When I first considered Las Vegas as a climbing vacation, Anniversary Narrows immediately caught my interest. Touted as a beautiful slot canyon, it was not to be missed. But it wasn't until I came across a route description in Hiking in Southern Nevada by Branch Whitney (Las Vegas' version of Calgary's Alan Kane or Andrew Nugara), that I decided to do it. This route is a loop that not only includes the narrows and a peak, but also goes through a wonderland called Bowl of Fire.

The trip starts on Calville Wash North Road that leads to Lovell Wash. Once in the wash Dinah and I followed it to the Anniversary Narrows. The narrows are defined by steep walls so close together, only one person at a time can pass through some sections. The slot canyon extends for a couple hundred metres.

After the narrows, we hiked up a wash to the base of Anniversary Narrows Peak and scrambled to the summit. But our adventure was not yet over. From the summit we descended into the west end of the Bowl of Fire, aptly named for the rich red rock that fills it. After crossing the bowl, we dropped down a steep slope and hiked across the desert back to the car.

Although the route is complicated – there are many twists and turns as well as landmarks to look for – we easily stayed on track. I highly recommend it.

GPX and KML Tracks