For anyone looking to do an easy hike at Mount Charleston during the hot summer months, this is a partly new trail that starts behind and below the new Spring Mountain Gateway Visitor Center. There is a large parking area at the new visitor center and the trails start just to the east and out from the visitor center. They have new maps inside the VC of most of the trails in the area and there are some signs with trail maps on them. The new trails at the VC have not yet been individually marked. The Acastus Trail is names for the Acastus Checkerspot butterfly which is only found in the Mount Charleston area. To start the hike, walk down the red gravel path behind the visitor center to the bottom of a large wash. At the bottom, follow the red gravel when it makes a 90 degree left turn to a circular red gravel path. At the circle, turn right and follow this red gravel to the far right corner by a concrete bench. The path then goes off to the right by the bench and this is the beginning of the Acastus Trail. Part of the trail is red gravel and part of it is blacktop which is the old cart path for the golf course that was once built here and open for just 2 years. Along the trail, you’ll see a number of interpretive signs. Going up canyon, the markers talk about geology and rock features. On the way back, you can read the other side which deal with pants and animals. There will be a short section where you walk across some small rocks that have been washed on the trail in various rains. Eventually, you’ll come to what appears to be the end of the trail, but it’s not. You make a left and then a right and the trail continues through the Kyle Canyon Picnic Area. This part of the trail will be all blacktop and there are bathrooms with flush toilets. You’ll also see a sign calling this the Kyle Wash Trail which was the previous name of this section of the trail before it was extended when the visitor center was built. You can make your hike as long as you want – almost. Eventually, the trail will end at Lundy Elementary School. There may be some part of the trail closed because of repairs being made to the area from the flash flooding of the last two years. When I recently hiked this trail, I went to the sign that lets you know you’re at the Fletcher View Campgrounds. This made about a 4.2 mile round trip hike with about a 500 foot elevation gain on the way up. Of course, it’s all downhill on the way back. It’s good to have some new places to hike at Mount Charleston.
