Red Mountain & Black Mountain Overlooks: What to Know Before You Go
Bootleg Canyon is internationally known as a mountain bike destination — it's hosted UCI World Cup downhill events and has roughly 36 miles of trails, most of it built for riders, not hikers. But tucked inside that same network are three CCC-built, hiker-specific trails dating to the 1930s: routes to a Red Mountain overlook and a Black Mountain overlook, connected by the River Mountains Foot Trail. This is a real, well-documented hiking option, not a wishful reinterpretation of bike infrastructure — but it's still a genuinely shared-use area, and yielding to riders is a real, constant consideration here. Welcome to Bootleg Canyon's hiking-only trails, a narrow but legitimate slice of a much bigger recreation area.
Before You Go: This is a genuine shared-use corridor with mountain bikers on adjoining and crossing trail lines throughout the hike. Every official and independent source is explicit on this point — yield to riders at all times, not just at marked crossings.
Trail Snapshot
Distance | From the Hwy 93 trailhead: about 5.5-6 miles round trip to either overlook. A shorter drive-up trailhead cuts each overlook to about 0.5-0.6 miles one-way.
Elevation | ~872 ft gain to the saddle from the Hwy 93 trailhead, plus ~230 ft further to either overlook
Difficulty | Moderate to Strenuous depending on trailhead and destination chosen
Hike Time | 3 to 4 hours from the Hwy 93 trailhead; under an hour from the drive-up trailhead
Fee | None
Restrooms | Yes, at Bootleg Canyon Park; none at either hiking trailhead
Pets | Not explicitly confirmed
Elevation | ~872 ft gain to the saddle from the Hwy 93 trailhead, plus ~230 ft further to either overlook
Difficulty | Moderate to Strenuous depending on trailhead and destination chosen
Hike Time | 3 to 4 hours from the Hwy 93 trailhead; under an hour from the drive-up trailhead
Fee | None
Restrooms | Yes, at Bootleg Canyon Park; none at either hiking trailhead
Pets | Not explicitly confirmed
How to Reach the Trailhead
Two options: the Hwy 93 roadside trailhead ("River Mountain Trail Parking"), a paved lot about 0.7 miles east of downtown Boulder City's main stoplight, no facilities; or drive up via Yucca Street, Industrial Road, and Canyon Road to an unpaved upper lot near the zipline launch area, which cuts the distance to either overlook substantially. Bootleg Canyon Park itself, at 1027 Canyon Road, has restrooms and picnic facilities. No fee or permit required anywhere in the area.
What to Expect on the Trail
The hiker-specific trails — Red Mountain Trail, Black Mountain Trail, and the connecting River Mountains Foot Trail — were originally built by the CCC in the 1930s and restored through Boulder City partnership funding. From the Hwy 93 trailhead, the route climbs via 11 to 12 switchbacks along a canyon to a saddle between the two mountains, then forks toward either overlook. Watch and listen for mountain bikers on nearby lines throughout the hike — this is not a backcountry-quiet trail. Standard desert hazards apply: no shade, no water sources, and some exposure and loose rock near the ridge crest.
1930s CCC Trails Inside a Modern Bike Park
Overlooks take in the Las Vegas Valley, Lake Mead, Boulder City, Eldorado Valley, and the surrounding River and Black Mountains. Desert flora along the way includes creosote, bursage, beavertail and silver cholla, and Mojave pineapple cactus, with spring wildflowers in favorable years. The actual summit of Red Mountain, where a communications tower sits, is a fenced, closed federal facility — the hiking trail reaches an adjacent overlook, not the true summit itself. Interpretive signage at the Black Mountain overlook covers local geology.
Best Time to Visit and Conditions
Fall through spring is most comfortable given the desert heat and lack of shade; spring brings the best wildflower displays.
Practical Advice for New Visitors
- Bring at least 2-3 liters of water per person — none available on the trail.
- Wear sturdy hiking shoes for switchbacks and loose rock.
- Pack sun protection — there's no shade.
- Stay alert for mountain bikers throughout the hike, not just at marked crossings.
- The Red Mountain summit itself, with its communications tower, is closed and fenced — the trail reaches an adjacent overlook, not the true summit.
- These specific trails were built by the CCC in the 1930s, a distinctive piece of history inside a modern mountain bike park.
- The drive-up trailhead near the zipline area is much shorter than the roadside Hwy 93 approach if you want a quicker hike.
- Confirm current pet rules before bringing a dog.
For hikers specifically seeking out the hiking-only slice of Bootleg Canyon, the Red Mountain and Black Mountain overlooks deliver real CCC-era trail history and genuinely wide views — just come prepared to share the area with mountain bikers the entire way.
