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Mary Jane Falls
Hiking Trail
Details
2.21 mi
926 ft
One of the top waterfall hikes near Las Vegas.
Mary Jane Falls is a popular hiking destination in the Mount Charleston area. For Las Vegas city dwellers, Mount Charleston provides a welcome relief from the summer heat. The mountain peak soars to almost 12,000 feet above sea level with a staggering 8,259 feet of vertical relief, meaning that even the hikes lower down the mountain flanks, like Mary Jane Falls, are still many thousands of feet above the blistering desert valley that Las Vegas rests in.
Indeed, even the trailhead for Mary Jane Falls is located in a beautiful ponderosa pine forest. The trail climbs a steep 1,043 vertical feet in just over a mile, according to FATMAP (although other sources list the hike as 1.6 miles one-way). Even though the distance is short, the dramatic elevation gain in just one mile can prove challenging for some hikers. While most of the trail is wide and well-defined, the final pitch to the falls is steep, loose, and can get eroded.
Even so, this trail stays very busy, especially when the waterfall is running. Since Mary Jane Falls is fed by snowmelt, the falls are rushing in the early spring and can potentially dry up in the late summer.
For another waterfall hike nearby, be sure to check out Big Falls.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Mary Jane Falls is a popular hiking destination in the Mount Charleston area. For Las Vegas city dwellers, Mount Charleston provides a welcome relief from the summer heat. The mountain peak soars to almost 12,000 feet above sea level with a staggering 8,259 feet of vertical relief, meaning that even the hikes lower down the mountain flanks, like Mary Jane Falls, are still many thousands of feet above the blistering desert valley that Las Vegas rests in.
Indeed, even the trailhead for Mary Jane Falls is located in a beautiful ponderosa pine forest. The trail climbs a steep 1,043 vertical feet in just over a mile, according to FATMAP (although other sources list the hike as 1.6 miles one-way). Even though the distance is short, the dramatic elevation gain in just one mile can prove challenging for some hikers. While most of the trail is wide and well-defined, the final pitch to the falls is steep, loose, and can get eroded.
Even so, this trail stays very busy, especially when the waterfall is running. Since Mary Jane Falls is fed by snowmelt, the falls are rushing in the early spring and can potentially dry up in the late summer.
For another waterfall hike nearby, be sure to check out Big Falls.
Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Jane Falls Climb | 0.37 mi | 174 ft | 8.7% |
| Mary Jane Falls | 1.36 mi | 879 ft | 12.2% |