River Mountains Loop Trail

History of the Trail

Historic rail trail switch backs

Hoover connector trail – contractor & trail partners 2004

The history of the River Mountains Loop Trail is interesting since it represents a dream come true for many of those involved. Quite a few citizens and agencies were involved in planning, designing and constructing this multi-use, non-motorized 34-mile loop trail. It provides links and connections to other trails throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

In the Beginning

We started in 1996. There was 18-months of focus groups and stakeholder meetings to determine trail design, location, uses, themes, etc. These meetings were conducted by the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program headed up by Barbara Rice. In Fall of 1997 the stakeholders held an election of officers and the Advisory Council was formed. The River Mountains Trail Partnership started out with 30 partner members. The Advisory Council was made up of one primary representative and one alternate. This group met regularly every month for over 16-years. Their primary purpose, besides being advisory to the land managers, was to keep the group motivated and moving forward with planning, grant applications and construction schedules. The Advisory Council acted as a clearinghouse for new ideas and provided a public forum for issues.

Partners

The original 30 partners were a broad cross section of trail stakeholders. There were federal, state, county and city entities as well as private landowners. Over the years the mix and numbers changed. Some of the original partners were:

Federal Partners

  • National Park Service-Lake Mead
  • Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service

Local Government

  • City of Boulder City
  • City of Henderson
  • City of Las Vegas
  • Clark County

Business and Corporations

  • Lake Las Vegas Resort
  • NV Energy
  • The Landwell Company
  • Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino

Regional Agencies

  • Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA)
  • Regional Transportation Commission of Clark County (RTC)
  • Conservation District of Southern Nevada

The project, as many of the ongoing efforts to enhance the enjoyment of our incredible outdoor areas in and around Clark County, remains a work in progress!