Hike Muddy Peak and Muddy Benchmark Loop Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

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The Muddy Mountains have been a symbol for me for the last few years, representing the Lake Mead area's desert solitude. They've felt inaccessible because the standard route comes in from the north on a reportedly awful dirt road that I wouldn't have been able to manage. So, the Muddies have loomed in the distance during the many Lake Mead hikes I've been doing, especially this year. I finally decided I'd find an alternative route to get up to them, sort of as a culmination of my routes in the area. It certainly wasn't the longest or most difficult, but the views hit the mark for me, and I got that euphoric experience of feeling like I've really explored the northern Lake Mead area to its near-maximum. Anyway, enough spiritual prattle.

Edit: a couple years later I repeated the Muddies, but made an epic loop of the entire range. You can see that more dangerous trip report here.

Park at the end of a dirt road leading through a wash at a wilderness boundary sign. Please respect the sign and hike the rest of the wash, since motorized vehicles aren't allowed in the wilderness. The wash slowly makes its way to the northwest, where I picked up an mostly completely deteriorated dirt road that led to a viewpoint of Lovell Wash, the main wash of this route that flows south from the Muddies. Follow a wash or ridge to work your way into Lovell Wash, and follow it to the saddle between the Muddy Mountains high points. Lovell Wash is pretty, but not particularly unique. At the saddle, you can see the awful-looking northern approach route up the scree slope (the standard route), but the super interesting red rock features to the north that I unfortunately missed out on by coming from the south. Some day I'll make it over there to explore those little peaklets, I hope.

From the saddle, I opted to do Muddy Peak first, to the east. A Class 2 slope leads to a really gorgeous ridgeline with a couple of scramble moves, before you are brought to the base of Muddy Peak. It looks intimidating, but becomes much more reasonable-looking as you start up the Class 3 gully. None of the moves are hard, but it is pretty sustained for about 30 feet. The rock was mostly solid and I was feeling safe in the enclosed feature where the scrambling happened. A small section of exposed, easy Class 3 leads to the summit.

Back at the saddle, head up toward Muddy Mountains High Point (Muddy Benchmark), which ended up being an interesting trial in route-finding. It looked like it would be straightforward, but a dnagerous-looking sub-peak blocks direct access. I was able to navigate around it to the north by first heading up to a pair of natural arches, scrambling zig-zag-like around to a slope on the sub-peak's north face, and then working my way on an animal trail to a single Class 3 move to pull over to flat, mellow ground which leads to Muddy Benchmark. The views are incredible from here. Not only do you see the iconic Muddy Peak, but you also get views of all the Lake Mead peaks and far beyond. I initially planned to go back down Lovell Wash, but a quick exploratory jaunt toward the southwestern ridge made showed me that route would be a viable option to make the day into a much-preferred loop. The ridge was Class 2 and went really easily. I followed a wash down to the head of West End Wash, which had a few obstacles, one of which was an unexpected impassable dryfall that I could fortunately bypass on the left. The red rock cliffs surrounding this dryfall were gorgeous. I followed the open desert back to where I parked.

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

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Muddy Peak

5387 ft

876 rise

Muddy Benchmark

5433 ft

2913 rise

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Starting from the end of the dirt road wash, continue along the wash on foot because it's wilderness and no vehicles are allowed. Please respect this. You can see the southern end of the Muddy Mountains on the right over there.

Lovell Wash cuts between the Muddies, center of this photo.

Approaching the mouth of Lovell Wash.

Looking back toward the mouth of Lovell Wash.

Nothing particularly crazy interesting, but Lovell Wash has some pretty highlights.

Looking back at some of the rock formations within Lovell Wash.

You can see Muddy Peak on the right. Continue through Lovell Wash up to the saddle.

Approaching the saddle of Muddy Peak and Muddy Benchmark.

Looking back down into Lovell Wash from the saddle.

Looking north toward the standard route up into the Muddies, really cool-looking sandstone features out there.

Continuing east along the slopes to the ridgeline just north of Muddy Peak.

Along the slopes, looking east toward the saddle and Muddy Benchmark (center).

Close-up of some more interesting red rocks you would get to see if coming via the standard route.

The ridgeline to Muddy Peak!

Close-up of the intimidating ridgeline. It ends up not being nearly as scary as it looks.

Looking back along the ridgeline, Muddy Benchmark visible on the left.

Approaching one of a few obstacles along the ridgeline.

Close-up of the Class 3 gully up Muddy Peak.

Class 3.

More Class 3. It's pretty sustained, but nothing too crazy.

Looking down the Class 3 section.

Muddy Peak summit ahead!

Muddy Peak summit, looking south. Lovell Wash visible on the right. Lake Mead in the distance.

Muddy Peak summit, looking north. Muddy Benchmark visible on the left.

Back at the saddle headed west toward Muddy Benchmark.

Looking back toward the saddle (left) and Muddy Peak (right).

Along the ridgeline to Muddy Benchmark (far left). There's a fun section of route-finding obstacles to come in order to get over that hump in the center. Look for a natural arch as you approach along the ridge.

A couple of natural arches. A Class 2+ scramble leads to higher ground just to my left.

The scramble zig-zags a little before spitting you out on the northern slopes of the obstacles.

Looking back down as I skirt the northern slopes of the obstacle.

I followed an animal trail along the slope.

The slope leads to this weakness in the cliffs. A single Class 3 move to get up and over and onto mellow ground.

What an abrupt change in pace. Muddy Benchmark ahead.

Looking east toward Muddy Peak, on the way up to Muddy Benchmark.

Muddy Peak (center) from Muddy Benchmark summit.

Muddy Benchmark summit, looking south toward the ridgeline I'd follow to get down. You can see the wash I follow on the left.

Entering the wash after descending the Class 2 slope.

Looking back toward the Muddy Mountains from within the wash.

Follow the wash for a while.

The mouth of West End Wash.

Some interesting colors and rock within West End Wash.

Impassable dryfall. Bypass on the left.

Looking back toward the dryfall and the bypass. Those cliffs are way bigger in real life than they appear in this photo.

Open desert at the mouth of West End Wash.

Looking back into West End Wash.

Traverse the open desert back to the trailhead.

Looking back toward West End Wash (left) and some interesting sandstone cliffs.

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!