Located to the east of Henderson, the River Mountain Trail encircles the River Mountain Range that separates the Las Vegas Valley from the Lake Mead Recreation Area. It is bounded by Lake Mead Blvd to the north, Lakeshore Drive in the Lake Mead Rec Area to the east, US 95 (515) to the south and Boulder Highway to the west. The trail is a 35 mile (give or take a few 10ths of a mile) paved road that is about 5 feet wide with a marked lane divider most of the way around it.
The RMT is indicated in red in this Google Earth shot I made. As you can see from this view, the trail takes you through some pretty challenging terrain. The aspect I like the lost about this trail is that you can travel it either clockwise or counterclockwise and get two different rides out of it, each way having its own unique challenges for all levels of riders. Personally I find going counter clockwise is the more difficult of the two directions. It has alot more uphill as far as difficult grades, whereas the clockwise route takes you on longer, more sustained gradual uphill grinds such as the section that leads from Boulder Beach up to Boulder City Park.
Probably the most famous, or should I say infamous, section of the RMT is a stretch of hills located in the northwest portion of the Trail known as the "3 Sisters". Originally consisting of 3 distinct hills of increasing difficulty and length, the hills leading up to the Sisters coming out of the Lake Mead Rec area have been added to by a series of "cousins" of increasing difficulty in their own right.
As you can see if you have ever rode the Trail, this Google Earth level view of the 3rd Sister doesn't quite do it justice, it's a lot steeper that this, but you get the idea.
The start of the Sisters is just south of Lake Mead Blvd a few hundred yards south of the entrance to Lake Las Vegas and stretches about 1.5 miles. You go from about 1800 ft up to 2044 ft at the top of the 3rd sister.
It is a particularly difficult ride if you are heading southbound on the trail, but heading northbound it isn't nearly as hard to get through. You actually coast most of the way after climbing past the first water tower. Turn around after that tower though and you will find quite the opposite as you hit the 15% grade climbing up the 3rd Sister. It is a very challenging part of the trail, especially after riding 25 miles of hills prior on the counter clockwise direction.
When you think you have conquered the Trail because you completed the Sisters, think again. Even though you finished the trio of terror you can't relax too much because what follows is a steady uphill grind that takes you 2 1/2 miles to the Solar Power plant. If you had any energy left after the Sisters, this stretch can easily rob you of the rest. Depending on where you started the trail, you may even have a couple more miles of uphill left to travel because from the Power Plant to Railroad Pass is all uphill still.
Clockwise travellers will find alot more of a downhill to the route, but don't think it will be easy because of that. Yeah, the Sisters aren't a problem heading that way, but you have to be very careful with your downhill speed after you enter the Lake Mead Rec area in this direction. There are a series of switchbacks after you pass the ranger station on the northwest part of the Trail that run along some pretty steep hills that would ruin your day should you go off the Trail. Heed the signs that tell you to go 10 MPH on these turns because it is good advice!
After all the fun of the downhill and your hands getting tired from using the brakes alot, you get down to the run that takes you out to the Boulder Beach area. It is a pretty easy ride to the Beach and a welcome spot to take a break if you need one. Alot of people take the time to fuel up with an energy bar or a gel, maybe take off a layer of clothing if it was a chilly start and get ready for the long uphill grind that takes you up to Boulder City. I admit when I first started riding I hated going up that section of the Trail because it was like the uphill never ended, but since i got my Tri bike, I don't have a lot of problems with it. It is actually sort of fun to me now.
The uphill starts right around the Ranger Station exit of the Rec area near the Hacienda Hotel where you find the trailhead to the 6 Tunnels area. It's a kind of deceptive grade at first and you wonder where it came from as you use your small ring and easy gears (or at least you do if you are like me!). It gradually gets easier, however, as you make your way on the serpentine course that takes you away from the roadway and up into the hills surrounding the south part of the Lake. The view is gorgeous looking back to the Lake as you reach the top of the loop at the highest point of the Trail, just be careful to stop while you take it all in, the slopes of the hill are about 40 degrees and it would be a nasty fall if you went off the side of it! In this same section of the Trail, heading back down to the Lake is a rush as you gain speed going downhill. You can get upwards of 40-50 mph, depending on your power using the big ring on your bike, just watch for sudden crosswinds after you clear the cut out on the hill, especially on a breezy day.
After the scenic part of the Trail is completed it's time to climb. The Trail turns into a wash as it runs along Great Basin Highway, which leads from the Hoover Dam to Boulder City. This seemingly benign stretch of Trail seems easy enough, but there is a slight grade to it and novice riders can find it difficult and kind of upsetting. The key is to serpentine a little, watching for riders coming the opposite direction. Yes, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but you also don't see roads going straight up a mountain, do you? They tend to serpentine up the side of the hill to lessen the intensity of the grade. Also, be aware of water in the wash, after all, it is a wash! There can be a lot of debris like shrubs and stuff also. I have a certain dislike for the wash area, myself. The last two times I rode the Trail and went counter clockwise I had to go down the wash toward the Lake. One time I ended up riding a wall for a few feet and I scraped the hell out of my right shin which will leave a mark for the rest of my life in a nice sized oval scar. The second time a rock jumped out and grabbed my front wheel, sending me toppling head over heels. Luckily I wasn't going really fast because I was afraid I might crash. So, helpful safety tip: Watch downhill speed in the wash!
At the top end of the wash are a series of switchback climbs that take you up to Boulder City Park, which marks the end of the hard part of the Trail if you are heading clockwise. When I did this section for the first time about a year ago, it about killed me. My heart rate was topped, my chest was on fire and it hurt my knees. The last time I did it, I couldn't believe that I had ever had that much trouble with it. The first time I did it it felt like it was a 40% grade, it was that hard for me. The last time I did it I thought someone flattened it out. It's funny how things feel when you are a novice.
The last part of the Trail takes you back to the Railroad Pass Trailhead, and for me it is the funnest part of the Trail. I can get down on my aero bars and fly across the flats and test myself on speed. It's only a couple miles back to the Trailhead and there are some fun little woop-do-doo hills that you can get a great run on before the end of the ride. Going in the opposite direction though, it is a little more of an uphill and the climb to get to the Park is a little harder and for novice riders might seem difficult, but it's a good challenge.
Finally, the ride is done. I loved that I finally completed the RMT in both directions, which for me was a big deal! I had dreaded doing the whole Trail, partially because of the Sisters, and partially because of what I expected to be a lot of pain. I surprised myself with how much easier it was than I expected, at least in the clockwise direction. Heading counter clockwise is alot tougher, in my opinion and you should prepare for that. I recommend having plenty of water, some energy snacks and gels, and taking breaks if you need them. It all makes for a much better riding experience!
Here are the access points where you can catch the RMT.
Railroad Pass Casino at US 95 heading toward Boulder City.
Paradise Hills access point.
Equestrian access point.
3 Sister access point.
Lake Mead Ranger Station access point.
Boulder Beach
6 Tunnels access point.
Veteran's Drive (Boulder City) access point.
Great post!
ReplyDeleteAgree that clockwise is easier -- it's amazing how much easier the sisters are when going that way.
I must admit it's been a couple of years since I've done it counterclockwise. I secretly hate screaming down the wash/trail to get to the Alan Bible center.
Then again, descending on the bike is one thing I need to work on.