The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA) is a

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

national recreation area, administered by the U.S. Forest Service, west of

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

. It covers over . The area runs from low meadows (around above sea level), to the Mount Charleston. The SMNRA is a part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It adjoins the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which is administered by the

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands, U.S. federal lands. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the BLM oversees more than of land, or one ...

. Spring Mountains National Recreation Area is home to several plant and animal species that are threatened. This was the driving force to create the Mount Charleston Wilderness area. The SMNRA offers activities such as

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

, picnicking, and skiing at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort.

History

The area was first named the Charleston Forest Reserve in 1906. Additional land was added in 1989 to bring the area up to the current 316,000+ acres (1,279 km²). The area was designated as Spring Mountains National Recreation Area by the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

in 1993.

Activities

Mountain Biking

* Bristlecone Trail * Lower Bristlecone Trailhead * Sawmill Trailhead * Upper Bristlecone Trailhead

Campgrounds

* Fletcher View Campground * Hilltop Campground * Kyle Canyon Road * McWilliams Campground * Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway

Backpacking

* Kyle Canyon Road * Mt. Charleston National Recreation Trail (S. Loop) * Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway * North Loop Trail

Hiking

* Bonanza Trail * Cathedral Rock Connector Trail * Cathedral Rock Trail * Cathedral Rock Trailhead * Echo Trailhead * Fletcher Canyon Trail * Fletcher Canyon Trailhead * Griffith Peak Trail * Griffith Peak Trailhead * Kyle Canyon Road * Lower Bristlecone Trailhead * Mary Jane Falls Trail * Mary Jane Trailhead * Mt. Charleston National Recreation Trail (S. Loop) * Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway * North Loop Trail * North Loop Trailhead * Robbers Roost Trailhead * Sawmill Loop Trail * Sawmill Ridge Route Trail * Sawmill Trailhead * Trail Canyon Trail * Trail Canyon Trailhead * Upper Bristlecone Trail * Upper Bristlecone Trailhead

Picnicking

* Cathedral Rock Picnic Site * Deer Creek Picnic Site * Kyle Canyon Picnic Area * Kyle Canyon Road * Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway * Old Mill Picnic Site * Sawmill Trailhead Areas for Group Picnicking at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area Office * Foxtail Group Picnic Site * Kyle Canyon Picnic Area

Winter Sports

* Lee Canyon (Ski and Snowboard Resort) * Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway

Gallery

File:Spring Mountains Destruction.JPG, Cathedral Rock Trail Avalanche chute: Destruction of trees taken on June 1, 2008 File:Little Falls.JPG, Little Falls on June 1, 2008 File:Spring Mountain National Recreation Area.JPG, Entrance and Sign File:SpringMountainsTrail.JPG, A hiking trail in the mountains. File:SpringMountainsVisitorCenter.JPG, Forest Service sign at the Visitor center File:Charleston Peak South Loop Trail Sign.jpg, Charleston Peak South Loop Trail Sign File:Fall Colors on South Loop Trail to Charleston Peak.jpg, Fall Colors on South Loop Trail to Charleston Peak

References

External links

U.S. Forest Service SMNRA Page

{{Authority control Spring Mountains Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest Protected areas of Clark County, Nevada Protected areas of Nye County, Nevada National recreation areas of the United States Protected areas of Nevada Protected areas of the Great Basin Protected areas of the Mojave Desert Protected areas established in 1993 1993 establishments in Nevada