The City of Henderson proudly notes that it "features one of the most extensive trail systems in the state of Nevada, totaling 184.61 miles."
The Anthem East Trail traverses the McCullough Mountain Range, running seven miles from Anthem Hills Park to Shadow Canyon. The Del Webb Corp. built the trail, using funding from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. Blossoming cacti and scenic wildflowers can be seen along this route, which affords a sweeping view of the Las Vegas Valley.
Henderson trails come in three types. Level 1 trails have minimal grading, and are "firm and stable." Level 2 are soft-surface trails with less stability, higher grades, and some obstacles. The most difficult, Level 3, are also soft-surface trails with "substantial" grade changes. We'd warn anyone but the serious hiker off these. Trails are open from dawn to dusk, unless they're lit – a criterion we expect applies mostly to Level 1 trails – in which case their hours are 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. This section of the (highly informative) official website includes maps and additional rules, including that pets must be kept on a leash no more than six feet in length and that no plants, animals, rocks, etc. must be damaged or removed -- take out exactly what you brought in (which should not include alcohol or glass bottles). Stick to the designated trails and note that there are no amenities in terms of water, toilets, or telephones.
The city also has paved and soft-surface bicycle trails, as well as dedicated bike lanes on its streets, as this color-coded map shows. The valley is ringed with hiking opportunities, especially in the Red Rock Canyon and Mount Charleston. We recommend Branch Whitney’s Hiking Las Vegas and Hiking Southern Nevada.
