Great page! I was up there last weekend and I noticed some changes you may want to make to the page.
The park entrance fee is now $7.00. Also, the trailhead sign no longer exists. The pole is there but the sign is missing. The road to the trailhead is almost impassable in some places due to washout but very high clearance vehicles with lifts had made it to the TH. The trailhead GPS coordinates are N36.13105, W115.53325
The driving directions on the page make it sound as though it is about 6.5 miles from the Scenic Drive to Red Rock summit, but I clocked it a week ago at 5.1. Also, there is no longer a sign at Red Rock Summit.
I mention this because there is a possibility that not knowing it could get someone unfamiliar with the location in trouble. Because the sign is not there, one might pass Red Rock Summit at 5.1 miles and think it is the beginning of yet another dip before climbing to the true summit 1.4 miles later. The danger is that less than a mile from RR Summit, the road becomes so nasty that it would be difficult for someone in a stock SUV or truck to get through, and a stubborn or foolish person might get stuck or incur serious vehicular damage in trying to continue to where he thinks the trailhead will be.
Hopefully, you can update this page accordingly. I'll post this on the Bridge page as well, and I'll post a picture to both showing the trailhead as it currently looks.
And as Alan mentioned, the road is really rough. I definitely needed 4wd to get through in a few spots, and the old 4Runner I was in had higher clearance than just any stock SUV you see these days. Some people in Explorers were turning around. I'd recommend skid plates in addition to high clearance and 4wd, though I only scraped bottom once.
I'll also email CP for future editions of his book. I realize he was the original owner of this page, and it seems that the directions may be the ones he originally had since they closely match what is in his book.
To repeat what Harlan wrote in the comments section, there is a discrepancy between what BLM calls North Peak and what most others consider it to be. At the junction where the trails split, a sign says it is 0.2 mi to North Peak. That, however, is a limestone peak higher than the sandstone peak that the rest of us think of as North Peak. The "real" North Peak is actually closer to a mile from the trail junction. I just wouldn't want first-timers to the area to hike to the top of the limestone peak, thinking they'd climbed North Peak, and then learn they hadn't. You'd think pictures from this page would prevent that, but you never know!
Went up there today (July 5th, 2013).
First, the Rock Gap 4x4 road is rough at places, and I believe it is easy for people to get into trouble on this road if driving anything less than a full-on Jeep. I drove a Subaru Outback, and couldn't make it to the Red Rock Summit without risking damaging the car. However, there is actually a trail approximately 3-3.5 miles from the Willow Spring area that can be used for approaching the summit plateau. To locate the T/H, after driving on the Rock Gap road for about 3-3.5 miles, watch for a little branch of the road on your right and park your car there. This is not actually a road but more like a small dry creek (the coordinate for this point is 36.151035, -115.523553, Elev. ~5300ft on Google Map). The TH is directly east from this point, marked by a small pile of rock. This trail will take you immediately across the north-south running creek and up on a ridge that points straight to the west flank of North Peak. Based on what I observed today, the trail is steep but well-used, many cairns as you go towards the sandstone plateau. It is probably much more steep than going from the Red Rock Summit TH as this trail is shorter and start from a lower elev. However, it is certainly doable if you don't want to get strained with a busted vehicle.
Re: Another route to the summit plateau of North Peak
Many thanks for the advice. It seems like the Rocky Gap road has only deteriorated further since 2013... what a shame for such a highly trafficked area.
Alan Ellis - Feb 18, 2011 8:54 am - Voted 10/10
ObservationsGreat page! I was up there last weekend and I noticed some changes you may want to make to the page.
The park entrance fee is now $7.00. Also, the trailhead sign no longer exists. The pole is there but the sign is missing. The road to the trailhead is almost impassable in some places due to washout but very high clearance vehicles with lifts had made it to the TH. The trailhead GPS coordinates are N36.13105, W115.53325
Bob Sihler - Jul 22, 2012 8:17 pm - Hasn't voted
Driving DistanceThe driving directions on the page make it sound as though it is about 6.5 miles from the Scenic Drive to Red Rock summit, but I clocked it a week ago at 5.1. Also, there is no longer a sign at Red Rock Summit.
I mention this because there is a possibility that not knowing it could get someone unfamiliar with the location in trouble. Because the sign is not there, one might pass Red Rock Summit at 5.1 miles and think it is the beginning of yet another dip before climbing to the true summit 1.4 miles later. The danger is that less than a mile from RR Summit, the road becomes so nasty that it would be difficult for someone in a stock SUV or truck to get through, and a stubborn or foolish person might get stuck or incur serious vehicular damage in trying to continue to where he thinks the trailhead will be.
Hopefully, you can update this page accordingly. I'll post this on the Bridge page as well, and I'll post a picture to both showing the trailhead as it currently looks.
And as Alan mentioned, the road is really rough. I definitely needed 4wd to get through in a few spots, and the old 4Runner I was in had higher clearance than just any stock SUV you see these days. Some people in Explorers were turning around. I'd recommend skid plates in addition to high clearance and 4wd, though I only scraped bottom once.
I'll also email CP for future editions of his book. I realize he was the original owner of this page, and it seems that the directions may be the ones he originally had since they closely match what is in his book.
Thanks,
Bob
Bob Sihler - Jul 22, 2012 8:37 pm - Hasn't voted
The actual North PeakTo repeat what Harlan wrote in the comments section, there is a discrepancy between what BLM calls North Peak and what most others consider it to be. At the junction where the trails split, a sign says it is 0.2 mi to North Peak. That, however, is a limestone peak higher than the sandstone peak that the rest of us think of as North Peak. The "real" North Peak is actually closer to a mile from the trail junction. I just wouldn't want first-timers to the area to hike to the top of the limestone peak, thinking they'd climbed North Peak, and then learn they hadn't. You'd think pictures from this page would prevent that, but you never know!
szupinglee - Jul 6, 2013 4:03 am - Voted 7/10
Another route to the summit plateau of North PeakWent up there today (July 5th, 2013).
First, the Rock Gap 4x4 road is rough at places, and I believe it is easy for people to get into trouble on this road if driving anything less than a full-on Jeep. I drove a Subaru Outback, and couldn't make it to the Red Rock Summit without risking damaging the car. However, there is actually a trail approximately 3-3.5 miles from the Willow Spring area that can be used for approaching the summit plateau. To locate the T/H, after driving on the Rock Gap road for about 3-3.5 miles, watch for a little branch of the road on your right and park your car there. This is not actually a road but more like a small dry creek (the coordinate for this point is 36.151035, -115.523553, Elev. ~5300ft on Google Map). The TH is directly east from this point, marked by a small pile of rock. This trail will take you immediately across the north-south running creek and up on a ridge that points straight to the west flank of North Peak. Based on what I observed today, the trail is steep but well-used, many cairns as you go towards the sandstone plateau. It is probably much more steep than going from the Red Rock Summit TH as this trail is shorter and start from a lower elev. However, it is certainly doable if you don't want to get strained with a busted vehicle.
T. White - Mar 1, 2018 6:18 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Another route to the summit plateau of North PeakMany thanks for the advice. It seems like the Rocky Gap road has only deteriorated further since 2013... what a shame for such a highly trafficked area.