Weeping Springs and Bighorn Canyons Loop in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

Canyoneer Weeping Springs and Bighorn Canyons Loop Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

Class 4 3A (150 ft max) 4.9 miles 1800 gain 5-7 hrs Loop Mar 12, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Weeping Springs and Bighorn Canyons Loop GPX Track

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This is a technical canyon. If you are unfamiliar with how to build anchors or the gear required for canyoneering do not attempt this route.

Probably my favorite technical loop in the Las Vegas area, this route combines Weeping Springs Canyon, a technical canyon with some interesting rappels, a hike paralleling the Colorado River, and then up the lush Bighorn Canyon. Note that Bighorn Canyon does have one section of Class 4 to get over a dryfall.

Scot and I started out probably a bit too late in the day from the Canyon Point Overlook, accessible by any vehicle until the last quarter mile when it becomes rocky and might deter some passenger car drivers. If descending directly from the parking lot, the slope is covered in loose boulders and broken glass. To make the descent a bit more pleasant, instead head north until a ribbed slope juts out. There's a social trail that leads down more safely. Once we reached the drainage below, the route-finding around here is straightforward. Either stick to the rockier drainage or locate a social trail just south of it. The wash descends to the head of Weeping Springs Canyon.

The first few rappels are nothing particularly special, but make sure you've got knowledge in cairn anchor building since natural anchors are sparse. On a later trip, we had to build a couple because we didn't trust the knot blocks someone had placed. Most of the rappels drop down pretty chutes on the dark rock typical of the Black Canyon Wilderness. There was one particularly interesting rappel, where someone had rigged a long rope to create an anchor for a rappel that would be funky withouth it. Eventually, Weeping Springs Canyon opened up. Continuing east leads to a spring and a final rappel into the Colorado River, but since we didn't have packrafts, we needed to instead bypass these rappels by going overland, parallel to the river. Traversing south through the desert, the first half was unevenful and gorgeous. As we neared Bighorn Canyon, we needed to keep high to avoid an alcove that juts into the cliffs. Past here was a Class 3+ set of moves to descend into Bighorn Canyon.

We enjoyed the beach for a bit before heading up the incredibly lush and wet (relative to Lake Mead desert standards) Bighorn Canyon. 2023 update: Bighorn Canyon is wildly overgrown and far less pleasant than it appears in these photos. The lushness gave way to beautiful narrows that lasted far longer than I thought they would. There were a few Class 3 obstacles within the narrows of Bighorn Canyon. There is one notable difficulty, a Class 4 dryfall that could stop some people not comfortable climbing. This would obviously be quite bad at this point since it's necessary to complete the route, so be sure you're comfortable with doing a ten foot wall with a lip that requires some stemming to get over.

Once out of the Bighorn Canyon narrows, we were at the base of gorgeous eroded cliffs that formed a maze of badlands, but continuing toward them would not lead back to the car. Instead, as the wash begins to narrow into a red slot, make a sharp turn and ascend using a rocky gully up to the saddle separating Weeping Springs Canyon and Bighorn Canyon. Once here, we dropped back down toward the Weeping Springs upper drainage and continued back up the way we came on the social trail.

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From the trailhead looking down the aggravating slope filled with glass and garbage. Scot stares majestically. I recommend keeping north along the rim and taking a more pleasant descent using a rib/slope.
From the trailhead looking down the aggravating slope filled with glass and garbage. Scot stares majestically. I recommend keeping north along the rim and taking a more pleasant descent using a rib/slope.
After descending from the trailhead, follow the only and obvious drainage all the way. Alternatively, a social trail leads down on the south side of the drainage for some time if you prefer.
After descending from the trailhead, follow the only and obvious drainage all the way. Alternatively, a social trail leads down on the south side of the drainage for some time if you prefer.
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Eventually, Weeping Spring Canyon begins to narrow up and soon comes the first rappel.
Eventually, Weeping Spring Canyon begins to narrow up and soon comes the first rappel.
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Scot coming down.
Scot coming down.
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A mini-rappel.
A mini-rappel.
More rappels...
More rappels...
And then we got to a section of potholes which required some maneuvering to get around.
And then we got to a section of potholes which required some maneuvering to get around.
This is the setup that was at the top of this rappel, a rope connected to webbing extended over the biggest pool. I would recommend bringing an extensive amount of webbing to rebuild this in case it's in rough shape. This is easily the most technical section of the canyon due to the configuration of the anchor setup.
This is the setup that was at the top of this rappel, a rope connected to webbing extended over the biggest pool. I would recommend bringing an extensive amount of webbing to rebuild this in case it's in rough shape. This is easily the most technical section of the canyon due to the configuration of the anchor setup.
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Our final rappel. There's technically one more that ends in the Colorado River, but we didn't do that one since it's March and therefore freezing.
Our final rappel. There's technically one more that ends in the Colorado River, but we didn't do that one since it's March and therefore freezing.
Continue down the canyon after the last rappel. To bypass the Colorado River packraft route, make a right around here and traverse through the desert.
Continue down the canyon after the last rappel. To bypass the Colorado River packraft route, make a right around here and traverse through the desert.
We wanted to at least see the last rappel, so we continued onward.
We wanted to at least see the last rappel, so we continued onward.
The last section of narrows before getting to the spring and last rappel.
The last section of narrows before getting to the spring and last rappel.
The spring leading into the Colorado River.
The spring leading into the Colorado River.
The last rappel of Weeping Spring Canyon. We turned around here and did the bypass instead.
The last rappel of Weeping Spring Canyon. We turned around here and did the bypass instead.
Scot along the bypass to get to Bighorn Canyon.
Scot along the bypass to get to Bighorn Canyon.
Really beautiful.
Really beautiful.
There were people camped at the mouth of Bighorn Canyon. There's a grotto we had to wrap around before descending into the drainage.
There were people camped at the mouth of Bighorn Canyon. There's a grotto we had to wrap around before descending into the drainage.
And there was a Class 3+ downclimb in order to get into Bighorn Canyon, seen at the top of this photo.
And there was a Class 3+ downclimb in order to get into Bighorn Canyon, seen at the top of this photo.
View back up at the downclimb.
View back up at the downclimb.
Another shot back up at the downclimb to get into Bighorn Canyon.
Another shot back up at the downclimb to get into Bighorn Canyon.
Headed up Bighorn Canyon, lush and beautiful, with a stream coming down.
Headed up Bighorn Canyon, lush and beautiful, with a stream coming down.
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Bighorn Canyon quickly narrows into a slot. Unexpected and gorgeous.
Bighorn Canyon quickly narrows into a slot. Unexpected and gorgeous.
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Lots of other fun mini boulder obstacles.
Lots of other fun mini boulder obstacles.
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The Class 4 crux. Excuse the drastically different lighting - this was from another outing.
The Class 4 crux. Excuse the drastically different lighting - this was from another outing.
View down at the crux.
View down at the crux.
Alternatively, using the face is less technical, but more exposed.
Alternatively, using the face is less technical, but more exposed.
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Bighorn Canyon opens up, tall cliffs all around us. Really gorgeous landscape and colors, especially with the flowers blooming.
Bighorn Canyon opens up, tall cliffs all around us. Really gorgeous landscape and colors, especially with the flowers blooming.
Ahead you can see a reddish pocket. Before entering the slot at its mouth, turn right and head up the rocky gully.
Ahead you can see a reddish pocket. Before entering the slot at its mouth, turn right and head up the rocky gully.
Whoops, went into the slot, a tad too far.
Whoops, went into the slot, a tad too far.
Ascending out of the badlands to gain the saddle separating the two canyons to complete the loop.
Ascending out of the badlands to gain the saddle separating the two canyons to complete the loop.
Almost at the top of the ascent before getting back into Weeping Spring Canyon.
Almost at the top of the ascent before getting back into Weeping Spring Canyon.
Looking into Weeping Spring Canyon before heading back up to the trailhead.
Looking into Weeping Spring Canyon before heading back up to the trailhead.

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