Nevada Hiking and Backpacking Trips

Las Vegas, NV: Gass Peak

Submitted by: Backpacker Magazine
This 6.3 mile out-and-back climbs 2,000 feet to the top of Gass Peak—the highest point in the Sheep Mountains just north of Las Vegas.

Death Valley National Park: Racetrack Valley Road to the Nevada Border

Submitted by: Backpacker Magazine
Climb through gaping craters and narrow canyons before bagging 11 peaks in northern Death Valley's Last Chance Range on this 46-miler.

Reno: Arc Dome Loop

Submitted by: Backpacker Magazine
This 22-mile Toiyabe Range loop offers a front-row vantage of vibrant aspen glades, crowdless peaks, and the frozen-wave geography of central Nevada.

Salt Lake City, UT: Mount Moriah

BACKPACKER Review
Summit a lonely wilderness peak in the stunning Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Lake Mead Recreation Area, NV: Historic Railroad Trail

BACKPACKER Review
Explore an abandoned railroad used to build the Hoover Dam on this 7.8-mile trail-and-tunnel route through the Aztec Sandstone Mountains of southeastern Nevada.

Las Vegas: McCullough Wash Trail

BACKPACKER Review
Close to the city but far from the gridlock, this 5-mile out-and-back takes you over an arid lunar landscape and pays off with expansive desert views.

Southern Highlands Radio Tower

This trail goes through the desert. You'll pass cactus flowers in March and April, abandoned cars & hot tubs and you might see a coyote or two. You can follow any road up to the radio tower - either at the base of the hills or near the railway. Bring water as it's very dry and there's no shade.

Dead Horse Loop/Cottonwood Canyon

Submerge yourself in the earthly tones of the Nevada desert as you hike opposite Red Rock Canyon into the Cottonwood Canyon area. This easy 7 mile hike has everything a hike near Las Vegas should have - solitude, nature & views.

Pacific Crest Trail near Sierra City NV

Lexington Arch Hike in Great Basin National Park

Kayak Trip with Carl 10/8/09

Southern Highlands Radio Tower

Readers' Choice 2012: Your Neck of the Woods - West Hikes

BACKPACKER Review
Climb an 11,000-foot peak, hike to a secret summit, see the glacier-capped Cascades, soak in hot pools, and explore the ruins of a 100-year-old resort.

Backyard Everests: Mt. Wilson

BACKPACKER Review
Navigate a vertical sandstone maze to guaranteed solitude on a high-desert summit.

Right Place, Perfect Time: An Oasis in California's Desert Peaks

BACKPACKER Review
Peakbag in the White Mountains—without lugging in water.

Local Hikes: West

BACKPACKER Review
See California dunes, Nevada red-rock canyons, Alaska's deep forest, quiet Oregon Coast, and Washington's Cascade lakes.

Trip Finder: West

BACKPACKER Review
Your favorite western hikes—from dayhikes to weekenders to multiday trips.

Readers' Choice: West

BACKPACKER Review
Your favorite parks, weekend getaways, peak ascents, campsites, and more in the west.

Share your tales of travel & adventure with our step-by-step guide. Upload trail descriptions, photos, video, and more.

Photos + Videos

Packing for a Backcountry Ski Day Kristin Hostetter shows you the essential gear, and how to pack it, for a day of backcountry skiing.	Adjust Your Pack Straps on the Trail Maximize your pack's comfort with a few easy, on-trail strap adjustments.

Life's Short, Hike More!

What makes a backpacker a backpacker? It's not the garage full of gear or piles of guidebooks--it's the experiences, from thru-hiking a long trail to pushing your personal envelope to inspiring a child's love of wilderness. Here we present BACKPACKER's new Life List: 10 experiences to add to your tick-listnow--and the key skills you need to nail them.