Charleston Peak Trail South Loop
Charleston Peak Trail South Loop is a strenuous long-distance hiking circuit in the Spring Mountains that climbs from the South Loop alignment to Charleston Peak (Southern Nevada’s highest point). Expect a high-altitude outing with a lot of climbing rather than technical scrambling.
Plan on roughly 16.5 miles for the loop, with about 4,642 ft of elevation gain and a summiting high point near 11,918 ft. Typical completion time for experienced hikers runs about 7–10 hours depending on pace and how long you linger at overlooks and on the summit push.
Early in the route, the trail ascends quickly on a long run of switchbacks for nearly 4 miles. Once you reach the top of those switchbacks, you hit a split where the route options branch toward Griffith Peak (right) or toward Mt Charleston (left).
After the split, the climb continues through a section with very sparse shade before steepening again for the final push to the peak. The exposed feel and sun load become noticeable in the upper portions where there’s little tree cover.
Many hikers treat it as a loop by descending via the Trail Canyon route instead of returning the way they came. That descent commonly involves about a 1.5-mile walk along the road or a connecting trail (such as Echo Trail) to get back to the main parking area.
There’s no dependable water on the route, so you need to carry everything you’ll drink. Bring enough capacity for a full-day push at high elevation, where you’ll be pushing a sustained grade for much of the itinerary.