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Garden Canyon -- Uphill
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Gold Butte National Monument
Garden Canyon
East side of the second ridge (view W)

Overview

Garden Canyon is a curious geologic feature where a wash cuts through Azure Ridge, a limestone mountain range. Usually, washes flow around ridges, but here the wash cuts through the core of the mountain range.

Starting from the Azure Ridge Cabin at the end of Garden Wash Road, the route runs down into the narrow canyon, past Azure Ridge Copper Mine, past curious fossils, and down about 1.3 miles to the end of the narrows on the other side of Azure Ridge. In that area, the northernmost stand of Ocotillo grows on the hillsides. The wash continues through a second narrows where the wash cuts through a second limestone ridge and then flows out into the Grand Wash.

Presented here are photos of the return hike up the canyon. For details of the hike, see the full route description in the downstream direction.

Link to map.

Garden Canyon
Hiker starting into second narrows (view W)
Garden Canyon
Hiker exiting second narrows (view SW)
Garden Canyon
Garden Wash east of Azure Ridge (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Ocotillos growing on the hillside (view N)
Garden Canyon
Interesting strata in the canyon walls (view N)
Garden Canyon
Polished stone in the narrow canyon (view SW)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view N)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view S)
Garden Canyon
Polished bedrock in Garden Canyon (view W)
Garden Canyon
Polished bedrock in Garden Canyon (view SW)
Garden Canyon
Polished bedrock in Garden Canyon (view S)
Garden Canyon
Polished bedrock in Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
The only "obstacle" in the canyon bottom (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Returning to the fossil wall (view W)
Garden Canyon
Banded bedrock (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Hiker at the fossil wall (view N)
Garden Canyon
Paint dots mark curious fossils (view W)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view N)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view N)
Garden Canyon
Polished bedrock in Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Polished bedrock in Garden Canyon (view SW)
Garden Canyonv
Winding up Garden Canyon (view SW)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view SW)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view W)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Wooden mining debris in the wash (view W)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view NW)
Garden Canyon
One length of ore cart track in the wash (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Lower adit of Azure Copper Mine (view S)
Garden Canyon
Winding up Garden Canyon (view N)
Garden Canyon
The canyon walls begin to lay back (view W)
Garden Canyon
Mouth of the canyon comes into view (view W)
Garden Canyon
Illegal road exits wash towards miner's cabin (view W)
Garden Canyon
Illegal road approaching miner's cabin (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Passing the miner's cabin (view NW)
Garden Canyon
Azure Miner's Cabin near the trailhead (view N)
Garden Canyon
More to come ...

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240325

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