The Long Way
Mt. Charleston
A group of people walks along an outdoor trail in a natural landscape.
Plate I. Hikers on a trail, Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. From gomtcharleston.com
A Jeep drives up a gravel mountain road surrounded by trees.
Plate II. Jeep on dirt road, Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. From gomtcharleston.com
A green tent set up in a forest clearing.
Plate III. Tent campsite along Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. From gomtcharleston.com
A scenic view of mountains, forests, and a winding road under a blue sky with clouds.
Plate IV. Mountain view along Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. From gomtcharleston.com
A winding road through a mountainous landscape with snow-capped peaks.
Plate V. Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. From gomtcharleston.com
An aerial view of a mountain community nestled among trees.
Plate VI. Aerial view along the Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. Photograph by Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A scenic road winds through a mountainous landscape under a bright sunny sky.
Plate VII. Paved road along Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway. From nsbfoundation.com

Mt. Charleston Scenic Byway

Mt. Charleston, Nevada. State byway.

Details

Where
Sr 156, Sr 157, Sr 158, Mt. Charleston, NV 89124. Directions
When
The Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway is open 9am - 4pm 7 days a week.
Season
Year-round programming; National Public Lands Day volunteer events held late September each year; winter seasonal ranger positions open late September through early October each fall.
Getting there
An hour's drive north on U.S. 95 from energetic Las Vegas, this byway's elevation takes you from low to high.
Access
Tropical Storm Hilary damage closures remain in effect: Mary Jane Falls, Trail Canyon, Cathedral Rock Trail, Echo Road, Powerline Access Road, and Upper Bristlecone Trailhead and Trail closed indefinitely under a Forest Closure Order; Mack's Canyon Road reopened.
Phone
(702) 515-5400
Website
gomtcharleston.com
Managed by
GO Mt. Charleston (Sierra Forever partner).

Thirty-six miles on three state routes - Lee Canyon Road (SR 156), a portion of Kyle Canyon Road (SR 157), and Deer Creek Road (SR 158) - link U.S. 95 with the majestic, 11,918-foot Mt. Charleston in the Spring Mountain Range.

Notable Events

  1. 1869A member of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers survey party named the mountain for the member's hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. reviewjournal.com
  2. 1871A survey group that came through to map the area for railroads was led by 1st Lt. George Wheeler with 1st Lt. D.W. Lockwood and 2nd Lt. D.A. Lyle during the summer and fall of 1871. reviewjournal.com
  3. 1906President Theodore Roosevelt established the Charleston Forest Reserve under the authority of the Forest Reserve Act of 1891. wilderness.net
  4. 1989The Nevada Wilderness Protection Act designated 43,000 acres as wilderness. wilderness.net
  5. 1993The U.S. Congress established the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, one of 19 National Recreation Areas in the United States. gomtcharleston.com
  6. 2002The Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act designated 13,598 more acres. wilderness.net

People

  • George Wheeler, 1st Lt. who led the survey group that mapped the area for railroads (summer and fall of 1871).

Sources

  1. travelnevada.com/tours-cruises/mt-charleston-scenic-byway
  2. fs.usda.gov/r04/recreation/geologic-wonders/scenic-byways-areas-and-overlooks
  3. nsbfoundation.com/sb/mt-charleston-lee-canyon-road-route-156
  4. gomtcharleston.com/plan-your-visit
  5. travelnevada.com/tours-cruises/mt-charleston-scenic-byway
  6. reviewjournal.com/uncategorized/mount-charleston-moniker-honors-city-in-south-carolina
  7. reviewjournal.com/local/local-columns/natalie-burt/leaves-creatures-and-history-mark-easy-mount-charleston-trail-2437460
  8. wilderness.net/visit-wilderness?ID=394
  9. gomtcharleston.com/smnra-more-than-a-backyard
  10. nsbfoundation.com/sb/mt-charleston-lee-canyon-road-route-156
  11. archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/095.html