Class 1 6.7 miles 2300 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Jul 25, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Amargosa Overlook GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Amargosa Overlook is a nice point in the Spring Mountains that overlooks the Amargosa Valley. The route we took was pretty steep, but overall pleasant. I included an easier and less steep, though longer, alternative on the map, but this is not reflected in the stats I wrote up in this trip report. Using the longer (purple line) would add 2 miles each way. I recommend going this alternative route if you plan to trail run or would rather have a pleasant hike, opposed to a steep workout. We descended using the purple line and there aren't any pictures for that section of the route in this trip report.

From the Lee Canyon trailhead, Austin and I used the very popular Bristlecone Trail until the first major bend, where the official trail headed north. Our route would continue west. Someone placed some logs at the start of our route to prevent confusion for those trying to follow the Bristlecone Trail, but we ignored the logs and headed up the very obvious social trail. This led through the forest and up a shallow gully, gaining a fair amount of vertical gain in a short time. We made it to a minor saddle, and then the social trail continued west, even more steeply for a couple hundred feet. Finally, the trail mellowed out and undulated along a nice ridge with occasional views toward McFarland Peak, Mummy Mountian, The Sisters, and others. The route was easy to follow for the most part: either stick to the rim, or follow the social trail which is obvious for most of the way. The view at the high point of the Amargosa Overlook toward Charleston Peak were really nice.

We returned via the purple route on the attached map, but again, the stats reflected assumes you do the hike as an out and back using the orange line only.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Amargosa Overlook
10154 ft
460 rise
2
Peak 10010
10010 ft
n/a rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Starting along the Bristlecone Trail.
Starting along the Bristlecone Trail.
Jogging along the trail.
Jogging along the trail.
The official Bristlecone Trail heads to the right out of frame, this log keeping hikers on track. We returned via the trail on the right (the purple line on the attached map), but the steep ascent route we would take heads past the log.
The official Bristlecone Trail heads to the right out of frame, this log keeping hikers on track. We returned via the trail on the right (the purple line on the attached map), but the steep ascent route we would take heads past the log.
Social trail leading away from the Bristlecone Trail.
Social trail leading away from the Bristlecone Trail.
Image 4 from gallery
Looking back as we ascend the fairly steep social trail up a minor gully.
Looking back as we ascend the fairly steep social trail up a minor gully.
Approaching a minor saddle at the top of the minor gully.
Approaching a minor saddle at the top of the minor gully.
Looking back from the minor saddle at Austin finishing the first leg of the ascent. The social trail gets steeper now as it ascends the east ridge toward Amargosa Overlook.
Looking back from the minor saddle at Austin finishing the first leg of the ascent. The social trail gets steeper now as it ascends the east ridge toward Amargosa Overlook.
Looking back as we ascend the east ridge.
Looking back as we ascend the east ridge.
The ridge opens up a bit as we continue to the high point of Amargosa Overlook.
The ridge opens up a bit as we continue to the high point of Amargosa Overlook.
View back along the ridge as we undulate on minor bumps, Mummy Mountain visible behind Austin.
View back along the ridge as we undulate on minor bumps, Mummy Mountain visible behind Austin.
Amargosa Overlook ahead.
Amargosa Overlook ahead.
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Another shot back along the ridge, Mummy Mountain on the right, The Sisters on the left.
Another shot back along the ridge, Mummy Mountain on the right, The Sisters on the left.
Charleston Peak on the right.
Charleston Peak on the right.
Image 16 from gallery
Amargosa Overlook ahead.
Amargosa Overlook ahead.
Amargosa Overlook, view toward Charleston Peak.
Amargosa Overlook, view toward Charleston Peak.
Amargosa Overlook, view toward Mummy Mountain (right) and The Sisters (left).
Amargosa Overlook, view toward Mummy Mountain (right) and The Sisters (left).
Amargosa Overlook, view  west. Maybe heading farther along the ridge would provide better views of the Amargosa Valley below? We decided not to check it out, instead heading back along the ridge from the high point.
Amargosa Overlook, view west. Maybe heading farther along the ridge would provide better views of the Amargosa Valley below? We decided not to check it out, instead heading back along the ridge from the high point.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!