Category Archives: Nevada

A hike in every state: Mountain West pt 1

Montana | Wyoming | Idaho | Nevada

Welcome to the next installment of “A hike in every state!” Since the Mountain West region of the United States contains 8 states, I’m splitting it up into two separate posts. If you haven’t yet read the purpose and thought process behind this series, please go back and read the first post about the Pacific Coast. I have spent scarcely any time in this region, especially compared to the Pacific Coast States. My recommendations are based only on what I’ve experienced, so these hikes may change once I get a chance to return. But for now, here are some fun places to discover in these four states. Now, let’s get on to the hikes!

Montana

When you think of Montana, what comes to mind? You’re probably picturing mountains. In fact, “montaña” means “mountain” in Spanish. But there are two sides to this vast state: the mountainous side and the flat side. You’ll begin to recognize this theme in several western states. Visitors to the state should definitely get up to Glacier National Park, spend time in one of the four cities with over 50,000 residents and gaze up at their famous “big sky.” But hidden in plain view on the far eastern edge of the state, you’ll find this gem…

Makoshika State Park: We were simply looking for a place to stay along this part of our cross-country drive and decided to pull in here. What we found was peaceful solitude, dazzling dark skies, unique rock formations and excellent hiking. This is Montana’s largest state park; Makoshika roughly translates to “badlands” in Lakota. That’s the star of the show here. Several miles of trails take hikers right up to otherworldly rock formations that you’ve got to see to believe. You won’t think of Montana the same after hiking around this spectacular park.

Wyoming

Wyoming is known for Yellowstone National Park, with its abundant wildlife, dramatic landscapes, extreme seasons and bustling tourist industry. For just that last reason, I’ve never stepped foot in Yellowstone. I’m sure it’s incredible, but there are plenty of amazing places outside of America’s first national park. Wyoming has so much to offer, from its mountains and lakes to vast grasslands and interesting historic sites. You’ve most certainly heard of my recommendation below, but have you taken the time to walk around it? Let’s go!

Devil’s Tower: When I visited back in 2006, it was far less crowded than it was today. But I’ll never forget hiking the 1.8 mile Tower Trail encircling the giant rock formation and pausing several times to look up in awe. Click the link above to learn about other trails that help you explore a larger slice of the park.

If you’re a rock climber, you’ll certainly drool over the possibility of jumping on a route here. Please remember to register at the climbing kiosk and respect the June climbing closure. Click here to learn more about climbing at the monument. I visited before I got into rock climbing, so that thought never crossed my mind!

Though this place can be extremely busy during the summer, it’s worth a visit. I clearly remember my stop here along my first big drive across the country, and I hope to get back there someday. I did this hike so long ago, all my photos are gone, so I had to pull one from the NPS website.

Idaho

View of the high alpine lake below Thompson Peak

A land of rugged mountains, vast wilderness and more opportunities for outdoor activities than you could shake a stick at, Idaho is a hiker’s paradise. Despite being very close to Oregon, I admit I haven’t made too many trips out to the Gem State. But each one is seared into my memory due to big views, exceptional mountain landscapes and a plethora of flora and fauna. Idaho delivers on scenery and quality wilderness experiences. It’s way more than just a place that grows a ton of potatoes. No matter what you like to do in the outdoors, you’ll find a way to scratch that itch in Idaho. Over 70% of Idaho is public land, so there’s more than enough to keep you busy for a lifetime. One trip to Idaho won’t be enough for the outdoor enthusiast. I was drawn to this state for the mountains, so I present to you…

Thompson Peak: This is the highpoint of the Sawtooth Mountains. The hike is not technical, but it’s not easy either. While it can be completed in a day, my friend and I spread this hike out over two days so we could enjoy a night of camping at a high alpine lake beneath its summit. I’m glad we did this because that gave us time to jump in the lake and explore a nearby peak while we were up there (well, one of us added the extra peak!). Standing atop Thompson Peak will get you motivated to climb all the other peaks out there, since there are craggy mountains as far as the eye can see. It is a class three peak with no official trail to the top, so do your research, check the weather and trail conditions and arrive prepared. Start by reading up on SummitPost and Idaho: a Climbing Guide before heading out on this adventure.

Nevada

Aspens at the trailhead for Arc Dome hike

Vegas, baby! While the shimmering lights, raucous casinos and over-the-top commercialism of Las Vegas may be the biggest thing that gets your attention in Nevada, that accounts for just a tiny region of the state. Eighty seven percent of Nevada’s land is public, second only to Alaska. It has over 300 named mountain ranges, more hot springs than any other state and a large number of endemic species. It is a dry and lonely state. If you venture beyond the major cities, you might be without gas or services for hundreds of miles. But within that vastness lies unspeakable beauty and endless opportunities for exploration and learning. Some places you may have heard of include Great Basin National Park, Lake Tahoe and Lake Mead. Nevada also has 27 state parks, 9 National Wildlife Refuges and the 1090 mile long Basin and Range Trail. This featured hike will take you into one of Nevada’s largest wilderness areas and up into a remote mountain range.

Arc Dome: This is a big hike with 5000′ of elevation gain, but it encapsulates so much of what Nevada is all about. It is a harsh, desolate landscape. When I hiked it in May 2022, snow still clung to the north facing slopes in the mountains. It is far from anything. I had to make a concerted effort to get there, since it’s not located near a town of any size. It’s dramatic; the mountains look like lumbering beasts rising up from the broad valleys below. Had I visited a bit later in the season, I would have been treated to all sorts of beautiful plants that are well-adapted to the high elevation, short growing season and lack of rainfall. If you’re into lists, Arc Dome is on the Ultra 57, Las Vegas Mountaineers Club 50 Peaks and the Sierra Club Desert Peaks Section. But despite all that, it’s just a pretty place in the mountains to enjoy some solitude and fresh air, no matter how far you walk or how many peaks you climb.

Have you been to any of these states? Which hikes would you highlight? There are so many great trails to visit in each of these places and there are no right answers as to which ones are the best, most iconic or the most worth doing. The best trail is the one you’re walking on, so just get out and enjoy!

Hiking in Red Rocks outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Boundary Peak

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October 9, 2025.

Photo album

Boundary Peak (13,147′) is the official state highpoint of Nevada. It’s not the highest mountain in Nevada, since it is technically a subsummit of Montgomery Peak (13,445′), whose summit is across the border in California. Technically, Wheeler Peak (13,063′) is the highest mountain in Nevada and quite a well-deserving highpoint at that. But to the folks seeking the 50 state highpoints, Boundary is the one to get. I am very casually working that list, so I thought it would be a fun challenge. I know I’ll never climb Denali and likely not Whitney or Rainier (because permits), so I’m not planning to finish. But when my travels take me close to a peak within my skill and interest levels, I add it to my personal to-do list.

And so I found myself waking up at 5 am to a cell phone alarm blaring in my ear. I planned on a 6 am start time so I’d get the best weather window and the most daylight to complete the hike. We’d parked overnight at the Trail Canyon trailhead so all I needed to do was make a nice breakfast, grab my backpack and go.

I began walking by headlamp, but I soon switched it off. I walked headlong into the falling moon as the sun rose behind me. I was enchanted by the ever changing light and color on the hills. After an hour, it was bright enough for me to get a good look at the environment around me. The dense brush along the gently flowing creek began to thin out a bit and the depth of the basin I was in became more clear. I walked to the end of the trail and continued through a gap in the willows to a saddle. I had read online that this is the point that most people bear left onto the descent path and climb up the loose scree towards the summit. I made a note of that and instead made my own way up the relentlessly steep drainage.

Climbing steep hills at high elevations is exhausting stuff. I stopped very often to catch my breath and to pick my next move through the trees. Once at the saddle, I picked up a trail again and climbed up the rocky ridgeline. Gleefully I noticed some alpine gold plants with closed up flowers, breathing life onto the gray expanse.

As I reached my first real view towards the summit of Boundary Peak, I began to feel the seriousness of the wind. It felt like it was coming from every direction and there was no escaping it. I hoped my early start would protect me from the worst of it, but I was wrong. Feeling uncertain of a successful climb, I decided to start with an easier target: Hosebag Peak. [Side note: how the heck did this peak get this name? Is it like Camelbak: hosebag as Kleenex: tissue? Discuss.] This was a subsummit of a subsummit, so nothing too special. But it looked safe and straightforward enough. If I couldn’t get to Boundary, I’d get to the top of something. From the top of that, I could regroup and decide whether or not to continue.

Well, the joke was on me. I turned the corner to the “quick and easy” ridge walk to the top of Hosebag and it was like the wind turned up to eleven. I literally had to crawl the last bit to the top. Since it was pretty broad at that point, there was no danger of me falling down the mountain, but I did feel like I could get knocked off my feet with every gust.

At the summit, I did a thorough assessment of the situation. I’d given up on any chance of climbing all the way to Montgomery. I knew the route to Boundary lay to the right side of the ridge, which felt more sheltered from the wind. But there was another obstacle: a thin layer of fresh snow. It was going to be more difficult to find a trail, plus the snow obscures gaps between rocks and makes everything more slippery. So, raging wind or snowy ankle traps…which would I prefer?

Ultimately, I decided to continue on the route to check it out, reserving the right to turn back at any time.

See the snow-covered trail? That quickly vanishes.

Walking on the snow-covered talus was extremely tedious. My feet got cold and eventually wet. I plodded along at a snail’s pace because I could not afford to make any mistakes. But the shoulder of the mountain protected me from the worst wind here. Patiently, I worked my way up to the final push: a sun-baked, wind-blasted ridgeline made of huge boulders. I used my mittened-hands and hiking poles to pick a route to the top. And, voila! I made it!

As soon as I signed the register, a man and a dog poked their heads onto the small summit block. We tried yelling at each other over the wind, and I learned that he chatted with my husband on the trailhead before heading up. Aaron had told him about my dog allergy so he very kindly kept his dog under control and away from me. He also let me know that he had come up the descent route and said it was awful, so he recommended getting off the summit ridge earlier and making a big diagonal down into the basin. I wanted to ask more specifics about what exactly he didn’t like about the route but shouting over the wind was difficult. I thanked him and tried to follow his advice.

Trying not to get blown off the mountain

What I realized in hindsight that he probably didn’t like the loose scree, which would have been fine on the way down.

So that meant I had to descend an extra crappy route on mixed talus, scree and sand. There were some very steep sections that I could barely see what my next step would be and I cursed myself for listening to that guy instead of sticking to the research I’d done. Plus, the whole time I was nervous about that guy and his dog descending after me, kicking down rocks. What’s mountaineering anyway if you don’t make at least one mistake?

So, after completing yet another extremely tedious section of the route, I found myself a nice resting spot beneath a tree at the foot of the headwall. That gave me some wind protection and a comfy place to eat some food. The other climber leapfrogged ahead of me and was out of there before I finished my lavish break time.

The remainder of the hike was fairly uneventful until I reached the section that I’d done under cover of night. Now, in the full daylight I was able to see what I’d missed earlier. Turns out, lots of colorful fall foliage and a handful of blooming lupine! It’s so magical to get a bonus treat at the end of an out-and-back hike.

While it’s a bummer I didn’t get to tack on Montgomery this time, I doubt there will be a next time. This peak is way out of the way of anything and there are too many other fun things to do in this life. So, I was glad to have had a date with Boundary Peak but this is a one and done for me.

Las Vegas highlights

City walking

While Aaron worked the next day, I plotted a roughly 9 mile course from the van to the Vegas strip, where I’d meet my brother and his wife. I love taking city walks as a way to get acquainted with a new place. Besides, I’ll travel hundreds of miles out to a remote wilderness to do a ten mile walk, why not do it in an urban location?

I fell into a rhythm, threading my way through park trails that connected to city sidewalks. I wandered along walled-off communities and into more friendly looking neighborhoods. It was impossible to plan a route that didn’t parallel the airport or major highways, so I spent much of the time trying not to duck under low-flying aircraft. I found the Vegas area pretty pedestrian-friendly, as drivers waited patiently for me to cross, no one cut me off and I never felt unsafe being surrounded by so many cars.

Is it a tree or a cell tower? There’s no way to know.

When I arrived at the strip, my brother sent me a string of text message clues to get me from where I was to where he waited for me. We had lunch, then visited the Hello Kitty Cafe and played black light mini-golf in a Twilight Zone themed room. What a surreal day.

Desert walking

Many people do not know that Las Vegas is a very convenient hub for outdoor activities like rock climbing, hiking and canyoneering. I had been aware of this for years, but never had the opportunity to take advantage of its proximity to varied park and recreation areas. I booked a limited-entry permit for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to take my visitors on a pretty desert hike. We explored some washes and slickrock adjacent to where people were climbing on the gorgeous red rocks. Then we continued the drive to the other side of the loop road and hiked into a deep, shaded gash in the cliffs appropriately named Icebox Canyon. What a sharp contrast to the hot, sweaty hike we’d just done!

Later that weekend, my friends Sue and Karen arrived. We also hiked in the Red Rocks area as well as in the nearby Rainbow Mountains Wilderness. This area did not require permits and it was easy to find a parking spot late on a Saturday morning. We scrambled to a few highpoints and did plein air painting at scenic vistas each day that we hiked. I introduced Sue to painting outdoors last year, so I was thrilled to see that she showed up with her own kit on this trip! I set Karen up with supplies and the three of us created art, capturing the scene in three different ways.

There were so many places I didn’t get to on this visit: Sloan Canyon, Mt. Stirling, Charleston Peak, Lake Mead. That just means I’ll be back.

Viva Las Vegas

During our visit, Las Vegas was preparing to host a Grand Prix race. Some iconic sites were inaccessible, traffic was even crazier than usual and massive bandstands were being built up along the strip. The wealth on display was so immense, and in sharp contrast to the unhoused people on the street. People desperate to make a buck selling trashy trinkets outside shops selling ridiculously priced designer bags and things literally no one needs. How inhumane this society is that enables such disparity; I couldn’t help but think about this as I walked through crowds of blissfully unaware vacationers.

Unable to solve the persistence of inequality in those moments, I had no choice but to join the mass of tourists shuffling along the busy streets.

We ate at restaurants for nearly every meal, which completely blew out our budget for the month. The food was expensive and mostly not that great. Drinks also cost way more than they would anywhere else. I had to grit my teeth and not sweat the prices, knowing we’d be back on the road, preparing our own food in the van soon.

It was billed as a botanical garden but it was more like a huge floral arrangement.

With each pair of visitors, I spent quite a bit of time walking along the strip and in the surrounding areas. It’s definitely something I’d recommend doing once in a lifetime. It was unlike any other walk I’d ever taken. Well into the night, lights shine brightly from every hotel, casino and monument. There are fountains and public art and replicas of world famous architecture everywhere. And there are always so many people out and about, you’ll never feel alone.

The Vegas experience I just had to have was partaking in a street daiquiri from one of the many daiquiri bars I’d seen on the strip. Sue joined me in imbibing during one of our long evening walks while Karen made the probably better decision to stick to water instead. Although we didn’t have too far, as the crow flies, to get back to our room, pedestrian connectivity was not good in this part of town. We kept running into dead ends or highways that required us to walk several miles out of the way. Drinking and walking doesn’t suit me well, but I got to cross off that item from my to-do list.

Tips for van travelers

Vegas is a pretty fun place to visit for all sorts of people. Whether you love nightlife, the outdoors, museums, parties, restaurants or people watching, there’s something there for you. Be prepared to spend a lot of money while you’re there, because everything costs money and even things you’re used to paying for cost more.

I spent a lot of time reaching out to AIrBnB hosts about if it was legal/possible to park my van in their lot. This was a surprise. Many hosts operate under HOA’s that do not allow oversize vehicles or vans specifically. Or, they only had access to parking structures with ceiling heights too low for the van to fit. And while some hotels do allow oversize vehicle parking, it is typically for an additional fee. You’ll have to consider the size and type of your vehicle before booking a place to stay.

Once you’re there, I’d recommend using Uber/Lyft/taxi to get to places in town and only take your vehicle out to drive to trailheads and activities outside the city. It’s much less stress trying to deal with maneuvering and parking a large vehicle in such a congested place. And if you want to take a walk, try to plan a route on Google Maps so you don’t get stuck where the sidewalks disappear into freeways, gated lots and parking garages.

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