Kodachrome - Rainbow Gardens - Lava Butte
Vehicle Requirements:
4WD (Stock Jeep’s ok)
Recovery gear
Comms (limited to no phone service)
Street or off-road tires
Elevation Gain: 1550 - 2050 feet
Length: Approximately 20 miles
GPS: This trail is listed on GAIA GPS, Google Maps, and ONX
Trail Experience: Beginner
DW Trail Rating: 2
Forms: Download the release form here. All drivers and passengers must provide a completed form the day of the event to be allowed on the run. Download it now and fill it out before you come out!
Detailed Trail Description: Kodachrome, Rainbow Gardens and Lava Butte form this three prong loop trail. It is an easy trail suitable for any 4x4 truck or SUV, as well as off road vehicles and mountain bikes. Red, tan and white hills make up the colorful Rainbow Gardens loop while a dark volcanic ridge forms the Lava Butte side. Views of the Las Vegas valley await at the midpoint section of the trail.
Kodachrome and Rainbow Gardens are a formation of very colorful red, tan, blue, green and white rocks and is the oldest stratum of rock in the Horse Spring's Formation deposited over 17 million years ago. Lava Butte is made up of volcanic rock magma deposited their over 13 million years ago. Gypsum has been mined in the area in and around both the Gardens and Lava Butte for many years and Lava Butte had its fifteen minutes of fame in the James Bond Movie "Diamonds Are Forever".
We will be entering the area and going to Kodachrome first, looping around to Lava Butte and then going back out via Rainbow Gardens.
Lava Butte is an easy dirt road with no obstacles. It is a great beginners trail. There are some hills and other areas where you can put your vehicle in 4HI or 4LO.
