SMYC Trail

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Published: January 6, 2026

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Directions

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Common Questions

Distance:: .98 miles
Class:: Class 1
Dogs:: Ok
Route Style:: connector
Trail Condition:: Maintained
Tags:: family friendly, foothills
Difficulty:: Easy
Parking:: In the Lost Creek/ Willow Springs lot or from the other end, at the Ice Box Canyon lot.
Restrooms:: Yes
Reception:: No
Access:: Pick it up shortly after starting the Lost Creek trail, or a short distance up from the start of Ice Box Canyon.
Good to Know:: It's very easy to go the wrong direction if you begin at Lost Creek. Not even 10 minutes down the SMYC trail, there's a misleading fork. Use an offline map.
Why:: Hiking along the foothills is a unique location.
Wildlife Probability:: Low probability.
Trailhead coordinates:: 36.14792, -115.48664 — Map

SMYC Canyon Route

Spring Mountain Youth Camp, or SMYC, is a long-term correctional facility for young men. Partnering with the U.S. Forest Service, members of this youth camp have been involved with the creation and/ or maintenance of this trail. Of which, runs alongside the Spring Mountains in Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas. Their work can also be seen on Mt. Charleston as well dating back over 30 years. This easy, virtually no elevation gain trail is beautiful. There’s but two short, steep, inclines each of which serve as panoramic lookout points.

It’s got a little bit of everything, is just the right distance, and provides a number of ways to choose your own adventure as it connects with the Lost Creek-Willow Springs area in addition to Ice Box Canyon. The Lost Creek-Willow Springs area has an abundance of connectors in and of itself. This region can keep you busy for days with numerous options—all of which are accessible without needing to drive to multiple parking lots.

Hikers can begin at Lost Creek, follow SMYC to Ice Box Canyon, or bypass Ice Box entirely and continue toward Dale’s Trail. Dale’s and SMYC are effectively the same continuous corridor under different names, divided by Ice Box Canyon. Yet they differ significantly in distance and overall experience.

This weaving journey is rocky, dips, and provides fascinating geological formations along the foothills. Regardless, SMYC is among the lesser traveled hiking trails in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.