Lake Mead Red Needle Loop

Name: Lake Mead Red Needle Loop
Total distance: 6 miles
Total time to complete: 3 hours
Elevation Change: 800 feet
Elevation Range: 1300-1800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Scrambling: None, trail is wide at all points, trekking poles are slightly helpful on some of the steeper sections when we descend.
How easy to follow? obvious but unmarked dirt ATV trails with many side washes
Dogs: yes but rocky washes
Bathrooms: at the park
Trailhead (36.100998, -114.937297) is at Terrazza Park, just off Lake Las Vegas Pkwy at Via Anticendo/Galleria (take a left after the first roundabout). We meet at upper parking lot but please use lower one if more parking is needed or the auxillary parking lot further down Galleria.
Weather -
Wikiloc
Description:

The Red Needle is a large stone pillar that can be seen as you drive out on Lake Mead Parkway looking toward Lake Las Vegas. It can be easily reached via a wide wash and ATV dirt roads. From the park we will cross over the bridge over the Las Vegas Wash where water flows constantly. We will quickly get off the pavement and go up a wide wash with great views of the smaller lava buttes. We will loop around the Red Needle and turn onto an ATV trail heading south to get up close to the pillar. On the return trip we will also pass another large but less colorful brown pillar. There is an old wrecked truck in one of the exit washes and a strange memorial just before we return to the cars.

The time of the meetup is the time we are LEAVING the carpool location (if no carpool then it is the time we are starting hike), please come on time, or chase after us frantically if you are late. Please review the planned hike if possible, be prepared for a no host event should your organizer need to drop off at the last minute. Pictures are often taken during meetups and posted on the site, if you don't want to be photographed then wear a bag over your head. If the meetup only has one person coming it may be canceled if I can’t be sure you will show up (I’ll try to contact you). Hiking time estimates are for an average size group, smaller groups go faster and larger groups slower.

Please be aware that your Meetup organizers are not tour guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would take if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury, not limited to flash floods, killer bees, brain eating amoeba, harm to your unborn child, your conscription as a soldier in a war either declared or undeclared, demonic possession, the loss of your immortal soul and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members can not be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or any injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for this event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer, and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.