Page 6 - summer 2015 magazine flip

By Norm Kresge

Now that warm weather has set in, it's time to take and animals. These signs con-
a hike at Mount Charleston. The new Visitor tain a wealth of infor-
Center, located on State Route 157 (Kyle mation.
Canyon Road), has opened and there are sev-
eral trails that can be taken from it. The Most of the trail is
Acastus Trail — named after the acastus blacktop or red gravel,
checkerspot butterfly, which is only found on but you will come to a
Mount Charleston — is an easy trail to hike section with small rocks
and get your lungs accustomed to the eleva- that were washed across
tion of the mountain. the trail in one or more of
the rainstorms to hit
Park at the new Visitor Center and look Charleston. In about a
for the sign that says "Trails" on the east side mile, you come to what
of the building. The trail is a red gravel one appears to be the end of
that gently descends to the Kyle Wash below. the trail, but it's not. It's
When you get near the bottom, the trail turns the beginning of the Kyle
left. From here, follow the red gravel path to a Canyon Picnic Area. The
circular trail and turn right. Walk the circle to trail makes a left and then
the far corner and continue on the red gravel a right onto a road that
trail that goes off to the right near a park provides access to the pic-
bench. This will get you on the Acastus Trail. nic areas. You'll also see a

The trail is part red gravel and part black sign that says Kyle Wash
top — what's left of the cart path from the ill- Trail, the previous name
conceived golf course that was built here and of the trail. This section of
closed years ago. Soon you'll come to the the trail has bathrooms
first of several interpretive signs. On the way with flush toilets.
up canyon Norm Kresge
the inter- The trail goes through
pretive signs have the picnic area and even-
information about tually enters the Fletcher View Campgrounds. As you
geology of the area. hike, notice the improvements to the drainage of the
On the way back, Kyle Wash built after the rainstorms following the Car-
the opposite sides of penter 1 fire. There is a large rock berm to help channel
the signs will inform any future rains into the wash, which has also been
cleaned, widened and deepened to be able to handle
you of plants
Norm Kresge large flows.

For the purposes of this hike, I turned around when

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