Badrock Ridge
Top of Highline Trail at Badrock Ridge.
Slowly eroding away into the desert floor, Badrock Ridge sits as a ribbon of burnt-orange sandstone spilling across a weathered alluvial fan, flowing down from a steep mountain range tucked away in an arid region of Southern Nevada.
Not terribly far from the iconic Las Vegas Strip, this rotting pile of sandstone has the dubious reputation of unpredictably crumbling away underfoot at the most inopportune moments, sending more than a few hikers tumbling down head over heels to the ground below.
Only reachable by navigating through a maze of crisscrossing ATV trails and blown-out jeep roads, Badrock’s natural and rugged beauty rewards the adventurer with stunning views and the sweet scent of desert sage and creosote.
Other than the occasional roar from torrid winds running down the mountain’s side, the overwhelming silences is broken only by the rustling of small lizards scurrying across the rocks, darting from shadow to shadow.
Not terribly far from the iconic Las Vegas Strip, this rotting pile of sandstone has the dubious reputation of unpredictably crumbling away underfoot at the most inopportune moments, sending more than a few hikers tumbling down head over heels to the ground below.
Only reachable by navigating through a maze of crisscrossing ATV trails and blown-out jeep roads, Badrock’s natural and rugged beauty rewards the adventurer with stunning views and the sweet scent of desert sage and creosote.
Other than the occasional roar from torrid winds running down the mountain’s side, the overwhelming silences is broken only by the rustling of small lizards scurrying across the rocks, darting from shadow to shadow.
Axial Wraith moving along one of the large rocks at Badrock Ridge.
I had stumbled across this area some time ago while out scouting for new crawling areas, spotting the bright orangish red sandstone speckled with bits of lime-green lichen and charcoal-black desert varnish far off in the distance.
Up close, the size of Badrock Ridge is impressive, covering a little more than a half mile in length with an elevation gain just under two hundred feet.
This area has proven to be one of the most technically diverse and rugged formations of red sandstone on the westside of Las Vegas, and I’ve selected this particular area to conduct extensive tire testing on a number of different rock crawlers.
Some time soon, I will add more photos and details about the wide variety of challenges, including details and insight to Highline Trail; one of my most favorite crawling areas discovered to date.
Up close, the size of Badrock Ridge is impressive, covering a little more than a half mile in length with an elevation gain just under two hundred feet.
This area has proven to be one of the most technically diverse and rugged formations of red sandstone on the westside of Las Vegas, and I’ve selected this particular area to conduct extensive tire testing on a number of different rock crawlers.
Some time soon, I will add more photos and details about the wide variety of challenges, including details and insight to Highline Trail; one of my most favorite crawling areas discovered to date.