Cottonwood Canyon Park

Update since my last run. The trail has lights so I went for a run after work. Sad to report that half of those lights were not working which made me feel unsafe. I sent an email to the HOA so I hope they get on that soon.

Hidden gym! Summelin is full of parks but this is a new one to me. Today was my second time visiting for a bootcamp in the afternoon. Other reviews have mentioned parking issues but on both my visits I did not have a problem. There is a set of stairs that lead to the park, perfect for running. The park itself has a basin type feel to it and all the greenery reminds me of the trails at Springs Preserve. Signs obviously say to keep dogs on leashes but there were a few off leash playing so watch out for dog poo. This is also a great park for walking, running or biking as there is a tunnel and if you follow that loop it’s about a mile just in that portion. I plan on going back with my Lab and exploring the whole park soon!

This is a beautifully maintained park tucked right behind the busy Charleston/​Town Center intersection and shopping center– don’t blink, or you’ll miss the turn after a rehab facility. Considering how close it is to businesses, it’s surprisingly quiet here.
There are a few looped trails and a set of stairs leading down into the wash, with a beautiful wooden bridge leading to some brilliantly green clearings. Landscaping is all natural dessert plants, but not limited to the half-​dead-​looking sticks and cacti varieties. Pavilions cover picnic tables and barbecue grills. It really is a great hidden spot.
Downsides: be careful of glass in the gravel areas, go to the bathroom before you arrive because there are no facilities, and heads up that you may not find any parking. The rehab facility next door has way more visitors than they have parking spaces, so the lot for the park itself is typically full despite the fact that I rarely run into anyone here.

I love this park! Great location to go on a quick run or just relax in the shade with a good book. Never any parking so I usually Park at Walgreens and walk over (but you never see any people). It’s also full of wildlife, bunnies, chipmunks and lizards. And it has amazing, unobstructed views of red rock Canyon.

LOVE the park but frustrated when all the 60+ parking spots are full. There is NO WAY that many people are in the park. I come across MAYBE 6 people in the park and that’s on a busy day. I see people using the «Park Only Parking“from the rehab center next door everytime I’m there. Possible solution… give at least half the spots to the rehab center and label specific spots for PARK PARKING ONLY. 60+ is alot of parking spots for the park in my view.

Great place for a walk and really good example of double use facility! (aka wash+park) Dogs must be on leash and kindly do so.
One word of caution: Like many parks/​trails in Summerlin there can be absolutely no one around. Make sure you go with someone, take some form of defense and never wear your headphones. Alert. Aware. Armed. That’s good preventative medicine.

Smaller than many of Summerlin’s other green spaces but lit all night, at least on the running paths, I’ve really come to embrace this park as my morning outdoor running space during the early spring and have never disappointed in the maintenance of the property in the least. Certainly the area could be a bit larger, but given the location and ample parking it is more than enough even for my longer runs… I’ll miss it when the weather gets too hot forcing me back to the treadmill.

With its sunny climate Vegas is Sun City. In the Summerlin Master-​Planned Community, Cottonwood Canyon is a beautiful linear park in Sun City. When I walked in Cottonwood Canyon Park, I was walking on sunshine.
Cottonwood Canyon is a linear park that is approximately ¼ mile north of and parallel to Charleston Boulevard from the 215 sound wall at the west to Hualapai Way at the east. As the paved trail weaves through the Cottonwood Canyon neighborhood of Summerlin, it passes under two underpasses (Pavilion Center and Town Center) and through three pocket parks of golf course green grass. As the Unilocalers before me stated, there is a parallel wash that is ideal for hiking. From beginning to end hiking it took me 30 minutes one-​way.
The paved parking lot is Canyon Bluff Court, which is off Park Run Drive by the Heights of Summerlin. I felt safe leaving my car there. Because Canyonwood Canyon is a stone throw from Charleston, it isn’t a bad idea to park at Red Rock Casino or the Best Buy plaza and walk along Pavilion Center to the park. Missing from both the parking lot and park are restrooms. From the parking lot, a set of steps and a sinuous ramp lead to a depression in elevation. This would be Cottonwood Canyon. Ahead is a wooden bridge across the wash that parallels the paved trail. This is roughly the center of the park. When you cross the bridge, you are walking eastbound toward Town Center and Hualapai. If you turn left, you are walking westbound toward Pavilion Center.
Cottonwood Canyon is a Disneyland clean canyon of nature weaving between affluent houses and a Best Buy-​Cosco plaza. Graffiti is relatively nonexistent. This gives a perception of safety and police presence. Unlike Disneyland, real animals replace robotic animals. I shared the canyon with bunny rabbits, small lizards, birds, and dogs. With its beautiful plants, Cottonwood Canyon looks like a linear garden. When I walked it in November, the changing colors on the trees reminded me of an imported New England landscape. The nicest view is westbound with a trick of vision making it look like the trail reaches Red Rock Canyon.
I shared Cottonwood Canyon with children of all ages and dogs of all breeds. The activity ranged from children barely past toddler age riding bicycles around the golf course green pocket parks to seniors enjoying an extended youth jogging. I’d pass several dog owners. Cottonwood Canyon gives the impression of being a safe place to the degree that quite a few dogs were unleashed. Bicyclists were also common, and I’d hear the occassional «To the left.»
Chances are that if Howard Hughs is looking down at the beautiful parks in the community he envisioned, he is not rolling in his grave. After walking on sunshine through a beautiful park in the community that Howard Hughs created, I am encouraging people to invest an hour exploring Cottonwood Canyon Park. It is encouragement through a 4 star rating.

Cottonwood Canyon Park is a nice semi shaded trail. It was slightly on the short side, but if you walked up the steep lead-​ins to the neighborhoods, you would be guaranteed a good workout. Will definitely be back soon!

There are a lot of great parks and trails in Summerlin that I love going to, but I hadn’t been to Cottonwood Canyon Park before. Our neighbor told us it was a great place to take dogs because they have nice grassy areas and there are usually other dogs for the fur babies to socialize with. With that info we loaded up a «Brownie» (our fur baby), a bag of essentials, a picnic lunch… and we were off!
We first met a hearty set of stairs on our journey. Going down them them was a breeze, but I wondered how coming back up would be! I will have to find out some other time because I took a different way back. There are ramps on either side of the stairs which makes easy access for wheelchairs. At the bottom of the stairs/​ramp the path lead us on a beautiful journey. The trail is well kept and the variety of cacti, wild flowers and trees I saw along the way was nice. It wasn’t soon before we came upon a grassy area that had a covered patio area with tables and BBQ grills. I thought the picnic area was spacious and well kept. As we went along the trail we went through a tunnel/​overpass which lead us to the next grassy area. I loved the amount of space and how peaceful it was so this would be where our picnic lunch would take place. After laying out a blanket, getting Brownie set up with her water bowl and snacks it was time to relax and enjoy lunch. The park didn’t seem too crowded, but there were people passing by on the trail by bike, jogging and walking their dog. A couple dogs did stop along the way to say hello to Brownie and do the usual butt sniffing thing dogs do. After a tasty lunch we decided to head back.
There is a bridge near the beginning of the trail, it goes over the old wash. Well, not too far from this bridge is a dirt path. I saw no sign saying that we couldn’t go up it so… up we went! I’m not sure what the top of this dirt path is used for, but please beware that currently there is A LOT of broken glass in that area. If you have dogs with you it will NOT be safe for them to walk here. Brownie had to have her daddy carry her to the car. The car wasn’t far, since at the top of this dirt path and to the left is the parking lot, but the glass still is an issue since there is nothing marked saying you can’t take that route.
They have trash bins so please be respectful and keep your dog (s) on leash and clean up after them! Always be prepared and bring your own potty bags from home just in case!

Cottonwood Canyon Park is part of a walking/​riding trail system that goes from Hualapai to the 2 – 15 half way between Alta and Charleston. The park and trail system is located in an old wash. Water still comes through when it rains, but in a controlled manner now.
It is a great walking trail in its own right, but this park is also an unofficial dog park. The dog owners here are responsible, pick up after their dogs and keep them under control. To this point the security has drives right by if well-​behaved dogs are off-​leash. That is something special in HOA areas.
So bring your dog here… as long as you can keep them under control, and pick up after them… don’t ruin it for the rest of us. though if you can’t!

When I first moved to Las Vegas 11+ years ago, this was a place I came to often to walk. Then the first summer hit, and I joined a gym so I could exercise and walk indoors where it was air conditioned. Now, I use this park mainly to ride my bike. It stretches about 1.25 miles from behind Costco just west of Pavilion Center Drive to its end at Hualapai Way.
Parking is only available in one area – on Cotton Bluff Circle just north of Park Run Drive west of Town Center. There are three areas of green – one at the beginning by Pavilion Center, one at Town Center, and one at the end by Hualapai. The Town Center and Hualapai areas have tables where you can sit, have a snack or picnic, and enjoy yourself.
A lot of people use the park for walking their dogs, and as Peter S. said, there will be dogs chasing rabbits in the park. Since it was so cold and cloudy this morning, there were very few people in the park and I saw 8 rabbits as I rode this mile plus. That’s more than normal.
This is one of my favorite places. Summerlin was very smart to put a sidewalk and green areas in this arroyo and create a super park!

Cottonwood Canyon Park
915 Canyon Bluff Circle
Corner of Park Run/​Town Center Dr
Cottonwood Canyon Park is a WELL-​HIDDEN, quiet and beautiful park for walking, running, dog-​walking, biking, picnic, and a little «hiking»! It is wheelchair friendly.
— However, there is no playground, no restroom facilities in this park.
This large park is actually a combo of 3 different parks, separated by 2 overpass/​tunnels (Town Center and Pavilion). Each smaller park has its own natural grass lawns. The parks on each side of the Town Center tunnel has covered pavilions with grills. While the park by the side of Costco and Lowe’s has no pavilion, it is still a beautiful spot to relax! Yes, you can park in the Costco lot, and walk to the side of Pavilion Overpass to enter the park, too.
During week days, this large park is mostly rather QUIET until late afternoons when people start walking their dogs! I walk/​hike in this park often enough that some of the dogs recognize me and would even come over to greet me, lick my hands, and demand to be patted! Some well-​informed NON-​Residents of Cottonwood Canyon do bring their pets here, too.
There are some 3mi (RT) of paved trails all around the park. Of course, one can always squeeze in more miles by going up and down the paths to/​from the residential area boundary. I often walk/​hike close to 4mi all around the entire park.
HIKING in THIS PARK? Seriously?
— Oh yes, one could actually do some «hiking» here! All around this large park, there are several nice rocky washbeds, as well as vast dirt fields of brushes along side of the paved walkway, which are quite good for in-​town «hiking»! [-See pics].
— BUT YOU MUST STAY CLEAR of areas where there are WATER DRIPPERS/​SPRINKLERS!
— Don’t be surprised to see a dog chasing rabbits on washbeds and among the bushes.
About 20yards from the bridge, there is a short, wide, rocky dirt road leading to the empty dirt lot above. It is used mainly by park maintenance vehicles. For the more adventurous, one can always hike up and down this dirt road to/​from the parking lot. The tiny hill by the front pavilions is also a popular place to «hike» on. Sometimes, you’ll even see a dog rushing up the hill for fun.
Occasionally, I see some young legs running up and down the steeper walkway from the park up to Hualapei St; even up and down the long flight of stairs «Rocky Style»!
On some days, I also see groups of high school kids doing cross-​country training in this park as well.
This is one of my 2 favorite parks in Summerlin for walking/​hiking — second only to the Pueblo Park.
— I’d have given it 5 stars, if it had restroom facilities and playgrounds.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
— This park is DIFFICULT to find, but… well worth the effort!
— It is at the corner of Town Center and Park Run. Its main entrance is located at the end of Canyon Bluff Circle Road (off Park Run, next to a big empty dirt lot), where lies the circular parking lot. You still won’t see the park from there until you walk to the nice patio at the edge, where a big sign of «Cottonwood Canyon Park of Summerlin» stands above a flight of stairs and paved walkway leading downward.
Only from the vantage point near this Park’s Sign, you’ll be able to see, and be pleasantly surprised, that there is such a large and pretty park HIDDEN BELOW!
— To behold: A charming red bridge over the washbed leading to a large green lawn with 2 pavilions, and a tiny hill spanning across the lawn area! And there is much more. Now, GO EXPLORE and ENJOY!
Peterskis, Nov 2012
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