701 Loop (Southern Edge)

The 701 Loop is on the far outer edge of the (somewhat maze-like) McCullough Hills trail system. This smooth trail deep in BLM land takes you up and over small rolling hills in a remote-feeling high desert environment. Although the climbing is relatively moderate, there are a few hills that are fairly steep and drop quickly. Out on the 701 Loop, there are some of best views in the McCullough Hills system; to the west, the mountains of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area loom above you, surrounded by rocky cliffs and rolling hills dotted with yuccas and cactuses. Due to the sheer amount of trails and BLM roads, navigating out here can be tricky, but one advantage of this is that you can very easily make routes of almost any length and difficulty; you can cut down the 701 loop, or almost any other loop, using one of the many cross trails. This is especially nice to keep in mind in the warmer months as the sun can be relentless in the open, exposed desert!