Short Stack
The quick Kyle Canyon lap: up Stepladder, across on Atomic Duck, and a long mellow run down Shady Hollow.
Your timesno timed runs yet
Ride mode times every run on its own: the clock starts when you roll out of the start and stops at the finish, with splits at each marked spot. Leave Ride mode on between laps and it re-arms when you're back at the start. Times stay on this phone.
Right now at the trailhead
Get the GPS file
Scan with a friend's phone, or tap below. Then open it in your ride app.
- iPhone: tap Download, open it from the Downloads bar, then Share → Trailforks, Strava or Garmin.
- Android: tap Download, then open the file and pick your app.
- Garmin: or drag it into Garmin Connect → Courses → Import on a computer.
https://bsqrd-designs.com/dirt/short-stack/
Getting there
Park at Cliff Rose Trailhead
NV-157 Kyle Canyon Rd, about 16 mi west of US-95; take the first exit at the roundabout across from the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway (2525 Kyle Canyon Rd)
- Free, day use 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., vault toilets, no water. Do not use the Visitor Gateway lot, which is open only 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Start and finish are the same spot. Follow the cue sheet and the arrows on the map.
Cue sheet
| 0.0 | Stepladder Trailsingletrack via Top of Stepladder | 1.8 mi |
| 1.7 | Atomic Duck Trailsingletrack via Atomic Duck | 0.4 mi |
| 2.2 | Shady Hollow Trailsingletrack via Lower Shady Hollow | 2.5 mi |
| 4.6 | Back at Cliff Rose Trailhead |
Know before you go
- As of Oct 8, 2026, Trailforks showed a significant issue reported on Stepladder. Check current conditions before you go.
- One climb, one descent: Stepladder gains about 700 ft in 1.7 miles, then Atomic Duck cuts across to Shady Hollow for a 2.5 mile descent that drops roughly 600 ft with one short rise near the bottom.
- All singletrack, about 1,000 ft of climbing in under 5 miles. A good first ride in Kyle Canyon or a warm-up before work; add Link and Tin Can (see Kick the Can) when you want more.
- Atomic Duck is short and the junctions at both ends are lightly signed. Load the GPX. Cliff Rose is free, open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with vault toilets and no water.
- Rideable roughly May through October at 6,500 to 7,350 ft. Under snow most winters.
Ride smart
- Water: plan on about 1 L for this ride. There's none on the trail.
- Signal is spotty. Tell someone your route and your time back.
- Emergency: call 911 and say "Short Stack ride, parked at Cliff Rose Trailhead, Mt Charleston Trails", plus the coordinates from Locate me.
- Wildlife: give horses, burros and anything with horns room, and never feed them.
- Stay on trail. Desert crust and mountain soil take decades to heal.
Report a problem or share a photo
Washout, closure, new fence or a missing sign? Got a great shot of a junction? Send it. It goes straight to Ryan; photos he approves show up on this page with your credit.
Trail photos
End ride?
Turn calls, the timer and your recording stop when the ride ends.