Middle Oak Creek Loop
The Middle Oak Creek Loop at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Blue Diamond, Nevada is a moderate 5.7-mile loop hike that follows several trails leading to the top of Wilson's Pimple and features beautiful desert mountain views.
Trail names: Middle Oak Creek Trail, South Oak Creek Trail, Wilson’s Pimple, Oak Creek Canyon Trail
Location: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, State Route 159
Permitted uses: Hiking, Horseback riding
Prohibited uses: No motor Vehicles
Hours: There are no posted hours at this trailhead.
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park or use the trails. Parking is off of the roadside and limited.
Pets: Dogs on a leash are allowed. Please leave no trace, which means do not leave bagged dog waste along the trail.
Accessibility: These are not wheelchair accessible trails. Hikers need to be able to hike up some rocky slopes with moderate elevation if they add hiking to the top of Wilson’s Pimple. This hike is not recommended for those with mobility challenges.
Hiker amenities: There is a posted trail map at the trailhead parking and a trash bin. There are no restrooms.
Length and Trail information: This hike was done as a 5.7-mile loop which included Middle Oak Creek Trail, South Oak Creek Trail, up Wilsons Pimple, Oak Creek Canyon Trail back to Middle Oak Creek Trail to return to the trailhead parking area. Cell service can be iffy here, so please plan your hike with safety in mind. Make sure to bring sun protection, plenty of water and let someone who is not hiking with you, know your hiking plans. There are no trail blazes but there are thin brown post markers sparsely placed along the trails.
Middle Oak Creek and South Oak Creek Trails are rated as moderate hikes, and each can be done as an out and back hike. Wilson’s Pimple is more strenuous with an elevation of 4,374 feet (reached by us). Oak Creek Canyon Trail is rated as easy to moderate and is touted as a nice wildflower trail in the spring. We found that there were lots of different plants in bloom during our visit on all the trails. The beautiful blooming desert flora included purple blooming Dorr’s Sage, pink Colorado Four O’Clock, Litttleleaf Rhatany, Apricot Mallow, New Mexico Thistle, Narrowleaf Goldenbush, Desert Larkspur, Beavertail Pricklypear, Desert Marigold, Stansbury’s Cliffrose, Desert trumpet, Plains Pricklypear, California Buckwheat, white morning glories and red paintbrushes. From the trail, as far as the eye can see, are Buckthorn Cholla and Joshua Trees. Don’t let these beautiful plants take all of your attention, hikers need remain alert and use caution as this area is home to rattlesnakes. The presence of rattlesnakes is a very good reason to keep your dogs on a short leash. Keeping dogs under control will lessen the chances of an accidental snake bite. We were lucky to spot a Mojave Green Rattlesnake, thankfully from a safe distance. Besides spotting the rattlesnake, we saw evidence (droppings) of wild burros, and possibly coyote (scat). Thankfully we did not see any trash or bags of dog waste left along the trails.
The hike starts out from the Highway 159 parking area through the desert and toward the majestic colorful sandstone mountains. The trail is narrow, and the substrate is dirt/gravely/sandy base, relatively flat with no trip hazards. The trail gradually becomes narrower with a rockier footing. As the trail winds its way closer to the water source, the vegetation becomes greener and larger. We were able to see Singleleaf Pinyon Pine, Fragrant Sumac, Sonoran Scrub Oak, Junipers, Desert Willow, Ashy Silktassel and Desert Almond. Wherever there are larger trees and a water source, many different birds can be seen and heard. During this hike we were able to identify 9 different birds, 6 of which, were new to us. The birds we heard and saw included the Cordilleran Flycatcher, Bewick’s Wren, Song Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Juniper Titmouse, House Finch, Scott’s Oriole, Rock Wren and Bushtits.
The climb up Wilson’s Pimple will get your heart pumping. There is no marked trail, but there is an obvious foot path made from previous hikers who ventured up the pimple. The incline is steep and steady but worth the beautiful views of the Canyon and the Mountains surrounding the area. We would recommend wearing gloves for the descent in case you need to place your hands in any rocky outcrop that may be occupied by a lizard, spider, snake or scorpion.
As we made our way along the trail and crossed over a lower part of the creek, we found that the GPS would wander a bit. We think that the closer you get to the Rock formations and Canyon walls, the harder it is to maintain a good connection to the GPS signal. Once you cross over the lower creek, try to keep the creek to the right. It’s easy to get off trail as the trail markers are few and far between. At one point we crossed over the creek too soon and ended up on a false trail and needed to back track. We rediscovered the trail that led us through a lush area of grapevines, full of blooms. Later in the year the grapes will be a welcome treat for birds and hikers passing through. Once we found the creek, we were delighted to find it was still flowing. We stopped to cool off by splashing our faces and dipping our heads and hats into the icy cold water. Crossing over the creek was easy but getting back on the trail was a bit of a challenge. There are markers, but they are not always in sight of each other and it’s easy to get off trail, so pay attention to your GPS, watch your footing and enjoy this beautiful hike.
