This short hike offers epic and hard-to-find views of the craggy backside of Spirt Mountain, also known as Avi Kwa Ame by the Mojave. This sacred mountain is the namesake of the new Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.
The hike starts at Christmas Tree Pass, about 1 hour south of Las Vegas.
There's not a street address for the trailhead, which is located in the middle of the sand Christmas Tree Pass road. Your best bet is to use the coordinates to get to the trailhead: 35.25869, -114.73639
It's a dirt and sand road, but most of it is in great shape and doable by low-clearance vehicles. Just take any rutted sections slowly.There's a small parking area on the side of the road. No parking pass is needed here.It's called Christmas Tree Pass because there's a tradition of putting ornaments on the Juniper Trees here. Please don't do it. Leave the wilderness as you found it.
Gear Recommendations
This is a short hike, and you don't need anything special to do it. In the summer, the temperatures can go into the 100Fs, so you'll want water and sun protection. The Spirit Mountain Wilderness is a remote area; if you have hiking gear and the essentials, you should bring them.
Osprey Hikelite 26Lightweight, carries all your gear, and your back doesn't get sweaty. Oh yea, it's also one of the most inexpensive packs you can get.
The wide trail starts from the parking area.Continue hiking up the wide trail.At about 0.3 miles, look for a small trail leading off to the right. It's easy to miss.There's usually a cairn marking the trail, but it can be overgrown.Follow the small use trail uphill.When you get to the saddle you've reached the overlook.Spirit Mountain, known as Avi Kwa Ame in Mohave, is where creation began for the local Yuman speaking tribes. It's also sacred to the Hopi and Southern Paiute.