Some trails in Lake Mead National Recreation Area remain closed

By Pashtana Usufzy

Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015 | 3:56 p.m.

Trails in the Goldstrike Canyon and Arizona Hot Spring areas at Lake Mead National Recreation Area will be closed until Oct. 1, according to the National Park Service.

The trails were scheduled to open today, but they will remain closed due to the heat and for the sake of hiker and employee safety, the Park Service said.

“People are miscalculating their ability to hike these strenuous trails in the summer, and it’s not only endangering their lives, it’s endangering the lives of other visitors and rescue crews,” Lake Mead National Recreation Area Acting Superintendent Patrick Gubbins said in a news release.

Trails at Goldstrike Canyon and White Rock Canyon, which includes Arizona Hot Spring, can have slippery boulders, soft gravel and uphill treks that may be difficult for new hikers, according to the Park Service.

Those trails are not maintained by the Park Service.

The two trails maintained by the Park Service — the River Mountains Loop Trail and the Historic Railroad Trail — are open, and hot springs can still be accessed via the Colorado River, according to the Park Service.

The National Park Service recommends hikers always bring a gallon of water per person and hike with at least one other person. Hikers should also wear appropriate shoes, bring salty foods and advise friends or family where they are going and when they expect to be done.