Cathedral Rock

So much fun. Family friendly. About a 2 ½ hike there and back. Breezy, so bring a light jacket. Beautiful view. Friendly people. Fun and safe for pets. Clean restrooms. Bring toilet paper just in case. Very rocky trail at first so bring good shoes.

When you read reviews and they say it’s strenuous take people’s word for it.
I made the mistake of working out before doing the joke, so the struggle felt extra real. Majority of the hike is uphill. **tip: if you haven’t hiked in awhile, don’t go with super fit people or your calves will burn trying to keep up**
Bring plenty of water, it might take awhile. The big plus about this hike is that it’s not that bad to do in the summer due to the trees and shade. I refuse to hike anywhere but mount Charleston in summer, unless you want to die of heat stroke.
When you feel like your legs are burning, just keep going because the view is definitely worth it.
There’s signs that’ll lead you to the trail so it’s not one of those hidden ones that are hard to find. Wear some comfy shoes and comfy pants. I saw someone in jeans and he was dying.

It’s that time of year when the temps hit triple digits in the Vegas Valley which means it’s also the time that we make regular escapes to cooler Mount Charleston. Cathedral Rock is one of our favorite trails because it’s scenic and short, only about 35 minutes to the top. Along the way up, you are aided by a few stone steps and there are also benches for you to stop, have a seat, and enjoy the scenery. I do have to advise that you proceed with caution if you go with children, pets, or aren’t exactly sober when you make the climb since there are no railings to prevent you from falling over the sides. The views at the top are fantastic and remind you why we’re so fortunate to live so close to this beauty.

I’ve done four hikes at mt Charleston total including cathedral rock, and cathedral rock is by far my favorite. In comparison to mary jane Cathedral takes the cake. Cathedrals views are out of this world and I really don’t think they get enough credit! Cathedral is rated strenuous and I would have to agree. Its not an easy hike but the views make it all worth it, especially once you get to the top. It takes us 2 hours round trip and that’s with plenty of short rests and a nice 10 or 15 minute rest at the top. Gotta take in that gorgeous view :)

Short, strenuous and beautiful hike. The view at the end is definitely worth it!

Beautiful, well marked trail with an amazing view from the top! It’s a little work to make it up the 900 feet of elevation, but nice smooth trail all the way to the top.

Great hike, great views. Did this hike on a Sunday and had alot of fun. Great photo opportunities and a decent workout.

I absolutely loved this hike. right from the start of the trail, it starts at an incline and your heart rate starts to go up. There are a bunch of resting benches you can take a breather at if needed. This is a really strenuous hike, and be careful to watch your footing !! It felt like the equivalent to walking up numerous flights of stairs. The trail comes to a flat part right before you you begin your last «staircase”(s) to the summit. The views are gorgeous, weather is fantastic, and I started early enough to see some deer. The views from the summit are amazing, I felt like I conquered the world lol. The way down always sucks just a bit more than coming up although it got a little easier the last .5 miles on the way down. It makes for a great downhill jog. Make sure you get acclimated to the elevation first, especially if you’re not used to doing strenuous activity 7,000−8,000 ft above sea level. All in all, I would love to do this hike again, especially in the fall

Cathedral rock trail is a gorgeous but difficult 3 mile round trip hike. Its basically a medium grade slope with a short/​flat respite towards the end (but right before you get to the top there’s another steep section). There are beautiful views the entire way, and once you get to the top it’s even more gorgeous! 360 view of the valley and mountains.
you experience a wide variety of landscapes on this trail — from evergreens, to pine trees, to grassy/​rocky meadows. There is one section that is super rocky/​slidey and I can see that getting slippery if it’s wet out. Other than that trail was pretty well maintained with some built in rock steps.
It was a relatively cool day as compared to Vegas. We hiked in August. We got to the trailhead around 11am, and it was 85 °F at that point. The sun was hot, but there was wind thankfully, and some shade with benches to cool off in. Definitely bring lots of water & snacks. I brought my 32 oz nalgene, and almost finished it by the time I got to the top. I’d bring about 50 oz of water per person. It’s hot, and you don’t want to get heat exhausation.
And I’m going to gripe here — when we got to the top there was a lot of trash and food scraps left from previous hikers. Don’t be that person! Also, the top doesn’t have a ton (or any) shade, so plan your hike early enough so you’re not baking in the bright afternoon sun.
Tip for your fur babies: We headed to the restaurant near the Cathedral Rock trailhead afterwards for a late lunch, and they had a dog menu! (Food is meh but that’s another Unilocal review). They’re so dog friendly that on weekends they have a deck reserved for people and their fur babies :)

I have forgotten how beautiful the view is at the top of Catheral rock. This hiking trail has been closed for a few years now due to the Carpenter 1 fire. They have finally reopened this moderate hiking trail and there were quite a few people along the trail. There are two parking lots at the trailhead. The lower trailhead parking lot was full when we arrived, so we ended up parking at the upper trailhead parking lot. The hike up would be considered strenuous for a beginner. But don’t worry, there are quite a few benches along the trail to rest and enjoy the view. Just make sure you bring lots ice water to drink during the summer months. You basically hike uphill for almost the entire 1.4 miles up to the top. The view is just spectacular once your reach the top, so it is well worth the effort. This is a dog friendly trail and the day we went, there were lots of people with big dogs on this trail. A must hike if you enjoy a view from up top. We plan on going back again next weekend!

If you’re looking for a way to beat the heat, here is your answer!
Cathedral Rock Trail is one of the many trails on Mt Charleston. There is a good size amount of parking but can get pretty packed by afternoon. Convenient bathrooms are here that seem to be stocked and maintained. If you brought your furry friend, pet waste bags are also available at the beginning of the trail.
This trail is only a few miles but gains quite a bit elevation. When you look at the top it seems so far away and a strenuous hike. On the contrary! I am not an avid hiker by any means and it only took us about 45 minutes to reach the top and 30 to make it down. That was with multiple stops for me to catch my breath. Several benches are along the way for rest or to take in the beautiful view.
Once you reach the top you’ll feel the sense of accomplishment and enjoy the scenery! For those of us who can’t live without their phone, I did get a signal the entire hike up. As far as weather, it was about 30 degrees cooler than the Vegas area. A nice relief in the summer!

This is a great place to go hiking, the views are incredible. Unfortunately last time I checked it was still closed due to the carpenter one fire.

I’ve hiked this trail many times over the years, every time it’s a beautiful experience.
It’s short enough and has enough elevation gain that it’s a good work out for higher and longer hikes.
Be sure to take a camera the views at the top are phenomenal!

******* Update ********
The Cathedral Rock Trail has reopened after being closed because of the Carpenter 1 fire.

In my endeavor to regain my pre Unilocal body I have added hiking to my things to do list.
This is a moderate to strenuous 3 mile hike to the top and down again. It has amazing views throughout the top is the best but me being a bit afraid of heights I stayed clear of the edges! LOL I know mountain hiking and afraid of heights, I will not limit what I do because of something that frightens me. If it got hairy for me I kept my eyes on the trail and kept going but when I got to the top I just enjoyed the views from afar…
This trail is through an an avalanche chute that can be dangerous during winter fine in late spring and summer. Elevation Gain: 1000′ a rocky switchback climb.
Cant give nature less then 5

What a wonderful escape for a picnic! It has everything you could ask for in a picnic area! Fresh air, pine tree smell, a gorgeous view, blue sky, and sunshine. It’s really the simple things that make me smile…
The Cathedral Rock area is smack in the middle of Mount Charleston. It was recently renovated and reopened this month. It is a beautiful area that hikers, picnickers, and dogs will fall in love with. Don’t forget to bring your pup along for the fun! The new picnic and hiking amenities (within the Kyle Canyon area) include a wading pool excavated from old avalanche debris and an event amphitheater. The improvements now offer an 80-​spot picnic area, paved trails, more parking, three restrooms — two with flushing toilets (hip hip hooray for flushing toilets). The picnic areas are set apart from one another and it creates a nice private atmosphere so you don’t have to be on-​top of other visitors. Each site is now walk ins (so you can’t just drive up to it). Make sure you have rolling coolers because some of the areas can be a few hundred yards away = long walk with big cooler.
Why didn’t I give them 5 stars??? They charge 15 bucks Mon– Thus and Fri — Sun 20 bucks for the picnic area and they DO NOT accept credit/​debit cards. Bring cash or you’ll have to head to the lodge to hit up an ATM like I did. They will (however) accept checks. Yes, I thought that was weird too…

Cathedral Rock may be an hour away from Vegas, but once you’re up there and you shut your cell phone off and start climbing up that trail… you tend to forget all about Vegas and pretty much anything else that’s on your mind. If you’re out of shape this trail will remind you of that very quickly. Still… Cathedral Rock is well worth your time to explore.
5 Stars? I couldn’t think of giving it anything less. A trip up here even if it’s just a drive to the trailhead and back reminds me of why I moved to Vegas in the first place.

Came to Vegas for the weekend. Drove to Mt. Charleston to see fall colors in early October. Only a few sections were covered in yellow-​orange birch or aspen trees. Mostly pine trees. Cathedral Rock (drive to end of Kyle Canyon Rd, SR157) was ~3 miles R/​T on a well maintained, continuous uphill and rocky trail. Lots of families there. The view from above was ok. I was glad to get away from the Vegas heat as it felt 10 – 15 degrees cooler on the mountain.

This is probably my favorite hike to do when I go out to Vegas. It gets my heart rate up and I get to take in the BEAUTIFUL views. The trail is clearly marked, so there’s not really a chance for you to get lost. From the parking lot, take the stairs up and go left. From there, just follow the signs to Cathedral Rock. It’s as simple as that. I think the best time to go is in fall. The quaking aspen are gorgeous in color and you just feel so at peace with nature. It’s cold at the top, so make sure you dress in layers. There’s a bunch of places to sit at the top and enjoy all your hard work getting there. Bring a light lunch or a snack! And don’t leave your trash there people. Show some respect. There are a ton of chipmunks at the top too. Very cute.

I wasn’t aware there were good hiking spots in Vegas until I had lived there for awhile. Mt. Charleston would often come up in discussion of the spots to try.
Cathedral Rock is a relatively easy to moderate hike for a great view of Mt. Charleston and the surrounding desert at the top. It’s about 3 miles round trip to the peak. The hike starts at a steep pace and then flattens out for awhile, then becomes steep for a short final stretch.
Be sure to check the weather before attempting the hike. Desert weather can be volatile.