Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike

1 miles - Easy Effort
30 Minutes (Total)
Not Often Hiked
260 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 4,050 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

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.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions
Where to Park for the Hike

Quick Links:
Park Website - NOAA Weather Report - My Apr 2024 Gear

Where is Spirit Mountain Overlook?

Spirit Mountain Overlook Locataion — 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

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike Road — 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.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike Parking — There's a small parking area on the side of the road. No parking pass is needed here.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike Trees — 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.

Gear That I Love Right Now

Nothing is sponsored or promoted, just the actual gear that I use.

Garmin InReach Mini 2If you are out of cellphone range the Mini 2 will reliably allow you to hit SOS via satellite. You can see my review here.

HOKA Speedgoat 5These are a great balance of comfort and performance. The high stack height leaves my feet feeling great after a hike.

Check out the complete list here.

Spirit Overlook Mountain Trail Maps

Use This Map:
View in CalTopo | PDF Map | GPX File

How Will You Navigate?

Using the Apple Watch for Hiking

Garmin Fenix 7 & Epix Review For Hikers

How To Read a Topographic Map

Garmin GPSMAP 67i Review

Hike Directions

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 01 — The wide trail starts from the parking area.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 02 — Continue hiking up the wide trail.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 03 — At about 0.3 miles, look for a small trail leading off to the right. It's easy to miss.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 04 — There's usually a cairn marking the trail, but it can be overgrown.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 05 — Follow the small use trail uphill.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 06 — When you get to the saddle you've reached the overlook.

Spirit Mountain Overlook Hike 07 — 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.

Need More Info?

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.
When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

Related Guides

Hike Grapevine Canyon Trail (NV)

Wee Thump Joshua Tree Hike

Las Vegas Hikes

Avi Kwa Ame National Monument Hikes

Popular Guides

Best Hiking Gear 2024

Hiking Boots or Shoes: Do I Really Need Hiking Boots?

When to Hit SOS on inReach

This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.