Overview

The Pine Creek--Oak Creek Loop Trail is a fairly easy, 5.5-mile round-trip hike that provides access the Red Rock Cliffs without having to drive on the Scenic Loop Road, and therefore is free.

Starting on the Scenic Loop Road, the route runs "backwards" on the one-way road, cuts off to pick up the Pine Creek Canyon Trail and continues up to the historical Wilson homestead. From the homestead, hikers can relax under the trees before heading back out (5-mile hike), or turn south on the Knoll Trail, Arnight Trail, and Oak Creek Road to return to the Scenic Loop Road and back to the trailhead (5.5-mile hike).

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... watch for traffic on the Scenic Loop Road; it seems that drivers rarely keep their speed down to the limit. Consider walking on the horse trail that runs parallel to the roadway. Parts of this hike run on a rocky trail where hikers have to keep watching their feet, but other than that, this is a pretty safe trail. Treat or filter creek water before drinking (there are lots of bighorn sheep in the canyon).

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 35 minutes from town, but not on the Scenic Loop Road. From town, drive out to Red Rocks. From West Charleston Blvd (Highway 159) at the entrance to the Scenic Loop Road, continue west on Charleston for 2.2 miles to the Scenic Loop Road Exit Trailhead, a large gravel parking lot on the right. Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

From the northwest corner of the Scenic Loop Road Exit Trailhead parking area (Table 1, Waypoint 01), duck through the cable fence and head northwest on a use-trail that runs out to the Scenic Loop Road (Wpt. 02). The route runs north on the Scenic Loop Road and runs 0.5 miles to Oak Creek Road (Wpt. 02). Hikers can turn left onto the gravel Oak Creek Road and hike the loop clockwise (backwards), or continue north on the paved Scenic Loop Road.

Continuing north on the Scenic Loop Road, the route crosses Pine Creek Wash to run along the base of hills to the north. When the Scenic Loop Road starts to climb onto the hills, the route exits the pavement left (Wpt. 04) and picks up a horse trail that has been paralleling the pavement since the beginning. Staying along the base of the hills, the horse trail runs northwest about 0.4 miles to join the Pine Creek Canyon Trail (Wpt. 05).

Following the Pine Creek Canyon Trail westward, the trail passes the entrance and exit from the Fire Ecology Loop Trail (on the left) and Dales Trail (on the right) to arrive at an unmarked trail junction (Wpt. 06) at the historical Wilson Homestead (on the left). Some hikers might stop here, relax, and head directly back to the trailhead (5 miles round-trip). Continuing west a few more yards on the Pine Creek Canyon Trail, hikers arrive at a three-way trail junction (Wpt. 07). Here, Pine Creek Canyon Trail ends, the Pine Creek Loop Trail continues straight (west), while the Knoll Trail turns left (south). For details of getting to this point, see Pine Creek Canyon Trail.

Turning left onto the Knoll Trail, the route runs southwest across Mr. Wilson's garden plot, crosses Pine Creek (listen for frogs and birds during springtime), and continues southwest past a signed trail junction to an unsigned trail junction (Wpt. 08). The Knoll Trail turns left, while the right fork is the returning Pine Creek Loop Trail. Staying left (southeast) on the Knoll Trail, the trail climbs somewhat steeply across the hillside to get up and out of Pine Creek Canyon. Continuing south below the Red Rock Cliffs, the Knoll Trail reaches another trail junction (Wpt. 09). Here, the Knoll Trail turns right to run due south, while the Arnight Trail continues straight running southeast. For details of this part of the hike, see Knoll Trail.

Continuing southeast on the Arnight Trail, hikers descend gradually across rocky slopes with grand views out across the valley. In about 1.1 miles, hikers arrive at the Arnight Trailhead (Wpt. 10; part of the Oak Creek Road Trailhead). For details, see Arnight Trail.

From the Arnight Trailhead, the route follows Oak Creek Road back to the Scenic Loop Road (Wpt. 03), and then back to the use-trail (Wpt. 02) and the Scenic Loop Road Exit Trailhead (Wpt. 01).