One through three
1. Calico Tanks — 2.5 miles round trip from Sandstone Quarry, ends at a natural water pocket with a Las Vegas skyline view most locals don’t know about. 2. Ice Box Canyon — 2.6 miles, narrow slot with seasonal waterfalls after winter rain, and 10-15 degrees cooler than the loop road. 3. Turtlehead Peak — 5 miles, 2,000 feet of gain, the best summit in the conservation area but genuinely steep on the descent.
Four through six
4. Lost Creek and Children's Discovery loop — 0.75 miles, flat, waterfall in spring, the right pick with young kids. 5. Pine Creek Canyon — 3 miles, the old Wilson homestead ruins and cottonwoods make it feel unlike anywhere else in the park. 6. La Madre Spring — 3.3 miles, quiet because the trailhead is off the main loop, and the spring runs year-round. Avoid all of these between 10am and 4pm from May through September; there's no shade and rescues here are annual news.
Good to know
Do I need the timed-entry reservation for the trailheads?+
Yes, October through May, between 8am and 5pm, if you’re driving the Scenic Loop. Reserve at recreation.gov for $2 plus the $20 vehicle fee.
Is Calico Tanks family-friendly?+
For confident 8-year-olds, yes. There's easy scrambling in the final quarter mile, and a short drop-off near the tank itself.