The Backcountry Trail is a lightly used path that begins in the campground area of Red Rock Canyon State Park and quickly heads into the rugged and rocky backcountry terrain.
The 2.6 mile out-and-back path leaves a little visited state park and quickly heads into what feels like an alien world completely distant from everything else, aside from occasional views of the highway in the silent distance.
Beginning at the campground, the trail soon weaves around the hilly terrain, following washes and a former roadbed, in a path the soon climbs into the washes and hills in the desert landscape. The appeal here are the elevated views of the surrounding landscape from quiet and distant points. There are a few small signs along the way, and as you go it becomes easier to follow the markings that show the use path. Cel service is nonexistent here, so being prepared with navigational aid is very helpful. There is also no shade at all along the hike, with the possibility of weather extremes arising in the summer months.
The trail comes to an anticlimactic end at a fork with a backcountry road, making it easy to explore further if you'd like. With most visitors sticking to the more established trails, it's unlikely hikers will see anyone on this trail. In all, this is a great path to really explore deeper into the landscape, and at 2.6 miles, is short enough to quickly escape nearly all signs of civilization and access the high desert landscape.
The trail begins at the parking area for site 7 in the campground loop. There are vault toilets located throughout the campground.
Visitors to the trail are subject to park rules including sunrise to sunset day use hours and entry fees which can be found at the Red Rock Canyon State Park website.
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