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| - By the corner of St. Rose Parkway and Coronado Center Drive, the Siena Heights Trailhead is a 6-acre local park and trailhead serving the Amargosa Trail, St. Rose Parkway Trail, Paseo Verde Trail, and Cactus Wren Trail. In this review I discuss the Siena Heights Trailhead as a local park and trailhead.
Siena Heights Trailhead as a local Park:
I consider Siena Heights Trailhead a decent park. The amenities include picnic tables, playground, benches, lighted tennis court, restroom, open grass, kiosks, and paved parking lot. After spending time here, I rate it 90% on a Park Condition Report Card. The only graffiti that I saw was on the picnic tables. Based on my time here, the park's greatest amenity is the close-by St. Rose Parkway Bridge by northwest boundary. There are a few reasons that I write this. The first reason is that at the other side of the bridge is Cactus Wren Park. Essentially Siena Heights Trailhead is one of two local parks that the St. Rose Parkway Bridge joins. Using a weight bar analogy, the bridge is the linear bar where the two parks are the dumbbells on each end. With Cactus Wren Park, the additional amenities include a dog park, baseball field, and skateboard park. The second reason that I am of the opinion that the bridge is its greatest amenity is that it provides a grand view of The Strip. Here, I paused to take in the Las Vegas Strip skyline. In my estimation, this would be a first-rate spot to take in the New Year's fireworks over the Strip. By the way it was through Cactus Wren Park and over the St. Rose Parkway Bridge that I entered the park.
Siena Heights Trailhead as a Trailhead:
Regardless that the Siena Heights Trailhead serves four bike trails, the kiosks and signing exclusively promote the Amargosa Trail. This is a major flaw considering that 1. St. Rose Parkway Trail intersects and runs along the north boundary, 2. Paseo Verde Trail is approximately a quarter of a mile east where the adjacent Saint Rose Parkway Trail ends, and 3. The Cactus Wren Trail, a half mile west is a continuation of the Amargosa Trail that runs northbound to the Eastern 215 Beltway Trail. For the remainder of this review, I will share the hiking & biking opportunities on the bike trails that join the Siena Heights Trailhead.
Amargosa Trail
The Amargosa Trail is the only trail that technically goes through the park. The Mile Marker 9 Mile marker stands at the northwest entrance. This means that from here you can hike or bike it 9 miles one way east into the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. The later miles on the trail follow a dirt trail along the rugged switch backs by Black Mountain-north. Near Siena Heights, the Amergosa Trail is a concrete walking path that follows the power lines through Green Valley Ranch. Near Siena Heights, I have used it in conjunction with Green Valley Parkway and Paseo Verde Trail which it overlaps in spots. The ideal hike is to Valle Verde Parkway and back. This is a spot to pause at Starbuck's or a restaurant.
Paseo Verde Trail
Headed east from the park on the easternmost segment of the St. Rose Parkway Trail after the traffic light at Coronado Center, the St. Rose Parkway Trail ends at the traffic light by Paseo Verde Parkway. This is by the Paseo Vista Park where it changes into Paseo Verde Trail. Just like Amargosa Trail, the ideal hike is to Valle Verde Parkway. Following the Paseo Verde Parkway, the trail touches a few picturesque local parks and the Henderson Multigenerational Center. There is sufficient shade. For an extended hike, I recommend exploring the community trails and taking a stroll through the district.
St. Rose Parkway Trail
If you follow it all the way west, it leads to the M. With the exception of informative kiosks and cute sculptures and art work that has a tendency to disappear, this trail is more functional than scenic. Its intersection with Eastern Avenue psychologically creates a barrier. I personally recommend walking it to Eastern and back and parking by the Seven Hills Starbuck's mall or the M to see the west segment. By the way, the Tortoise and Hare sculpture by the entrance makes for a nice photo.
Cactus Wren Trail
Headed northeast across the St. Rose Parkway Bridge the Amargosa Trail passes through Cactus Wren Park and a residential community on its westernmost .5 mile segment. At Eastern & Ion it changes into the Cactus Wren Trail. On a slightly downgrade right of way it follows the Pecos Pitman Wash in back of the strip malls along Eastern Avenue. Along the other side, it passes the back of McMansions and undeveloped lots. There is sufficient shade in some spots. When I hiked it last weekend, I witnessed a spring wildflower bloom by Mile Marker .5. This is a mile long trail that concludes at the Eastern 215 Beltway Trail. At numerous times I have exited at the only cross street Serene Avenue to stop at In N Out, 7-Eleven, or the nearby Einstein Bagels.
Picture Tour Below
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