This Spring Mountain Recreation Area is only a short drive from Las Vegas.

It is a great way to start hiking and not to mention that is a great escape from the heat and an amazing change in scenery.

Today we are going to explore an easy hike, an introduction to get you out on the trail.

I I'm so wonderful to see you.

Welcome to Mount Charleston.

We're here at the Spring Mountain Visitor Gateway, our visitor center.

I'm so glad you're here to share it with us.

And let's talk about this area.

I don't think a lot of people realize just right behind me are some trail.

We have a trail that's very easy.

It's called the Acosta's trail.

It's in the bottom of the drainage, goes up about a mile or so with a lot of great interpretive sites.

And then we have this Cartman trail, which goes on the rock face here, and you get a fantastic view of the canyon.

Most people never see it because they only see it from one side.

We are going to go look at it from the other side.

I'm so excited.

Let's go.

Im so excited to get out there and start hiking.

But before we go, we're going to stop here and use the boot brush.

We have these at all the trailheads to help people clean their boots so we don't have invasive species, grasses and some thistles and that so we can help people get the get those seeds off the roots by using the boot brush.

And then they go on the hunt.

And why is that so important?

Because the invasive species come in and they affect other plants that are growing here and affects the ecosystem.

And I don't think a lot of people even realize that they should be doing this.

This is the first I'm hearing about this.

Right.

It's really important to keep invasive species from coming out here.

We have them on all of our trailheads.

They're also out at Red Rock and Lake meet.

All right.

Show me how to do it.

Put your foot in.

Just like if it was muddy.

Get anything that's on your on your boot or shoe off.

Do you both right?

Yep.

All right.

And now we're ready to go.

Let's go exploring the outdoors.

We'll do so much for your body and soul.

You'll get that blood pumping and those muscles moving.

And you'll also get that reset from the day to day hustle of responsibilities and life.

It's so worth it to make the time, right?

It's wild to think that this needs to be a golf course.

Yes.

In the very late nineties, there was a golf course out here before Forest Service bought the property.

Below us is two hiking trails.

One is a very gentle, very mild hiking trail called the Acosta Trail.

And that one's right there.

Right over there.

Yes.

It's about a mile and a quarter.

It goes up the canyon and it has some really great interpretive signs.

I think you're right here by parking and bathrooms.

It's a great, great beginner trail.

Above us, above this rock face.

It's a really cool trail called the Escarpment Trail.

And everybody always comes up to Mount Charleston, but they only see it from one side to Kenya.

If they're lucky or smart, they'll go try the escarpment trail.

And it gives you a totally different perspective of Mount Charleston.

I can only imagine the phenomenal views from up above.

They're really great and it's go look, a lot of people don't know about this, so I'm excited.

I'm up for the challenge.

Okay Let's go.

Being that this area was once a golf course, the majority of paths are paved or very packed.

And there are a series of gradual elevation climbs, but nothing too extreme.

The accesses trail, the path brat route and the escarpment trail are all just outside this Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway.

They are great hikes for beginners, families with strollers or leashed dogs.

The escarpment trail is along just after three at 2.4 miles.

I had a great time on this hike and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

And maybe, just maybe, I'll see you out here and you can tell me about your own tales from the trails.