Page 6 - summer 2017 flip

6 Friends oF red rock canyon

Article and Photos by Norm Kresge

ary Jane Falls is one of the most mountainside. The Forest Service put in rope
Mpopular hikes at Mount Charleston. If nets to hold the hillside in place and to pre-
you plan on taking this hike on the weekend, vent the cutting, but this hasn't worked.
make sure you get to the trailhead early. This
is a 3.2 mile up and back hike with an eleva- The trail is heavily used so there is never a
tion gain of about 1,100 feet. It's uphill all the doubt which way you need to go. When you
way, and I consider it to be a strenuous hike. get to the last switchback, it will be somewhat
steeper than the others and you will come
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
After you park your car (see “Getting upon some rocky steps as the trail hugs the
There” right), you’ll find the trailhead to the side of the mountain. When you have com-
right of the pit toilet. From here walk west pleted this
for about 3/4 mile. This is the easiest part as section, the
the elevation gain is gently up. After this, you trail will
have reached the base of the switchbacks. The gently slope
trail makes a down to an
right turn and area beneath
you start the Mary Jane
first of many Falls where
switchbacks that there are
lead to the falls. normally
shooting Refreshing spring plants
Along the star plants
way, you'll (blooming in
Switchbacks on the trail notice places the spring) and several places where you can
where inconsid- sit and have a snack.
erate hikers have cut the switchbacks—es-
pecially for a faster way down—and have Mary Jane Falls is not a large, roaring falls.
done a considerable amount of damage to the Rather, it usually consists of some streams

the Rock - Volume 7 Issue 4