COMMUNITY: On the Summerlin Trail

The Summerlin Trail System was planned to comprise 100 miles within the master-planned community that aligns the western edge of the Las Vegas Valley. Now, with 93 miles completed, the plan is to extend the system to more than 150 miles.

"Trails have long been one of Summerlin's most significant amenities," said W. Stewart Gibbons, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin. "(They) allow residents to venture beyond their own street or neighborhood, while still providing a feeling of connectedness and community. (They) are great places to meet friends and make new ones, have fun, get exercise, and explore the community."

Four types of trails will be developed within the community. Already in use are street-side and village trails; in the planning stage are a regional trail and natural trails.

Street-side trails are the foundation of the system, according to Chuck Kubat, vice president of planning and design at Hughes Corp.

"Summerlin has long been known for its tree-lined street-side trails," Kubat said. "It's a hallmark that originated with the development of the community's first villages, and one that continues to set Summerlin apart."

Street-side trails are landscaped on both sides and located several feet off the roadway. They vary in width from five feet to eight feet, and are designed for jogging and strolling.

Village trails are about 8-feet wide and located within natural arroyos or man-made open space areas. They are designed to accommodate long-distance walkers and runners, as well as cyclists and skaters. Bike routes and striped bike lanes are four feet to six feet in width and located on roads that link the community's villages. These routes are designed for more experienced cyclists.

A 12-mile regional trail will be developed along the Las Vegas Beltway; along Hualapai Way, south of the beltway; and linking the beltway to the upper Flamingo Wash in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This trail will accommodate nonmotorized uses. Situated along flood channels and natural arroyos, the regional trail is a public-private partnership among Clark County; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the city of Las Vegas; and Hughes Corp., which is providing right-of-way and technical design services.

"Just as (we) actively participated in the extension of the Summerlin Parkway and the construction of the western beltway where it runs through Summerlin, we are eager to partner with the city and the county in developing regional trails," Gibbons said. "By providing financial and design assistance, we hope to make a valleywide regional trail system a reality sooner rather than later."

Natural trails will connect the community to the planned regional trail and Red Rock Canyon. Designed for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts, these trails will be located within low-density areas where natural elements are predominant.

"Just as the community is evolving, so is our trail system," Gibbons said. "As Summerlin develops southward and westward, the focus will be on providing logical and convenient access between the community's growing number of destinations including parks, shopping centers, medical centers and business parks."

Each of Summerlin's villages features a major park or golf course. It is home to two Tournament Players Club golf courses, a Jack Nicklaus-designed Bear's Best course and several others. Also featured are nearly 100 parks, 16 schools and about 130 model homes.

Houses, townhomes and condominiums are priced from under $100,000 to more than $700,000. Custom lots measuring from one-quarter acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents from the $700s.

To visit the community's home finding center, take Sahara Avenue to Town Center Drive. Or, take Interstate 215 to the Sahara exit. Office hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

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