Construction will temporarily close 2 popular Lake Mead trails

Two of Lake Mead’s most popular hiking trails will be closed for construction on weekdays starting next week and lasting for about a month.

The National Park Service announced Wednesday that the Historic Railroad Trail and about 17 miles of the River Mountains Loop Trail will be closed Mondays through Thursdays until Nov. 17 so crews can patch and improve their surfaces.

The trails will be open to the public from 5 p.m. Thursday until nightfall Sunday throughout the construction project, which is set to begin Tuesday.

All scheduled races, ranger-led programs and other events will still be held.

The River Mountains Loop Trail stretches 34 miles around the River Mountains, connecting Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Hoover Dam, Henderson, Boulder City and the rest of the Las Vegas Valley. All of the construction will take place within the recreation area. Portions of the trail outside of the park will not be affected.

The Historic Railroad Trail follows the former rail route between Boulder City and Hoover Dam that ran from 1931 to 1961. The 3.7-mile trail crosses through several old railroad tunnels and offers panoramic views of Lake Mead and the Boulder Beach area. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis designated it as a national recreation trail in 2015.

During the closure, park officials recommend the Bluffs Trail, 10 miles north of the Historic Railroad Trailhead, as a nearby alternative. That trail starts near site 72 in the Las Vegas Bay Campground and covers 3.9 miles round trip.

For more information on alternative trails at Lake Mead, visit www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/hike.htm.

Contact Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Follow @RefriedBrean on Twitter.