies) at the tender age of seven and knew immediately that he wanted to climb them. Within two weeks of moving to Las Vegas in 1983, he bagged Mt. Charleston. Since then, he's logged more than 1,000 miles hiking the trails, paths, and mutes surrounding Las Vegas. These days, he stays busy as a hike leader for the Sierra Club and the Las Vegas Mountaineer's Club.

Product Details

• Paperback: 271 pages
• Publisher: Huntington Press; 1st edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929712218
• ISBN-13: 978-0929712215
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #253,771 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good effort, but many shortcomings, August 7, 1999

By A Customer

"Hiking Las Vegas" is a good attempt to cover an area which is surprisingly devoid of guidebooks. This book covers hikes both on established trails and over unmarked routes. I was initially impressed by the number and variety of hikes that it contains -- far more than any of the older guide books for the area. After using this book for several of the trail hikes and unmarked routes, however, I was disappointed by its many shortcomings. My biggest complaint lies with the book's "maps," or, rather, its lack of maps. Line drawings are provided for most of the trail hikes; however, none of these "maps" are drawn to scale and are, consequently, of little use. Also, distances given to landmarks, trailheads, trail junctions, etc. do not seem to be too accurate. Stop at an area's visitor center for better directions and trail maps before heading out. The author states that "maps" are not provided for the routes because they would be of limited use. Instead the author uses black and white photographs, compass bearings, and landmarks as guides along the routes. Unfortunately, some of the photographs are not distinct (short ridges with scattered trees abound), compass bearings can be of little use if one is not standing in the same place as the author when he took the reading, and some ephemeral landmarks used by the author are indistinct and can change quickly (eg. downed logs). Although helpful, these techniques are no substitute for a well-drawn map (to scale!!!!!) which a hiker can then transfer over to a topographical map (anyone hiking off trail should carry one). Another problem is that the author's rating system for the hikes seems to be skewed for hard core endurance athletes. Taking children on some of the hikes designated for such by the author would result in some very tired, grouchy kids. Take these ratings with a grain of salt. Having used many guidebooks and done many hikes in the American southwest, the pacific northwest, and two other countries, I have to say that the shortcomings of "Hiking Las Vegas" put it near the bottom of my list of quality guidebooks.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars High on hiking areas, low on detailed description, October 7, 2000

By A Customer

This book provides instructions for many hikes around Las Vegas not described in other guides. I have hiked many of these trails and always find the guide's desciptions inadequate. In fact, while hiking Bridge Mountain, following the Guide's instructions lead my experienced partner and I into a very dangerous situation. I still use the guide, but know that I will have to use my trail finding experience to augment the book's trail descriptions.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book for hiking around las vegas!!, September 29, 2003

By A Customer

This is the best -most detailed book about hiking around Las Vegas-both in Red Rock and the Mt Charleston area.
He also has a great website- hikinglasvegas.com
He really knows his stuff and has detailed descriptions as well as photos. If you're just starting or serious about hiking this has everything you need!