Notice: Mt. Charleston recently experienced substantial storm damage from Hurricane Hillary. Be sure to check for updated information about closures here.
The Bristlecone Loop Trail is located in the heart of the Mt Charleston wilderness area in Nevada near the Lee Canyon ski resort.
This easy to moderate hike is around 6.3 miles to complete and offers expansive views, pleasantly cooler temperatures than the Las Vegas valley and yes, the chance to glimpse wild horses frolicking in the hills.
Hiking stats for the Upper Bristlecone Trail to Lower Bristlecone Trail
| Trail Description | Loop |
| Trail Location | Bristlecone Trail, Las Vegas NV, 89124 |
| Parking Lot | 36.30678, -115.67803 |
| Round Trip Mileage | 6.3 miles |
| Average Time | 2 – 3 hours |
| Difficulty | Easy/Moderate |
| Elevation Gain | ~931 feet |
| Best time to visit | May – October |
| Entrance Fee | None – parking is free in the summer |
| Current Conditions | Lee Canyon Resort |
| Rating | 4.5 Mooses |
Our experience on the Bristlecone Loop Trail
We arrived at the Lee Canyon ski resort around 10:30 a.m. on a sunny Tuesday with perfect temperatures (the forecast was 85 for the day).
We planned on completing the entire loop and wanted to start at the Upper Bristlecone trail so we could end on Lower Bristlecone in a clockwise fashion. We knew based on our research that the two trails were very different, but after completion we feel like there are three distinct pieces of the loop.
- Upper Bristlecone Trail
- Lower Bristlecone Trail
- Remainder of the loop
Upper Bristlecone Trail
We snagged a spot in the mostly empty parking area in the Upper Bristlecone lot and made our way to the helicopter landing area which marks the beginning of the trail.
As you start hiking, you’ll notice a fence lining the first 0.3 miles up the trail. The fence was constructed to protect the fragile plants in the area that are used by the Mt Charleston blue butterfly.
This endangered species can only be found in one area of the world, the Spring Mountains in Nevada. It is a uniquely adapted butterfly that lives at high altitudes up to 11,500 feet.
The butterfly can only be seen in the summer months (approximately mid-June to mid-September), when the adults have their flight period. Unfortunately, we were not lucky enough to see one of these lovely creatures on the day we visited, but keep your eyes peeled when you’re there.
Update: We finally got to see one of the butterflies along the Fletcher Canyon Trail!
After traversing the fenced, we continued on the trail as it meanders through the forest on a single-track path. There are bristlecone trees, beautiful birch trees and many other types of plant life flanking the trail as you climb gently up.
Once you reach the top of the ridge line, you’ll be met with panoramic views of the valley and the rocky face of Mt Charleston. There are several great vantage points to stop along the side of the trail and have a relaxing lunch or snap a few pictures.
Lower Bristlecone Trail
Not long after reaching the ridge line, the Upper Bristlecone Trail ceases and turns into the Lower Bristlecone trail. It is easily distinguishable as the trail opens up from single-track to a wide gravel path that doubles as a forest service road.
It traverses in a semi-circle around the valley, extending views of Mt Charleston for a good mile before it gradually descends into the trees.
The trail continues along the service road and gently drops in elevation. As we were coming down the lower trail, we ran into a mountain biker that was headed up hill. We applauded his efforts as it didn’t look easy.
While we had read some reviews that people preferred the upper trail to the lower, we didn’t mind either one. The upper trail is a more traditional hiking trail with a single-track feel and more trees, whereas the lower trail is wider and offers a better (and longer) view of the valley and surrounding mountains.
Remainder of the loop
We came to the end of the Lower Bristlecone Trail and arrived at the parking area for the lower lot. We had a feeling it was going to be a little strange getting back to the upper lot where we parked and we were right.
After the lower trail officially ends, there isn’t a great way to get back to the other parking lot and this was our least favorite portion of the loop.
You have to traverse parts of the Lee Canyon Road (NV 156) and there are no sidewalks. If you’re following the Alltrails map, it shows the trail hugging the NV 156 most of the way back up. There are a couple short cuts you can take (basically forging your own trail), that is a more direct route.
Below is a map of the route we ended up taking. While Lee Canyon Road isn’t incredibly busy during the summer, you’ll need to keep a close eye for cars coming up the road as a lot of drivers in Nevada seem to travel at excessive speeds.
We hope at some point a new connector trail is made to join the two trailheads as it wasn’t very enjoyable.
Should you hike the Bristlecone Loop Trail?
Rating: 4.0 Mooses
What we liked:
- The views of the surrounding areas are superb.
- The trail was lightly trafficked and the weather was beautiful the day we went.
- The official trails are well marked and easy to follow without a map.
What we didn’t like
- There is a dead space between the Upper Bristlecone and Lower Bristlecone Trails. The dead space is awkward and you have to traverse parts of the NV 156 highway. It’s a lightly trafficked mountain road in the summer so it wasn’t a huge deal.
- Quite a few folks weren’t honoring the leash laws for their pets and we saw a couple dogs get in a tussle (luckily those two were leashed).
Verdict: Mt Charleston is a great getaway from the heat of the Las Vegas sun. Highly recommend checking out the area.
Practical Information for your Birstlecone hike
Trail location
The Upper Bristlecone Trail is located at: Bristlecone Trail, Las Vegas, NV 89124.
Parking
Parking at either the Upper or Lower Bristlecone lots was abundant and free during the summer. We were there on a weekday, but there is plenty of overflow parking if it gets busy on the weekend.
Bristlecone trail rules
- Mountain bikes are permitted.
- Dogs on leashes are permitted.
- Overnight camping, fires, fireworks and charcoal BBQs are prohibited.
- Small propane cooking stoves are ok.
Special Warnings
There is a warning sign along the Upper Bristlecone trail to watch out for non-detonated explosives used in avalanche control. We didn’t see any (we stayed on the trail). They request you call the US Forest service at 702-872-5486 if you locate one.
Lee Canyon Resort Amenities
- The Lee Canyon resort is only open on the weekends during the summer, Friday – Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Hours subject to change, check for current hours here.)
- Scenic chair rides, disc golf, archery, axe throwing and youth adventure days are available when the resort is open.
- The Bighorn Grill and Brewing Burro have delicious eats and cool drinks available for purchase on the weekends.
- There were no services available during the week (restrooms, water, food, etc)
Wildlife
Wild horses roam freely around the Mt Charleston area and are often seen on the Bristlecone Trail and surrounding areas. We’ve seen them on all of our trips to the area (sometimes close, sometimes far).
More Information for your trip to Mt. Charleston:
- Activities: 15 Best things to do in Mount Charleston
- Visitor Center: Explore the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway
- Hiking: Easy hiking trails around Mount Charleston
- Disc Golf: Lee Canyon Disc Golf Course – playing a perfect round
- Hiking: Explore the Cathedral Rock trail
- Explore: Desert View Overlook trail
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- Nevada: 4 Hours in the Valley of Fire
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- Nevada: What Vegas looks like in the snow
- California: Hiking Gower Gulch in Death Valley