Overview

The Grand Circle Trail is an 11.6-mile loop that starts at the Visitor Center and roughly parallels the Scenic Loop Road. From the Visitor Center, the trail runs up along the base of the Calico Hills to Sandstone Quarry, cuts out across the desert to White Rock Spring, the highpoint on the loop trail, then follows the White Rock Loop trail down towards Willow Springs, finally turning off and heading back down along Red Rock Wash to the Visitor Center. The trail passes red sandstone crags and rock art, all the while traversing open desert with grand vistas in all directions. Parts of the trail aren't laid out as well as one might wish, but the trail makes for a good winter workout in the desert. Some people say that hiking the loop in reverse makes for a better experience.

Presented here is an overview of the trail described in six segments. Follow the Segment Title links (below) for details and more photos from each section.

Link to trail map or BLM Georeference PDF map file.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this hike is fairly safe, even for kids, but there are some short, steep scrambles through rocky areas near the Calico II parking area. Always be extra careful when you get high enough to fall and hurt yourself. Most of this trail is relatively well groomed, relatively free of rocks, and makes for easy walking. Be careful crossing the paved roads.

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

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along the Scenic Loop Road in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 30 minutes west of Las Vegas. Drive out to Red Rocks, pay the fee, then drive up to the Visitor Center Trailhead. Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

From the trailhead (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the trail runs southwest to join an old road (Wpt. 02). The trail then runs northwest on the old road to a second trail junction (Wpt. 03). This point marks the start and end of the loop part of the Grand Circle Trail.

At this second trail junction (Wpt. 03), the Moenkopi and Grand Circle trails turn right and run north out around the edge of the Visitor Center complex.

Just past the Visitor Center, the trail turns east and arrives at a trail junction where the Moenkopi Trail turns left, and the Grand Circle Trail continues straight towards the Calico Hills. The trail runs east, crosses the Scenic Loop Road (Wpt 05), and arrives at a signed junction with the Calico Hills Trail (Wpt 06). The Grand Circle Trail turns north and runs concurrent with the Calico Hills Trail to Calico I Parking area (Wpt. 07).

Calico I to Calico II -- 0.7 miles

From the Calico I parking area (Wpt. 07), the Grand Circle Trail continues north on the Calico Hills Trail. Starting at the east edge of the Calico I parking area by a Calico Hills Trail System sign, the trail runs east down the ridge, then turns north and crosses a wash. The trail climbs onto and follows a ridge, then drops, crosses the wash again, and climbs towards the Calico II parking area. At a trail junction marked with a trail sign to the parking area (Wpt. 08), the Grand Circle Trail continues north towards Sandstone Quarry, while the Calico Hills Trail turns south and runs up to the Calico II parking area, about 150 yards away. For details of this segment of the trail, see the Calico Hills Trail.

Calico II to Sandstone Quarry -- 1.2 miles

From the Calico II-Grand Circle trail junction (Wpt. 08), the Grand Circle Trail runs north, crosses a ridge, and drops into a narrow, closed-in canyon adjacent to the Calico Hills rocks. Shortly, the trail passes an enormous boulder and several other huge boulders out away from the cliffs. Native peoples left rock art here. Some of the petroglyphs are unusual in that they are located on the top surfaces of the boulders -- please don’t walk on these rocks, as you will hasten erosion and loss of the artwork. For details of this segment of the trail, see the Calico Hills Trail.

From the rock art site, the trail continues north through the canyon, climbs the hillside, crosses over a red slickrock ridge, and runs down to the southeast corner of the Sandstone Quarry parking area (Wpt. 09). The trail continues to the north edge of the parking area (Wpt. 10). For details of this segment of the trail, see the Calico Hills Trail.

Sandstone Quarry to Upper White Rock -- 2.8 miles

From the north edge of the Sandstone Quarry parking area (Wpt. 10), the Grand Circle Trail runs north on the Sandstone Quarry Trail. When the trail enters the gravel area with the Sandstone Quarry exhibit (Wpt. 11), the Grand Circle Trail turns left to head west across the wash. The trail can be seen climbing the far bank of the wash.

The trail crosses flat, open areas, crosses low ridges, runs up a gravel wash and eventually crosses the Scenic Loop Road (Wpt. 12).

The trail continues west across hillsides, runs up and down ridges, crosses a wash (Wpt. 13) and continues west. The trail continues across rolling hillsides to another wash (Wpt. 14). The trail drops into the wash, turns north for about 50 yards, then turns out of the wash by a large Utah Juniper tree (Wpt. 15) and continues northwest across hillsides to intersect the Scenic Loop Road at the White Rock Road intersection (Wpt. 16). The trail then follows the graded White Rock Road up the bajada to the Upper White Rock Spring trailhead (Wpt. 17), which is at the end of the road.

White Rock to Road Crossing -- 2.0 miles

From the west side of the Upper White Rock Spring trailhead (Wpt. 17), the trail runs due west and down the hill towards White Rock Spring, which is about 5 minutes out. The White Rock Loop Trail forks off from the White Rock Spring Trail (Wpt. 18) a few yards before the spring. Visit the spring if desired, then backtrack to the White Rock Loop Trail and continue hiking southwest. The trail descends the bajada on an old road that eventually ends. From there, the trail drops into and crosses a wash (Wpt. 19). The trail climbs onto a bench and runs up into a side canyon before switchbacking up to the broad ridge at the southern-most edge of the White Rock Hills. Near the top of the ridge, the Grand Circle Trail turns southeast at a trail junction (Wpt. 20) with the Willow Springs Trail. From the trail junction, the Grand Circle Trail runs south and crosses the Scenic Loop Road for a last time (Wpt. 21).

Road Crossing to Visitor Center -- 3.7 miles

From the road crossing (Wpt. 21), the trail runs south down a low ridge. Early on, the trail parallels the Scenic Loop Road, but shortly after passing a trail to the Ice Box Canyon Trailhead, the trail angles away from the road.

The trail descends the bajada and finally runs out on a low ridge between washes. The trail bends left and drops into the wash (Wpt. 22), which is about 300 yards wide here. The sometimes washed-out trail crosses the wash and climbs onto higher ground on the other side (Wpt. 23).

Past the wash, the trail runs east, then southeast to a trail junction (Wpt. 24) where Moenkopi Trail rejoins the Grand Circle Trail, and together they continue southeast towards the Visitor Center. The trail passes the fork (Wpt. 03) where the Grand Circle Trail and Moenkopi Trail turned north to start the loop. Still continuing southeast, the trail finally departs the old road (Wpt. 02) to the left and returns to the Visitor Center Trailhead (Wpt. 01).