How to enjoy Mt. Charleston’s new welcome center
It’s July, when Southern Nevadans ritually remember their closest thing to an alpine getaway, Mount Charleston, where it’s an average 20 degrees cooler than the city. New this year: a 128-acre welcome center, complete with bathrooms, picnic areas, amphitheaters, monuments and a gift shop. The Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway, about a half-hour off State Route 152 in Kyle Canyon, is now open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, offering hikers, walkers and people who simply want to sit on a bench that’s not melting a place to learn about the 316,000 acres of trails, trees and wildlife unfolding before them. The site offers access to 40 miles of trails, which range from stroller-friendly to “Help! I’m getting a Stairmaster cramp!” Below, we call out our favorite highlights.
