Driving Directions for

Sloan Canyon Conservation Area

GPS coordinates included

All coordinates and/or mileages are approximate

Power Line Road:

Take I-15 to Exit 27 (Hwy 146 - St. Rose Parkway), go 1 block east to S. Las Vegas Blvd.  Then turn right on S. Las Vegas Blvd. and go south approximately 2 miles to the power lines.  Or, if you are heading south on Las Vegas Blvd. continue on past the intersection of St. Rose Parkway for approximately 2 miles to the power lines.  If you are using mileage along with GPS coordinates, "zero your mileage" where the Power Line Road meets Las Vegas Blvd.

Turn left (east) under the power lines on the Power Line Road. 

The first thing that you will come to is the Magnolia Power Sub Station.  You can go around it either to the left or right side staying on the road next to the sub station fence.  Once around the back side of the sub station you will see where the Power Line Road continues.  Follow the rusted power poles.

At approximately 3.6 miles from Las Vegas Blvd. you will come to the new dirt road crossing the Power Line Road.  Cross this road, continuing on the Power Line Road.

Stay on the Power Line Road, until you come to pole number X12084 (metal tag) - also the number 2068 is spray painted on the same pole.  About 100 feet after the pole, there will be a dirt road going to the right.  Turn right (south) and travel about .5 of a mile and you will drop into a dry wash.

Turn right in the wash.  Staying in the wash, the parking area is approximately .6 of a mile up the wash.  The parking area is as far as you can drive.  There is a sign with information and a sign in box at the parking area.  From here you walk up the wash to the petroglyph area.

The distance from the parking area to the main petroglyph site is approximately 1.1 miles.  Keep alert and you will see a few isolated petroglyphs (on your right) and a couple of nice panels (on your left) along the route to the main site.  At approximately .8 of a mile you will encounter the first of several small dry falls - this one was the location of the original parking area.  The next small rock area (dry fall) is about another .1 of a mile further and both are easily negotiated.

Continue to the last set of dry falls, which marks the beginning of the main site.  The petroglyphs start at the base of the lowest falls and you will see more as you are going up the rocks/falls.  Most people climb up the rocks on the left side of the dry falls (as you are facing up stream).  Once you reach the upper most of the dry falls, climb back down into the wash.  You are now at the main site.  There will be petroglyphs on both sides of the canyon, but most are on the right side as you are going up the wash.

Things that may be helpful:

• The hike from the parking area to the main site is approximately 1.1 miles in a dry wash bottom made up of a loose sand and gravel mixture.  There is approximately a 170' elevation gain from the parking area to the main site.

• You will need to do some minor rock scrambling up the last set of dry falls just before the main site.

• The main site has petroglyphs at the wash level as well as up on the hill sides.  You can go up on either hillside, sit down and look across to the other side.  A lot of petroglyphs that you did not see before will become visible.  The longer you look the more you will see.

• I would highly recommend that you DO NOT take a passenger car to this site.  I would recommend a high-clearance vehicle because there are several places on the Power Line Road that are prone to wash outs.

For up-to-date information on road conditions, please call the Las Vegas BLM office at (702) 515-5000.

All mileages and coordinates given on this web site are approximate.

  Use common sense and caution when following any directions.  If it does not look right, don't do it.

Disclaimer to keep my butt out of the proverbial wringer:  Check with multiple sources to make sure all your information is up-to-date and accurate.  Do not rely on only one source (such as our web site) to be the final word.  Contact the BLM, Forest Service, Park Service or whomever, to get the most up-to-date road and trail information.  Things can, and do, change very rapidly in the desert due to road construction, flash flooding, and other natural and/or man-made causes.  Do the prudent thing and check before you venture out.  Also please view the information on our  "A Few Tips for Hiking in the Desert" page.

 

The total off-road distance using the Power Line Road from the turn off of Las Vegas Blvd. to the parking area is approximately 5.1 miles.  The driving time from Las Vegas Blvd. to the parking area is approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Left Photo: Looking south at the power lines crossing S. Las Vegas Blvd.  I-15 is barely visible in the right side of the photograph.  Right Photo:  Standing on Las Vegas Blvd. facing the entrance to the Power Line Road.  This is where you should "zero" your milage.  From here you will be following the rusted power poles.

 

Left Photo: The Power Line Road heading towards the Magnolia Sub Station.  Right Photo:  You can either go around the left or the right side of the sub station.  The sub station is approximately .8 of a mile from Las Vegas Blvd.

Left Photo: Going around the left side of the sub station.  Right Photo:  On the back side of the sub station where the left and right side roads meet and I am looking towards the continuation of the power line road.  Stay with the rusted power poles.

Special Note:

Left Photo:  Approximately 3.6 miles from Las Vegas Blvd. and on your left you will see pole 2056.  Right Photo:  At the pole you can see the new road cutting across your path.

    

 

Left Photo:  You will drop down onto the new road (going left to right in the photo).  On the day that I was there it was sloped and made for easy access.  Conditions may change rapidly.  You will cross the new road continuing on the "Power Line Road".  Right Photo:  Sitting in the middle of the new road looking towards Las Vegas.

    

Left Photo:  Continuation of the road heading towards the turn for the site.  Right Photo:  Continue on road and watch for pole #2068 on your left.  Metal tag is pole number 12084 and the number sprayed on the pole is 2068.  About 100 feet after this pole is your next right turn (south).  Distanced traveled so far is approximately 3.9 miles from S. Las Vegas Blvd. to the turn off of the Power Line Road.

Both Photos: Turn right (south) off of the Power Line Road.  From this point it is about .5 of a mile to the wash.

Left Photo: This is the right turn into the wash.  From here to the parking area (photo on the right) it is approximately .6 of a mile.

Left Photo:  Information kiosk at the parking area.  Right Photo: The start of the hike from the parking area. 

Left Photo:  The 1st dry fall - the original parking area was located here.  The distance from the current parking area to the 1st dry fall is approximately .8 of a mile.  Right Photo:  The 2nd dry fall.  The distance from the 1st to the 2nd dry fall is approximately .1 of a mile.

A short distance from the 2nd dry fall (pictured above) you come to the last set of dry falls. 

Once you've made it to here, you are at the beginning of the Main Sloan Canyon Petroglyph Site.  Start looking for petroglyphs at the base as well when you are working your way up this last set of dry falls.   You will need to scramble over the rocks to get to the top.  The easiest way is up the left side as you are heading up stream.  The main site starts at the top of the last dry fall.

The main site is directly in front of you.

For current road conditions, please contact Las Vegas BLM office (702) 515-5000

If you observe any damage or vandalism occurring at a site, please call the BLM Resource Protection hotline (800) 722-3998.  All of us need to help take the responsibility to protect our public lands.  If we don't, more and more public areas will be closed and none of us wants that.  Help by being a "steward" of the site that you are visiting.

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