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Hidden Valley Road
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Sloan Canyon NCA
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road
Las Vegas Blvd at Southern Nevada Liteweight Road

Note: Feb 2020. Joe writes: After leaving Southern Nevada Liteweight Rd. Hidden Valley Road has become pretty rough with pockets of deep sand. It was no problem with 4WD, might be a challenge with 2WD-HC, and is definitely a no-go for sedans.

Overview

Hidden Valley Road is located near Jean, NV, in the northern end of Hidden Valley. This dirt road provides access to the south side of Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA) and the wild western edge of the McCullough Mountains.

This road is occasionally maintained by the BLM, and usually it is well suited for 2WD-HC vehicles. When in good condition, a carefully driven 2WD sedan probably can make it to the trailhead.

Link to road map.

Hidden Valley Road
Beginning of Southern Nevada Liteweight Road (Site 1195)

Getting to the Road

From town, drive south on Interstate-15 to the Sloan exit. Exit the highway, turn east (left), and cross under the interstate to a T-intersection, which is Las Vegas Blvd. Turn right and drive south for 6.3 miles to a paved road to the left (Southern Nevada Liteweight Road; Site 1195). A sign reads: Southern Nevada Liteweight; 8 miles to pit. There is also a BLM sign: "Jean/Roach Lakes; Special Recreation Management Area."

Turn left onto Southern Nevada Liteweight Road and drive east for 3.1 miles to the end of the pavement at a cattle guard (Site 1196). Continue on the graded dirt road for 1.3 miles to Hidden Valley Road (Site 1197), a narrow dirt road to the left bordered on the east side by a wire fence. This is actually a triangle-intersection, but the fence posts make the far side of the triangle more identifiable.

Hidden Valley Road
Jean and Roach Lakes Special Recreation Management Area sign

The Road

Turn left onto Hidden Valley Road and drive north. At 0.44 miles out Hidden Valley Road, a road merges in from the right, and another cuts to the left. At 0.69 miles out, the road forks (Site 1198) at a broad, churned up area; stay right. This actually is a 3-way fork, and Hidden Valley Road takes the middle way, but the far-right is obviously a minor road. Here, and farther along, watch for carsonite signs along the road pointing the way to "Sloan Canyon."

At 0.90, and again at 1.20, minor roads turn to the right. At 2.12 miles, the road forks (Site 1199); stay right. At 2.24 miles, the road forks (Site 1200); stay left. At 3.06 miles, the road forks (Site 1201); stay left. At 3.26 miles, the road forks (Site 1202); stay right.

Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight sign (minus graffiti and bullet holes)

At 4.96 miles, the road hits a T-intersection (Site 1203). A faint road runs left, but the right turns towards the Hidden Valley Trailhead (Site 1206) and the end of the road.

From the trailhead, the Hidden Valley Trail (BLM 300) leads into Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, into the North McCullough Wilderness Area, and eventually to Petroglyph Canyon on the north side of the National Conservation Area.

Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Road (view E)
hidden valley road
Liteweight Road begins to curve north (view E)
Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Road (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Road at end of pavement (Site 1196)
Hidden Valley Road
What are these guys doing out here?
Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Road -- graded dirt (view NE)
Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Rd at Hidden Valley Road (view E)
Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Rd at Hidden Valley Road (view E)
Hidden Valley Road
Southern Nevada Liteweight Rd at Hidden Valley Road (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road (view N; note fence on right)
Hidden Valley Road
Fork in the road: take middle way (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Fork in the road: take middle way (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road with carsonite sign (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road stays right (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road; gravel firms up the deep playa dust (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
The road forks -- stay left (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road; more gravel view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road stays left (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
The road forks (Site 1202); stay right
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road (view N)
Hidden Valley Road
Most of Hidden Valley Road is nice and smooth ...
Hidden Valley Road
... but parts can wash out and have a few rocks
Hidden Valley Road
Triangular T-intersection; stay right (View NE)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road turning into trailhead parking (view NE)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Road entering trailhead parking (view NE)
Hidden Valley Road
Trailhead parking; bit enough for horse trailers (view NE)
Hidden Valley Road
Trailhead parking (view NE)
Hidden Valley Road
Hidden Valley Trailhead (BLM 300; view NE)
more to come
More to come ...

Table 1. Highway Coordinates based on GPS data (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S). Download Highway GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file. This file also contains a track of the road, which can be uploaded to a GPS device and used to follow almost exactly where I drove.

Site # Location UTM Easting UTM Northing Latitude (N) Longitude (W) Elevation (ft) Verified
1195 LV Blvd at Liteweight Mine Rd 657639 3969181 35.85598 115.25423 3,074 Yes
1196 Liteweight Mine Rd at Cattle Guard 660452 3966202 35.82867 115.22369 2,963 GPS
1197 Liteweight Mine Rd at Hidden Valley Rd 662227 3965375 35.82092 115.20422 3,016 Yes
1198 Hidden Valley Rd at Fork 663122 3965995 35.82636 115.19419 3,031 GPS
1199 Hidden Valley Rd at Fork 664960 3967222 35.83711 115.17360 2,999 GPS
1200 Hidden Valley Rd at Fork 665159 3967302 35.83780 115.17138 3,025 GPS
1201 Hidden Valley Rd at Fork 665610 3968517 35.84868 115.16614 3,064 GPS
1202 Hidden Valley Rd at Fork 665663 3968799 35.85120 115.16549 3,059 GPS
1206 Hidden Valley Rd at Hidden Valley Trailhead 667116 3971022 35.87099 115.14894 3,234 Yes

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

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