Hike Lava Butte Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

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Lava Butte can be seen from pretty much anywhere in Henderson, its dark outline forming a nice little bump on the horizon. Being such a short hike, it made me want to save it for when I only had a few hours to kill. I parked in a pullout on the side of Northshore Road. Just off the road, a wash heads generally west toward Lava Butte. There are lots of ways to head up from within this wash, whether via drainage or ridge, but I included my favorite of my ascent/descent routes on the attached map. Using this route, the wash wandered a bit and then eventually led to a break in the slopes, where a short Class 2 section led up to the base of Lava Butte before the scrambling began in earnest. Somehow Lava Butte didn't seem as large until I was looking up at it from this spot. I started up the closest slope (again, there are lots of options to ascend the talus). Heading up Lava Butte was pretty nice, lots of Class 2 boulder-hopping on mostly solid big black boulders helping to gain vertical quickly on the steep grade. At the top of my chosen slope, a short ridge continued to the summit. I returned more or less the same way.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Lava Butte

2871 ft

871 rise

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Heading up a major wash leading toward Lava Butte.

Lava Butte ahead.

The terrain got more lumpy toward the head of the wash. Many options would work to get you to the base of Lava Butte.

Almost at the base.

Class 2 boulder-hopping up Lava Butte.

View back the way I came.

Continuing to ascend on boulders.

Close-up of my progress.

Lava Butte ahead at the end of the summit ridge.

Lava Butte summit, view back along the summit ridge.

Lava Butte, view into Henderson, NV.

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!