Callville Ridge Trail

Callville Ridge Trail is a 4.74-mile out-and-back from Callville Bay Road to three high points, then back to the same access. This is open cross-country hiking over rough rock, not a constructed or signed path. The first climb is steep; most of the ascent comes in the first half mile, then the broad ridge rolls east. Give yourself about four hours; that is a planning estimate for the rocky, pathless ground, since no typical time is published. The map connects seven GPS waypoints as a simplified corridor, so expect the real walking line to wander between them.

The first top is broad, rounded Peak 662, with open views across Callville Bay and the Boulder Basin. Creosote and white bursage cover the ridge, with beavertail and cottontop cactus among them; the beavertail can color the hills in late spring. Peak 662 East is a boulder pile. Climbing directly to its top is a short, minimal Class 3 scramble; the route can be walked around if you prefer to avoid the hands-on section.

From Peak 662 East, the route drops north and northeast to a saddle, joins an old road, then turns southeast and climbs back onto the ridge. The road was built to recover debris from a 1950s F-100 crash. Scattered pieces remain, including landing gear and equipment; leave the wreckage where it lies. Peak 653 is rocky and cliff-edged on two sides, with wide views. On the return, look west along the ridge toward Black Mesa and keep some of the rough foreground in the frame.

Park at the wide paved pullout on Callville Bay Road, about 0.3 mile south of its Northshore Road junction. The route starts across the road, roughly 100 yards up the pavement. A Lake Mead recreation-use pass is required to enter the area; no water or toilets were confirmed at this pullout, so carry what you need. The National Park Service allows pets on hiking trails on a leash no longer than six feet. This exposed desert walk has little shelter from heat; carry plenty of water and avoid hot conditions.