Red Rock Canyon Campground
Campground
Sites open the weekend of Nov 13 on Recreation.gov
Nevada · Hiking · Near Sandy Valley
Smyc
Photo: cifraser1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 2.0 mi
- round trip
- 242 ft
- climb
- 4,466 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Feb–May, Oct–Nov
- best months
Smyc is an easy out-and-back hike on Bureau of Land Management land in Nevada's Red Rock/Sloan Field Office, about 2 miles long with a total elevation gain of 242 feet. The route starts and ends at roughly 4,300 feet, rising to about 4,466 feet at its high point. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show April highs around 70°F and October highs around 75°F, while July and August average in the mid-90s. That station sits about 700 feet lower than the hike, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. The hike sits close to several other destinations. Ice Box Canyon is just 0.2 miles away, and the Necromancer Wall and Frigid Air Buttress climbing areas are each about 0.4 miles off. Red Rock Canyon Campground is roughly 6 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in Sandy ValleyBest time to go · Feb–May, Oct–Nov
Best time to visit Smyc
Best months: February–May and October–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
53° / 32°
4 wet
Feb
56° / 35°
5 wet
Mar
64° / 41°
4 wet
Apr
70° / 47°
2 wet
May
80° / 56°
1 wet
Jun
90° / 66°
1 wet
Jul
95° / 73°
2 wet
Aug
94° / 72°
2 wet
Sep
87° / 62°
2 wet
Oct
75° / 50°
2 wet
Nov
62° / 38°
2 wet
Dec
52° / 31°
3 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Red Rock Canyon - Spg Mt Rch S, NV, 5.7 mi away at 3,780 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: David Balmer, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Ice Box Canyon
Next door
2.19-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 377 ft elevation gain.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Grand Circle Trail
~1 min drive
11.51-mile out-and-back hike in Nevada with 817 ft elevation gain.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Unnamed BLM Trail
~3 min drive
2.73-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 244 ft gain
Photo: lgoub, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Willlow Springs Loop
~2 min drive
0.31-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 182 ft elevation gain.
Photo: lgoub, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)White Rock Loop
~2 min drive
6.06-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 1,288 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Turtlehead Peak
~4 min drive
4.39-mile out-and-back hike to Turtlehead Peak in Nevada with 1,627 ft gain.
Photo: lgoub, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lost Creek Trail
~2 min drive
0.67-mile out-and-back hike in Nevada with 39 ft gain.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Calico Hills Trail
~5 min drive
3.53-mile lollipop trail in Nevada with 712 ft elevation gain.
Photo: christie_verbose, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Pine Creek Trail
~3 min drive
2.95-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 168 ft elevation gain.
Photo: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Moenkopi Loop
~5 min drive
3.01-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 154 ft of elevation gain.
