Planning A Trip
Exploring Sloan Canyon NCA is fun and rewarding, but for some areas preparation is key. Most of Sloan’s hiking, biking and equestrian trails are accessible via established trailheads in the Anthem and Horizon Ridge sections of Henderson. For the most direct access to the McCullough Wilderness area a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. There are no facilities for gasoline, sanitation, or potable water in Sloan Canyon NCA. In the hotter months plan on bringing two gallons of water per day for each person. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and pants for sun protection. Be prepared to carry out all trash and debris, including toilet paper and other non-biodegradable waste.
Official maps can be found at the BLM’s website for Sloan Canyon NCA.
Help Protect the NCA
Please be respectful of natural and cultural resources when you visit. To preserve the petroglyphs in Sloan Canyon please do not trace, chalk, or otherwise disturb any petroglyph panel. Refrain from touching or walking upon panels or on hillsides. To protect the fragile desert ecosystem BLM does not allow any of the following activities at Sloan Canyon:
- No pets are allowed in the Petroglyph Management Area, including Petroglyph Trail and Cowboy Trail. In all other areas pets must be leashed and under control at all times. Owners should follow Leave No Trace principals and take your pet’s waste with you off the trail.
- Dumping of litter, sewage, or liquid waste.
- Discharging firearms, prospecting, removal or disturbance of sand, rock, gravel, or minerals.
- Rockhounding, excavating or removing objects of antiquity, cultural artifacts, or paleontological artifacts.
- Trapping, collecting, possessing, molesting, disturbing, injuring, destroying, removal or transportation of any plant, or animal, or part of the natural floral and fauna on the refuge is prohibited. (Exceptions to the above are legally taken game.)
Visit the Leave No Trace website for more information about outdoor ethics.
Directions
The accompanying videos show directions from near the Visitor Contact Station in the Anthem community.
Contact Station/Petroglyph Trail Parking Area
WARNING: On weekends the parking area will often fill to capacity. There are no legal parking opportunities along Nawghaw Poa Rd. The next closest parking area is along Democracy Dr. near the gate. If the parking lot is full, consider visiting another part of the National Conservation Area.
There is usually a visitor contact station at the Petroglyph Trail parking area where you can talk to BLM staff and volunteers, grab a trail map, read about local flora/fauna and chill out after an exhilarating hike. Update: The contact station has been temporarily removed. Friends of Sloan Canyon is maintaining a mobile contact station on the weekends.
From I-15: Exit St. Rose Pkwy (the exit for The M Resort.) Head east towards The M, and turn right at Las Vegas Blvd. Make a left on Volunteer Ave and a right onto Via Inspirada. As Via Inspirada curves to the east it turns into Bicentennial Pkwy. Near the Albertsons shopping center turn right onto Anthem Highlands Drive then right onto Democracy Drive. Proceed past the Pinecrest Academy school. Proceed down the Democracy Drive, past Via Firenze, and make a left at Nawghaw Poa Rd. Parking for the contact station and trailhead are at the end of this road.
From 215 Beltway: Exit Eastern Ave and head south. Enter Anthem and make a right into Sun City Anthem Drive Make a right onto Bicentennial Pkwy then left on Anthem Highlands Drive and right onto Democracy Drive. Proceed past the Pinecrest Academy school. Proceed down the Democracy Drive, past Via Firenze, and make a left at Nawghaw Poa Rd. Parking for the contact station and trailhead are at the end of this road.
Hidden Valley Trailhead
The North McCullough Wilderness Area can be accessed from the south via a network of backcountry roads leading to a parking area in Hidden Valley.
From I-15: Exit St. Rose Pkwy (the exit for The M Resort.) Turn right onto Las Vegas Blvd and proceed south 9.2 miles. Make a left onto Southern Nevada Liteweight Road. The road is paved for 3 miles then transitions to graded dirt. 1.3 miles after the pavement ends turn left onto Hidden Valley Road (a wire fence borders the turnoff). Follow Hidden Valley Road for 5 miles to the parking area. Hidden Valley Road intersects many other roads in the area, thin brown carsonite signs will signal the correct fork in the road to take.
Shadow Canyon Trailhead
From I-15: Exit St. Rose Pkwy (the exit for The M Resort.) Head east towards The M, and turn right at Las Vegas Blvd. Make a left on Volunteer Ave and continue to Sun City Anthem Dr. Make a right on Sun City Anthem and continue counter-clockwise around Anthem. The thoroughfare will turn into Anthem Pkwy, continue straight. Make a right onto Somersworth Dr. Make a right onto Somersworth then a right onto Shadow Canyon Dr. The first right past Orangeburg Place is the entrance to the trailhead parking.
From 215 Beltway: Exit Eastern Ave and head south. Continue into Anthem via Anthem Pkwy. Follow Anthem Pkwy south, make a left at Atchley Dr. Atchley will turn into Somersworth Dr. Make a left onto Shadow Canyon Dr. The first left after Lewiston Place is the entrance to the trailhead parking.
Anthem Hills Trailhead
From 215 Beltway: Exit Eastern Ave and head south. Continue into Anthem via Anthem Pkwy. Follow Anthem Pkwy south, make a left at Reunion Dr. and a left onto McCullough Hills Parkway. Passing Del Webb Middle School make a left into Anthem Hills Park then the first right. Follow this road around a power company building to the trailhead parking.
McCullough Hills Trailhead
From US-93/95 South: Exit Horizon Dr. Make a right onto Horizon Drive then a left onto E Horizon Ridge Pkwy. Turn right at Mission Dr. and proceed uphill, trailhead parking will be on your left at the end of the street.