Grapevine Canyon

Unbeknown to first time visitors, the Mojave Desert hides more than a few oases and steep natural gulleys. Take Grapevine Canyon – located an hour from Las Vegas and just minutes from the old ranch town of Laughlin, its as far from desolate as you could imagine. A narrow canyon eroded from the rocky promontories some 1,000 million years ago, Grapevine still retains the freshwater springs and welcome shade that have made it a pocket wildlife habitat for many millennia. The well worn trail just 1.5 miles off Nevada Route 164 is also historically significant, for its among the scrub and wandering springs that Grapevine's curious indigenous petroglyphs can be found – except no-one quite knows how they got here, or what they represent.

Grapevine Canyon's most popular trail extends for less than a mile into the nature rich ravine and is particularly well suited for short family hikes. Lying beneath the shadow of Spirit Mountain (the highest of the Newberry range at 5,639 feet) the Grapevine Canyon floor is surprisingly flat and uncluttered. The gentle trickle of mountain streams, along with the trill of crested warblers creates a welcome ambiance far removed from the mayhem of Las Vegas and a pleasant background accompaniment as you explore this efflorescent wilderness. Grapevine's ancient petroglyphs lie just a short wander from the main trail, shrouded during the summer by the green fingers of winding grapevines and cat tail shrubs. The curious etchings begin quite low along the canyon wall, taking the distinct form of fish, horses and cattle. Less distinguishable are the carvings some 200 feet further up, appearing from the aspect to resemble a game of nought and crosses or checkers. Little is known about their origin, however the canyon (also known as Christmas Pass) was the settlement of Yuman tribes for over 800 years.

For the more energetic, Grapevine Canyon trail is a great place for excursions to Spirit Mountain. Steeped in the history of Nevada's Mohave tribe, the mountain is believed to be the birthplace of Earth's creator “Mutavela” and still carries great significance to descendants of the tribe. If you manage to reach the Spirit plateau some 200 feet up the mountainside, the vistas across Grapevine Canyon are truly breathtaking!