Hualapai Canyon Park

The odds of winning the Powerball are one in 175 million to one in 292 million. The odds in feeling like you won the Powerball are zilch when you escape to the Hualapai Canyon Trail. Walking on the 0.8 mile Hualapai Canyon Trail takes you to an ethereal place physically and mentally that money can’t buy.
The Hualapai Canyon Park is located in the shadows of the TPC Golf Course on the rolling hills of Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada between the mesmerizing Spring Mountains and Las Vegas Strip. The trailhead sits off a relatively new parking lot connected to Hualapai Way between Alta Drive and Town Center Drive.
Vegas is Sun City. The endless sunshine creates a hormone called serotonin. This boosts a person’s mood and encourages a state of being happy, calm, and focused. Add to the sunshine the celestial gardens and open spaces, and the sum is a priceless hour in the park.
This past Saturday, on one of the first Saturdays of 2016; I visited Hualapai Canyon Park. Because the park is relatively small and I drove across the Valley, I would hike it as a prequel to Peccole Ranch Walking Trail. The neat thing about Hualapai Canyon Park is that it is close by to many of the Summerlin trails including Peccole Ranch, Cottonwood Canyon, and Angel Park Trail. You can make a day out of exploring it with its sister trails.
In recent times, the City of Las Vegas built a small parking lot at the trailhead. I wanted to mention this because a major flaw when the park opened in 2010 was a scarcity of parking. However, when I visited I parked in back of the professional building at the northeast corner of Hualapai and Alta. From there I walked a relatively short distance along the east side of Hualapai Way to the trailhead. This extended walk gave me a perspective Vista of the landscape that blends in with the TPC land to create a large expanse of open space in the City.
My first impression was that this is a clean park. The city takes vandalism and graffiti seriously. Near the map of the park, the City has a sign stating to call the Marshalls at 702−229−6444 if you see graffiti. I am glad to report that I saw zilch.
The layout of the 0.8 mile trail is the shape of a skinny oval that travels west to east in a xeriscape of desert gardens bordered by Hualapai Way to the west, TPC open space to the south and east, and homes to the north. Street lamps are interspersed with compass barrel cacti, teddy bear cholla cacti, Yucca trees, cacti, and desert plants. The landscape blends in with the distant views of the Spring Mountains. If I was unfamiliar with Summerlin, I might think that Mount Charleston was across Hualapai Way. Excluded from the park is a canyon. The park name came into existence from a naming suggestion contest. When you progress along the trail every ¹⁄₁₀ a mile there are concrete animal tracks. Speaking of animals I did catch a jack rabbit and desert mice. There are a sundry of benches to sit and absorb the scenery. My favorite benches were at the easternmost periphery overlooking the TPC land extending toward the Suncoast and Queenridge. In the future I could be looking at a freshly laid out Angel Park Trail extension connecting Hualapai Canyon Park to the tapestry of the Summerlin trail system. I couldn’t get too comfortable where I would fall asleep on a bench. All the benches feature a divider. It is my understanding that this is to discourage the homeless. To make the most out of the park, I hiked the trail from both directions.
Vegas is Sun City. Although it currently doesn’t have the Powerball with a chance to become a billionaire; it has sunny places such as the Hualapai Canyon Park Trail that will make you happier than a billionaire when you take in the serotonin of the sun while following a windy white road through an ethereal oasis.

Hubby and I have been wanting to check this out, but there was no parking. Well now there is parking and it was a beautiful Vegas day. Nice area to walk. There were tons of rabbits that would run and hide. I would go back.

Discovered by perusing Unilocal!and a only short run from my house I decided to check out Hualapai Canyon Park largely for a change of pace and although admittedly small with a general lack of lighting in the early morning hours I was surprised at just how quiet and well maintained the small space was, a ~¾ mile track with markers entirely unoccupied during an 11 mile run save for a few small rabbits that seemed more curious than anything else. Unlikely to replace Cottonwood Canyon or the treadmill in my HOA-​owned gym but certainly a place I’ll revisit from time to time it never ceases to amaze me just how many tiny community parks are so close to my home.

Thanks to Norm K. I discovered this little park that is a respite, especially during the chaos of Shriners Tournament at TPC. As Norm explained, there is no parking, so on bike or foot is the only way in. TPC’s are members/​residents only access; except during special events. You cannot just waltz through the gates and park without clearing security. Either residents, Club Members (or their guests — who require a pass to park at either Club) are the ones the gates are opened to.
The park itself is small and well kept and I’m looking forward to when it connects to Angel Park Trail; one of my favorite early morning/​evening running spots. This weekend it served its purpose providing Zen moments during one of the most bustling Tournies in town.
Otherwise, if you have access and want to take a short stroll or ride through pretty xeriscaping in a secluded spot, highly suggested. Kind of hope they don’t add parking when the Trails connect so it stays pristine and more exclusive. Nice spot to collect your thoughts and glimpse some desert creatures. Typical of the area there are bunnies, coyotes, roadrunners and other critters depending on time of day/​year.
Unilocal 100 Challenge

This is a neighborhood park. It’s truly a neighborhood park because there is no parking anywhere at the park or within a mile or so of the park. It can only be gotten to by walking from one of the neighborhoods nearby or riding a bike like I’ve done several times. The neighborhoods nearby are all gated communities on the TCP courses so it’s unlikely you can park in one of them.
The walkway is only ⁸⁄₁₀ of a mile but it is lined with benches, has wonderful desert landscaping, and from the park you have a good view of the city in the distance. Every ¹⁄₁₀ of a mile on the paved trail, there’s a section of smooth concrete with added animal foot prints. This is a way of knowing how far or how fast you’re walking the trail.
I’m not sure if there are plans to ever put a parking area here, but eventually, this trail is supposed to connect with the Angel Park Trail and then it would be available to more people. Until such time, live nearby, walk a fair distance, or get on your bike and ride! It’s a pretty place.