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North McCullough Wilderness Area
Cowboy Trail -- Northbound
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Sloan Canyon NCA
BLM 200 Trail

Hiking out on the Cowboy Trail (BLM 200). For details, see the main route description.

BLM 200 Trail
Upper Petroglyph Trail (BLM 100) continues up Sloan Wash (view W)

In about 0.3 miles past the main petroglyph gallery, hikers encounter a trail sign in the middle of the wash. At this point, the Petroglyph Trail (BLM 100) ends. The Hidden Valley Trail (BLM 300) continues southwest and up the main wash, and the Cowboy Trail (BLM 200) makes a hard right turn, exits the wash, and starts up across the hillside angling back down the canyon.

It is important to pay attention here because this trail junction has been the source of confusion for several hiking parties, some of whom barely made it out alive.

When hiking up Sloan Canyon, if you intend to hike back on the Cowboy Trail, DO NOT PASS THE TRAIL SIGN. Instead, from the trail sign, immediately turn right and climb out of the wash heading northeast. The trail is plainly visible when looking in this direction.

For details of the Cowboy Trail, see the description of the hike heading southbound, but for hikers returning over this trail, see the photos and brief description of hiking northbound back towards the trailhead. Heading back, the next Waypoint is #12, which sits atop a saddle to the north of the trail junction.

BLM 100 Trail
Petroglyphs Trail ends at trail junction (view SW)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers turning onto BLM 200 Trail (view W)
BLM 200 Trail
Trail marker in Sloan Wash (view W)
Cowboy Trail
Trail junction (view NE)
Cowboy Trail
Beyond the trail junction, NOT THE RIGHT WAY (view W)
Cowboy Trail
Beyond the trail junction, NOT THE RIGHT WAY (view W)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers on Cowboy Trail (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers on Cowboy Trail approaching saddle (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers on Cowboy Trail arriving at the saddle (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers on the saddle (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Las Vegas view from saddle (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers descending over the saddle (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Las Vegas view from saddle (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers on Cowboy Trail (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers on Cowboy Trail (view N)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers approaching Petroglyph Trail (BLM 100 Trail) (view NE)
BLM 200 Trail
BLM 100 -- BLM 200 trail sign in Sloan Wash (view NE)
BLM 200 Trail
Hikers and BLM 100 -- BLM 200 trail sign in Sloan Wash (view NE)
BLM 200 Trail
Sloan Wash (view N)
Cowboy Trail
Hiker passing the site of the old fence and parking (view N)
Cowboy Trail
Hikers in Sloan Wash approaching the fence (view N)
Cowboy Trail
At the fence, hikers exit the wash to the left on stone stairs (view N)
Cowboy Trail
Hikers exiting the wash on stone stairs (view N)
Cowboy Trail
Sign indicating a turn in the trail (view N)
Cowboy Trail
Trail exits Sloan Wash (view NW)
Cowboy Trail
Trail marker on bench above Sloan Wash (view NW)
Cowboy Trail
Hiker on switchback climbing across the hillside (view SW)
Cowboy Trail
Hiker returning through the large stones (view NW)
Cowboy Trail
Trail departs from old two-track dirt road (view NW)
Cowboy Trail
Returning to the trailhead (view NE)

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240330

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