Goodman Peak

Overview

Trailhead

This is a nice relatively short climb from the trailhead for Lost Creek Canyon in Red Rock NCA. It takes 3 – 4 hours at a moderate pace and has plenty of nice scrambling moves along the way. The elevation gained is almost 2,000’ to the summit.  

cave in cliffs

From the summit, you can continue scrambling along a cairned route that will lead you to North Peak if you are ambitious. Said route is found at the opposite end of the summit ridge you have just followed to the peak..

Getting There

From Charleston Blvd and the 215 Beltway in the western part of Las Vegas, take Charleston Blvd. (Highway 159) west for about 5 miles until you reach the entrance to Red Rock Canyon NCA. Once inside the park, follow the 13 mile loop road to the Lost Creek canyon trailhead parking area. You should allow about 30 minutes driving time from the strip to the entrance station.

Route

passing cave

scrambling

From the parking area start hiking toward Lost Creek Canyon for a short distance until you reach a fork in the trail that heads left and take that path as it heads into the dry wash for several hundred feet. After crossing the wash, you will see a metal stake located where a use trail heads right toward the cliffs. As you get ready to take said use path, look several hundred feet up the cliffs and locate a hole in the rocks forming a natural cave. This is a spot you will climb past in 10 or 15 minutes if you are on the well cairned route. Follow the cairns up the main gully working past numerous dry falls along the way.  

more scrambling

head for tree on skyline

As you get close to the summit, the route goes hard right below the cliff face and you eventually traverse counterclockwise around the north side of the summit to reach more climbable terrain that gets you up to the ridge leading out to the “summit”

Red Tape

National Park entrance fees apply in Red Rock National Conservation area. Hours of operations vary by season. See Red Rock NCA Home Page

When to Climb

summit rest

Spring and Fall are the peak seasons as it becomes extremely hot in the summer. Winter can be an excellent time as well unless snow and ice accumulate from winter storms making the scrambling too hazardous. This is most likely to occur in January and February.

Camping

google route trace

There is a campground located south of SR159 two miles east of the entrance to RRCNCA. There is no developed campground within Red Rock NCA, although backcountry camping with a permit is allowed.