A Complete Guide To Mountain Biking In Las Vegas

LAST UPDATED: FEBRUARY 20, 2022 · BY: BECKY TIMBERS

Posted by Twowheeledwanderer.com

While most people visit Las Vegas for the glitz, glamour, slot machines, and shows, the Las Vegas mountain biking scene is actually pretty impressive. I’ve visited several times now and every time I go, there is more and more trail to explore and more people out enjoying them.

So why should you add Sin City to your mountain bike agenda? For one, it’s a great winter getaway for when you want a break from the snow and it’s also a fun city to experience regardless of whether you have a poker face. The ethnic food scene is top-notch (see restaurant recommendations at the bottom) and there are a lot of great non-gambling experiences to enjoy post-ride like Cirque du Soleil shows, magic shows, concerts, and more.

So if you’re up for some awesome desert riding with a little bit of everything, read on to start planning your trip to Vegas.

Learn everything you need to know about mountain biking in Las Vegas including the best trails to ride, how to link them up, and more!

Table Of Contents

• What to know before you go
• Best time to plan a mountain bike trip to Las Vegas
• Las Vegas Mountain Bike Trail Networks
• 9 Best Las Vegas mountain bike trails with route recommendations
• Trip Planning Resources
• What to pack for your Las Vegas mountain biking adventure

What To Know Before You Go

Before planning your Las Vegas mountain biking adventure, here are a few things to know before you go:

A map or GPS app is essential
Some of the trails around Las Vegas have trail name signs, but most do not. It’s essential to have some sort of navigational tool like TrailForks downloaded to your phone. I don’t recommend MTB Project for Las Vegas because many of the trails are unsanctioned and therefore not on MTB Project.

E-bikes are thriving
I’ve never seen so many e-bikes in my life! The Las Vegas e-bike culture is alive and thriving. The only trail I saw that does not allow e-bikes is Ebb n’ Flow. Other than that, e-bikes pretty much have free range, so charge up!

Do not underestimate the desert
Even if you plan your mountain bike trip in the cooler winter months, don’t underestimate the desert climate. It can be dry, hot, windy, cold, or all of the above in one day. Pack lots of water and snacks, apply sunscreen, and stuff a lightweight windbreaker in your pack for just in case.

The trails are full of sharp, pointy things
Cactus spines and sharp rocks abound in Las Vegas. Tubeless tires are a must and top up your sealant before you go. A tubeless tire plug kit is also essential.

Rattlesnakes live here
I’ve never seen a rattlesnake on the trail, but it’s important to remember that they live here. If you see one, don’t freak out. Just give them their space and move on. Rattlesnakes want as little to do with you as you want with them.

Wild burros live here too!
One of the reasons I love mountain biking in Las Vegas so much is because there are wild donkeys everywhere! They are so cute and fuzzy and majestic. If you see wild burros on your ride, enjoy watching them from a distance and give them their space. (It’s also illegal to feed them).

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Best Time To Plan A Mountain Bike Trip To Las Vegas

The best time to plan a mountain bike trip to Las Vegas are during the cooler winter months. I’ve visited in January, February, and November, and the temps were a comfortable mid-50’s during the day. It does get cold at night, so if you’re camping be sure to bring lots of warm layers.

Late fall and early spring could also be good times to visit, but check the weather before you go to make sure temps are reasonable. Las Vegas does get heavy rains as well, typically in the spring.

I would avoid mountain biking in Las Vegas during the summer at all costs 🥵.

Las Vegas Mountain Bike Trail Networks

Las Vegas has hundreds of miles of trail, most of which are open to mountain bikers. However, that being said, even though they’re open to mountain bikers doesn’t mean mountain bikers should ride them. A lot of trails are hit by motos, ATV’s and horse traffic, so it’s best to avoid those.

I’ve tried to highlight the best Las Vegas mountain biking trails and routes that I’ve ridden. I’ll continue to update this post as I ride more around the area.

Bear’s Best

Bear’s Best is one of the largest and most popular mountain bike trail networks in Las Vegas. It mostly consists of mellower cross-country trails, but you can find a bit of tech in there if you want. If you’re looking for a good introduction to desert riding or you’re newer to mountain biking or you’re taking the family on a ride, this is a good place to start.

The trails are not well marked at all, though, so have TrailForks downloaded to your phone or else you will get lost.

See Permagrin route recommendation below.

Cottonwood Valley AKA: Blue Diamond

Cottonwood Valley (aka Blue Diamond) is a step up from Bear’s Best. There’s a lot of riding around here, too, with a bit more tech. Landmine Loop is a great ride and Three Mile Smile is super fun if you’re willing to climb or you can set up a shuttle.

See Lil Daytona & Landmine Loop, Three Mile Smile, and Fook You route recommendations below

Da Burbs

I haven’t ridden in Da Burbs yet, but a friend mentioned that this area is very confusing, so have TrailForks ready. It seems like Cleod 9 is the trail to do here. I’ve also heard the climbing is quite brutal in Da Burbs.

Southwest Ridge

Southwest Ridge is one of my favorite places to ride in Las Vegas. It sees less traffic than Bear’s Best and Cottonwood Valley and has a bit more variety. The climb up is a bit of a grunt, but not too bad if you take Good Call. Then the descents down Menny Thanks and Bipolar are a blast!

See Menny Thanks Loop route recommendation below

Cowboy Trails

If you’re looking to get rowdy, head to the Cowboy Trails. This area has some of the most technical riding in Las Vegas (aside from Bootleg Canyon, which is technically in Henderson). The trail to do is Bone Shaker, which is a super fun DH line with a lot of drops, cool rock features, and a steep, loose chute at the end.

Ebb n’ Flow and Flow Job and also part of the Cowboy Trail system and two of the best mountain bike trails in Las Vegas.

See Flow Job, Ebb n’ Flow, and Bone Shaker route recommendations below

Mt. Charleston

Mt. Charleston is the highest peak in Nevada’s Clark County at 7,500 feet and there are a few fun mountain bike trails down its flanks. Unfortunately, if you visit in winter, they may be under snow, so check the forecast before you head out there. They are about a 40-minute drive from the city.

It is cool to head up to Mt. Charleston if you can for a different Las Vegas mountain biking experience amid pine trees instead of cacti.

Unless you have a shuttle, be prepared to work for your descent. Tin Can Alley and Lower Showgirl are the rides to do.

See Tin Can Alley route recommendation below

Bootleg Canyon

This is the Las Vegas mountain biking trail network that everyone wants to know about and ride. To be fully transparent, I haven’t ridden Bootleg Canyon yet. I want to dedicate a few solid days to just this area and do a full separate post on it since it’s such a popular place (and it’s actually not really part of Las Vegas – it’s in Boulder City). Stay tuned for a Bootleg Canyon post!

McCullough Trails

I don’t know much about this trail network. Pandemic is supposedly a fun new trail in the area. These trails are actually out near Boulder City, so I’ll probably add them to the Bootleg Canyon post.

Union Trails

I know absolutely zero about this trail network. Sorry!

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9 Best Las Vegas Mountain Bike Trails With Route Recommendations

Here are what I consider the best mountain bike trails in Las Vegas and how to link them up for a great ride.

1. Lil Daytona To Landmine

Lil Daytona and the Landmine Loop are located in the Cottonwood Valley/Blue Diamond trail network west of Las Vegas. Lil Daytona is a fun, fast, flowy trail through a beautiful desert landscape with Red Rock Canyon as a backdrop. It connects into Landmine Loop, which is a great intro to mountain biking in Las Vegas. There’s nothing overly technical or difficult about these trails, but they have a bit of everything from chunk to flow and great views of Red Rock Canyon

Route Recommendation: Blue Diamond Loop

If you’re new to Las Vegas mountain biking, this is a great loop to start off with. There’s not a whole lot of elevation gain or loss, but you’ll get a feel for the sharp rocks, desert riding, and punchy ups that Vegas is known for. Be sure to do Rubber Ducky for a fun surprise!

• Route difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
• Mileage: 9.5 miles
• Elevation gain/loss: 639 feet
• Trail features to expect: A few rock gardens, cross-country terrain
• Route directions: Blue Diamond Parking > Landmine Loop > Rubber Ducky > Inner Loop > Lil Daytona > Landmine Loop
• Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project

Customize Your Ride:

Make it longer: A fun add-on to Lil Daytona for a longer descent is Mustang Loop. After finishing Rubber Ducky, continue on to Beginner Loop to Viagra to Mustang Loop, which will lead into Lil Daytona

Make it harder: Add on The Hurl at the end. This is the most technical trail in the Blue Diamond area. It’s more of a badge of honor than a ‘fun’ trail, but it’ll definitely add some tech to your ride.

2. Permagrin

Permagrin is a fun beginner-friendly trail in the Bear’s Best network that has big whoop-d-whoops like a kiddie rollercoaster. You can’t really get enough speed to get air, but it’s fun to roll through. Bear’s Best has so much riding that it’s hard to choose a ‘best’ loop, but the below route covers many of the most popular trails. You will need TrailForks or else guaranteed you’ll get lost.

There are countless ways you can customize this route for your skill level, time frame, and cross-country prowess.

Route Recommendation: Las Vegas Bear’s Best

• Route difficulty: Beginner/intermediate
• Mileage: 11 miles
• Elevation gain/loss: 895 feet
• What to expect: Cross-country riding, nothing too steep or technical, infiniate ways to explore
• Route directions: Mesa Park > Canal Bike Path > Canal Road > Alice > Round the Outside > Outer Alice > Kona > Saguaro > Porn Star > Man With A Van > Benchmark > Permagrin > Canal Bike Path
• Map/GPS: TrailForks

Customize Your Ride:

There are SO many ways you can add to or subtract from this ride. Bear’s Best is huge. Some of the trails are definitely better than others, but here are a few of my suggestions:

Make it harder: Add Get Schwifty. The first part is a semi-technical climb and then it’s a fun ridgeline descent. You can connect it back to Permagrin via Betty Boop. Another great add-on is to climb Lower Flagpole from Permagrin and descend down Morgan’s Mile.

Make it longer: Literally so many options I don’t even know where to begin. You could continue on Outer Alice to Gnarly (a slog of a climb) and descend down Yellow H back to the loop.

3. Three Mile Smile

Three Mile Smile is perhaps Vegas’s most well-known flow trail. It starts at the top of Badger Pass and descends for three miles down through a canyon with great views and lots of flow. It’s commonly shuttled, but you can pedal to the top if you’re up for a good climb. Three Mile Smile is located in the Cottonwood Valley/Blue Diamond area west of Las Vegas and is great for beginner/Intermediate riders who love fast flow with minimal tech

Route Recommendation: Redhawk’s Red Canyon Loop

This is a big day with a hefty climb up to the top of Badger Pass. It’s one of my favorite rides, though, for its backcountry feel, great view out over Las Vegas if you go all the way out to the overlook, and a super fun descent down Three Mile Smile. Eat your Wheaties and keep an eye out for wild burros!

• Route difficulty: Intermediate with good fitness
• Mileage: 13 miles
• Elevation gain/loss: 1,772 feet
• What to expect: Long slog up Dead Horse Loop, loose and rocky sections of trail at the bottom of Three Mile Smile, lots of flow and optional kickers
• Route directions: Late Night Trailhead Parking > Beginner Loop > Latenight Connector > Powerline Road (EASY TO MISS! Stay right on fire road after going through tunnel underpass) > Dead Horse Loop (we climbed up Dead Horse Loop Alt) > Satan’s Escalator > Dead Horse Loop SW > Overlook > Dead Horse Loop > Three Mile Smile > Badger’s Pass
• Map/GPS: TrailForks

Customize Your Ride:

Make it easier: Shuttle to the top of Three Mile Smile. If you want to do a little climbing it’s worth going down Dead Horse Loop to the overlook and then climbing back up to the start of Three Mile Smile.

Make it shorter: If you’re done with climbing when you reach the top of Satan’s Escalator on Badger Pass, you can cut over to the start of Three Mile Smile via fire road. You will miss a super fun descent to the Las Vegas overlook, but if you do this, you will need to climb back up to the start of Three Mile Smile.

Make it harder: You can add on Techno at the bottom of Three Mile Smile. I haven’t done this trail, but it’s rated black on TrailForks so it must have at least a bit of tech.

4. Tin Can Alley

Tin Can Alley is located up on Mt. Charleston, about 40 minutes outside of Las Vegas. These trails offer a different side to Las Vegas mountain biking – instead of cross-country desert riding, you get a bit of sustained downhill flow through the trees. It’s best to shuttle this ride if you can, but if you don’t have two cars you can either climb up the road or up Step Ladder and Link. Tin Can Alley does have some optional features on it like jumps and kickers and there are a few low-hanging limbs to keep an eye out for.

Route Recommendation: Tin Can Alley Loop

• Route difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
• Mileage: miles
• Elevation gain/loss: feet
• What to expect: Long climb up Step Ladder and Link, loose and washed out sections of trail, lots of flow and optional kickers
• Route directions: Tin Can Alley Parking > Step Ladder > Link > Tin Can Alley > Shady Hollow
• Map/GPS: TrailForks

Customize Your Ride:

Make it easier: Use two cars to shuttle Tin Can Alley

Make it longer: There are a few upper trails you can add to make your ride longer like Upper Showgirl. If you have a shuttle, you can also do Lower Showgirl as a second descent.

5. Flow Job

Flow Job is both a great 5-mile climbing trail and a fun descent located in the Cowboy Trails network. If you’re climbing, the first part is steep with some technical punchy ups, but the rest mellows out until the final push up to the lookout. If you’re descending, Flow Job is a great mellow flow-ish trail with a few steep pitches and tight turns at the bottom. There is some exposure, particularly near the top.

Route Recommendation: Flow Job Out-And-Back

Unless you can set up a shuttle, Flow Job is best ridden as an out-and-back. The first mile or so is the hardest with a few steep pitches and some tricky punchy features, but after that it’s a mellow climb until the last push to the lookout. There is some exposure on this trail, so it may not be the best choice for people with a severe fear of heights (I don’t like heights and I was fine).

• Route difficulty: Intermediate with good fitness
• Mileage: 9.2 miles
• Elevation gain/loss: 1,800 feet
• What to expect: Almost five miles of pure climbing, a few technical switchbacks and punchy features going up, fast on the descent, some exposure
• Route directions: Flow Job Trailhead Parking > Flow Job out-and-back
• Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project

Customize Your Ride:

Shuttle it: If you have two cars and prefer to shuttle, you can park at the Cowboy Trails parking area and climb up Kibbles-n-Bits to Goat Roper and then descend down Flow Job. I haven’t done this shuttle, so I don’t know how the Goat Roper climb compares to Flow Job

Make it harder & longer: Instead of descending back down Flow Job, take Ebb n’ Flow (see trail details below)

6. Fook Yu (Aka Name Under Review)

I actually didn’t totally love this trail, but it’s a popular Las Vegas mountain biking trail in the Cottonwood Valley/Blue Diamond area, so I included it here. Fook Yu is definitely best ridden as a shuttle, but don’t expect it to be all downhill. The first 1/2 mile or so is all climbing.

There are some cool rock work features near the bottom that are fun to session. Fook Yu is best for advanced riders who are comfortable with narrow sidehill riding, tight switchbacks, and techy rock features

Route Recommendation: Fook Yu Shuttle To Late Night Trailhead

It’s definitely best to shuttle Fook Yu unless you have an e-bike or are up for a challenging climb. There’s a small parking area off Rt. 160 at the start of the trail and you can end your ride at the Late Night Trailhead. There are several options to get back to the parking area at the end of Fook Yu. I took Top Secret to Latenight Loop to Latenight Connector to Viagra.

• Route difficulty: Strong intermediate/advanced
• Mileage: 6.7 miles
• Elevation gain: 246 ft
• Elevation loss: 1,857 feet
• What to expect: Narrow sidehill, minor exposure, tight switchbacks, rock features
• Route directions: Parking area off Rt. 160 > Fook Yu (Name Under Review) > Flu For You OR Top Secret > Latenight Loop > Latenight Connector > Viagra
• Map/GPS: TrailForks

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Trip Planning Resources

Las Vegas Bike Shops, Rentals, & Mountain Bike Tours

Whether you’re looking to pick up some spare parts, rent a mountain bike, need mechanical assistance, or you prefer to do a mountain bike tour, there are a handful of great Las Vegas bike shops and services.

• Las Vegas Cyclery: Located right on the edge of Las Vegas near the Cottonwood/Blue Diamond Trails, Las Vegas Cyclery offers a wide range of biking services. They have full-suspension mountain bike rentals, a service shop, and a retail store. They’re also the folks behind Escape Adventures, if you’re looking to book a full or half-day tour (see below).
• Escape Adventures: We saw an Escape Adventures day tour out at Cottonwood/Blue Diamond and it looked like they were pretty dialed. Escape Adventures has comfortable vans with hanging bike racks and you can choose either a full-day or half-day tour. Rental bikes are included.
• Bike Blast Las Vegas: Bike Blast provides several different services and experiences from mountain bike rentals to guided and semi-guided tours.

Best Places To Eat & Drink In Las Vegas

There are SO many great little places to eat in Las Vegas. Don’t think you need to spend an arm and a leg on a meal, either. Many of the smaller, ‘strip-mall’ ethnic restaurants are very well priced and delicious. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Shang Artisan Noodle: Eat here – you will not be disappointed! They make their own noodles and everything I’ve tried is outstanding. Their menu is also affordably priced, the service is fast, and there’s good parking. We eat here every time we visit Las Vegas.
• Weera Thai: I loved this little Thai restaurant. The interior decor is really cool and the food tasted authentic and yummy. They also have an interesting cocktail list.
• Gabi Cafe: If you’re looking for some good coffee and a unique setting, check out Gabi Cafe. It’s super cute and eclectic and the coffee and baked goods are really good.
• Lucy Ethiopian: I love good Ethiopian food and Lucy didn’t disappoint. The inside is a bit dark and lacking character, but the food is great.

Where To Camp & Stay

Surprisingly, there’s not a whole lot of camping around Las Vegas. The only campground west of the city is Red Rock Canyon Campground, which has easy access to most of Las Vegas mountain biking. However, the campground is pretty primitive with no showers, no electricity, no cell reception and it has pit toilets.

Unfortunately, Las Vegas has really cracked down on dispersed camping, so if you’re looking to camp you’ll need to book a site at Red Rock Canyon Campground.

There are plenty of hotels and Airbnb’s available, though. I recommend looking for one near the western edge of the city so you can have quick and easy access to the trails.

What To Pack For Your Las Vegas Mountain Biking Adventure

For a complete packing list, head over to my Mountain Bike Trip Packing List post. Here are a few recommendations specific to Las Vegas mountain biking:

• Dry lube: It’s dry and dusty in Las Vegas, so be sure to pack some dry chain lube to keep dirt and dust out of your chain. I like to use the Rock n’ Roll Gold.
• Sunscreen: You’re heading to the desert, so sunscreen up! Even if the temps are cool, but sure to take sun protection seriously here.
• 3 liter hydration reservoir: Don’t underestimate the desert environment. Even if you’re heading out for a ‘quick’ spin, carry more water than you think you’ll need. I typically always fill up my 3L hydration bladder even if I’m just heading out on a short pedal.
• Tire sealant: There are a lot of sharp, pointy things in Las Vegas. Top up your tire sealant before you go and bring a small bottle with you in case your tires meet their match.
• Light windbreaker: I used my Patagonia Houdini jacket a lot more than I expected on my most recent trip to Las Vegas. It’s super lightweight, packs down small, and kind of a no-brainer. (Men’s version here)
• Robust bike lock system: Unfortunately Las Vegas isn’t the most honest of cities, so if you’re going to be leaving your bikes on a rack at all, you need a robust locking system. We typically have three different locks on each bike at a time: a cable with a padlock, two U-locks (one for each bike), and two burly chain locks (one for each bike). Overkill? Maybe. But I’d rather go overboard than have a bike thief walk away with my most prized possession.