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Arnight Trail — Oak Creek Connector
The Arnight Trail creates a wonderful connection into the Oak Creek system, allowing you to combine 3–4 trail segments into a powerful two-hour loop through varied terrain. The route moves from open desert to creek corridors and low ridgelines, giving you unique views of the Wilson Cliffs and Spring Mountains from multiple angles. This is also one of Red Rock’s best wildlife zones, with frequent sightings of mule deer, coyotes, and roaming burro bands.
Geologically, this area highlights the dramatic contrast between the towering Wilson Cliffs—made of Jurassic-era Aztec Sandstone, once massive Sahara-like dunes—and the darker limestone peaks of the Spring Mountains behind them. Seasonal water from these higher elevations feeds the Oak Creek drainage, carving shallow washes and supporting pockets of cottonwoods, willows, and desert shrubs. As Arnight transitions into Oak Creek, the landscape opens into a wide network of paths and washes, giving hikers countless options to extend or shorten their loop.
Whether you use Arnight to enter Oak Creek or loop back toward Willow Springs, the combination offers fast-moving trails, diverse scenery, and a rare sense of openness beneath some of the most iconic cliffs in Red Rock Canyon.
Last updated: February 18, 2026