Overview

The Two Springs Loop Trail is a fairly easy hike that runs 4.6 miles across desert flats to two springs with birds, oak trees, and petroglyphs at the base of the Red Rock Escarpment. Starting at the paved Late Night Trailhead, this hike makes use of the myriad bike trails, dirt roads, and use-trails that crisscross Cottonwood Valley to make a lollipop-type loop. As such, hikers can follow the route presented here or use other roads and trails to customize the hike. Hikers can also drive closer to the springs and use the Lone Grapevine Trailhead or the Wooden Fence Spring Trailhead.

The hike runs through diverse vegetation typical of the Mojave Desert Scrub habitat type, and the sandstone cliffs, which are in the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area, loom higher and higher, eventually dominating the landscape as hikers draw near the springs.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this hike is fairly safe with no unusual hazards, but watch for mountain bikers careening along the trails.

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

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located in Red Rock Canyon NCA, but not in the Scenic Loop Road fee area.

From the Red Rock Visitor Center area, drive west then south on West Charleston Blvd (Hwy 159) past Blue Diamond Town to Highway 160. Turn right onto Highway 160 and drive west for 4.7 miles to the paved Late Night Trailhead on the right.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), this hike leaves out of the northwest side of the paved parking lot, adjacent to the restrooms. Running around the end of the parking lot, the trail curves left until approaching the access road. Bending right, the trail parallels the access road until is ends, then parallels Highway 160 heading southwest towards the mountains.

After running at gentle grades for about 0.47 miles, the trail reaches a trail intersection (Wpt. 02) and turns right to head northwest. Hikers who miss the turn will, in about 30 yards, encounter Wildhorse Road. Hikers can return to the trail junction or just walk out the dirt road.

Staying on the trail, the trail runs northwest, climbs a short hillside, flattens out, and crosses a little-used dirt road (Wpt. 03). Now running west, the trail quickly crosses Wildhorse Road (Wpt. 04). Note that although the road looks nice here, this point is just beyond a bit of 4WD road.

Continuing, the trail merges with another trail (Wpt. 05), and bends to the right. Shortly, the trail forks (Wpt. 06) and hikers stay right (straight). Note that this is the point where the return-trail comes back to close the loop. Continuing northwest, the trail merges with Wildhorse Road (Wpt. 07).

Angling left, the trail now follows Wildhorse Road northwest for 0.5 miles. While hiking along the road, Lone Grapevine Spring can be seen on the hillside slightly right of straight down the road. The dirt road winds across two canyons and arrives at the Lone Grapevine Trailhead, where the dirt road turns left to run south.

From the edge of the road (Wpt. 08), a use-trail drops over the hillside towards the wash below, then angles upstream to meet another trail at a T-intersection (Wpt. 09). Turning right, the trail runs across gently rolling terrain to a fork (Wpt. 10) where the trail stays left. Continuing across more gently rolling terrain, the trail reaches yet another fork (Wpt. 11) and stays left to quickly arrive at the watering troughs (Wpt. 12).

Beyond the troughs, the now steep trail switchbacks up the hillside, then bends right to cut up and across the hillside to reach Lone Grapevine Spring (Wpt. 13). For details of this part of the hike and more photos of the area, see Lone Grapevine Spring Trail.

After enjoying the sights and sounds at the spring, the hike returns to the watering troughs (Wpt. 12). Continuing south only another five yards to a faint trail junction, the hike turns right to runs up along the base of this hillside. The trail eventually climbs the gentle hillside heading more-or-less west, then curves left to run more southerly. The trail passes a trail junction (Wpt. 14) in an area of dark conglomerate rock. This is Shinarump Conglomerate, formed during an important stage in the geologic history of Red Rock Canyon.

Continuing south among Shinarump Conglomerate boulders, the trail quickly arrives at Wooden Fence Spring (Wpt. 15). For details of this spring and more photos of the area, see Wooden Fence Spring Trail. As before, relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the spring area.

Departing Wooden Fence Spring, the trail initially runs northeast, but then quickly winds around and resumes a southerly direction.

The trail eventually passes a trail junction (Wpt. 16; runs up to Wooden Fence Trailhead), crosses a major wash, and climbs out the other side to the desert flats above.

The trail then crosses a trail (Wpt. 17) and arrives at Wildhorse Road again (Wpt. 18). Note that although the road might look nice here, this point is between 4WD sections.

Continuing southeast across Wildhorse Road, the trail crosses another old dirt road (Wpt. 19) and a couple of washes before reaching another fork (Wpt. 20). The trail stays right and runs out to yet another trail intersection (Wpt. 06), which closes the loop.

Staying right, hikers follow their outbound footprints back to the trailhead. The trail stays left at the next fork (Wpt. 05), crosses the dirt road (Wpt. 04), crosses an old dirt road (Wpt. 03), descends a hillside, turns left at a trail junction (Wpt. 02) near Highway 160, and runs back northeast to the Late Night Trailhead (Wpt. 01).