North and South Ash Grove Loop Trails

North and South Ash Grove Loop Trails

The North and South Ash Grove Loop Trails at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park in Blue Diamond, Nevada is an easy 1.4-mile loop hike that spans two trails in the park.

Trail Name: North and South Ash Grove Loop Trails.

Trailhead Location: Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, Blue Diamond, NV.

Allowed activities: Hiking, biking, horseback riding, birding, geocaching, picnicking with tables and grills.

Forbidden activities: no littering, no motor vehicles, no shooting, no off trail hiking, do not remove: plants, animals, rocks or wood, no climbing trees, no camping.

Hours: Trails close one hour to the parks closing. The park is open daily and times vary by season:

June, July & August: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

September: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

October: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

November, December, January & February: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

March & April: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

May: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Warning: Temperatures can vary wildly from below freezing in the winter to 100+ degrees in the summer. Winds can be gusting at times. Summertime visitors can be met with sudden thundershowers and flash floods.  Please make sure to carry plenty of water with you.

Parking and fees: There is plenty of parking at the Park and there is an entrance fee. At the time of our visit the fee was $10.00 per vehicle or if you bike in, $2.00 per bike.

Pets: Dogs are allowed on the trails as long as they are leashed and waste is carried out with the hiker. Leashes must not exceed 6 feet in length.

Accessibility: The North Ash Grove Loop Trail is wheelchair and stroller friendly. The South Ash Grove Loop Trail is fine for hikers of all abilities.

Sanitation: There are restrooms at the picnic area of the park. There are trash bins near picnic tables.

Trail information: There are several trail placards posted throughout the park at each trail head location. A copy of the trails can be downloaded or printed by following the link below:

http://parks.nv.gov/parks/spring-mountain-ranch

Scroll down the page and pick “trails/maps". Alternatively, you can click the Park Map link on this page.

Length and features: There is a water fountain at the trail head. The North Ash Grove Loop Trail is an easy 0.3-mile hike done as a loop. It is completely wheelchair accessible and the substrate is crushed stone.

The South Ash Grove Loop Trail is an easy 1.4 mile hike. The trail surface is a mixture of dirt and sandstone. Sandstone Wash Creek runs through one section of the trail and will need to be crossed over river rocks. Use caution when water is high or rocks are wet and slippery. There are no trail blaze markers but the trail is obvious and has education information placards posted in several locations.

Most of the trail is flat and there are little to no foot trip hazards. There are benches along the way where hikers can stop rest or sit and admire the beautiful landscape. Reminders are posted not to go off of the trail. Those signs are rectangles with white lettering on a brown background.

The Ash grove is impressive to see in such a wild desert setting. The sections of the trail that have more access to water are a pleasant surprise with the lush vegetation on the forest floor. Wild burros frequent this part of the park. Evidence of their dust bathing or droppings can be seen. Hikers who visit in spring time might get lucky enough to witness the amazing blooms the desert plants produce when rainfall has been abundant.