Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area is literally next door to Sin City, with days’ worth of hiking, history, and beauty awaiting, yet not as many tourists venture away from the hustle and bustle to see it as you might think.
If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you know that what keeps me traveling, what causes me to eat, breathe, and live all things travel is nature and the outdoors. Exploring the wonders that our very own planet creates naturally (or should I say magically?) is why I keep booking that next trip.
I’m not a city girl. I don’t hate the city, but there comes a point where I yearn for fresh air after only a short time on concrete. Las Vegas is a city if I ever saw one. Lights, crowds, restaurants, and energy. But most people would never guess that one of the U.S.’s most beautiful natural spaces can be found a measly half hour away from those skyscrapers and resorts.
Maybe Las Vegas visitors think they need to do an expensive tour to see it or it involves a lot of driving, or maybe it’s something else. Although a tour can be a nice way to learn about what you’re seeing and could also be great for those with any mobility issues, it’s not absolutely necessary.
This is how I made my way to Red Rock Canyon, and you can too:
When I arrived at the airport, I picked up a car rental that I had pre-arranged. It was very easy and straightforward. I used my GPS to take me to the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center (33 minute drive). To get into the conservation area, there is a booth where you can buy your day pass for the car. The day pass is $15 and you can go in and out of the park as many times as you want.
They’ll give you a really nice map of the area that includes a scenic drive with numbered stops along the way and a description of what each stop includes (including some rock wall petroglyphs that are very close walking distance from a parking lot!). There is also a list of all the hiking trails that explains the difficulty and the approximate time it would take you to hike each one. And that’s that! You have a self-guided day in the beautiful red rocks of Nevada.
To drive the one-way scenic drive takes about 30 minutes if you don’t make any stops–but you will!
At the visitor center there is a shop and some exhibits that teach you about the rocks, the wildlife, and the environment. It’s a great place to stop with kids because many of the exhibits are interactive.
TIPS:
- If you can go from October to April, do it. The summer months are HOT. I’m talking over 100 degrees hot. But if the only time you can go is during the summer, you should still do it.
- Bring plenty of water and good walking shoes.
- Bring your camera! You’re going to need it.
- One of the most scenic trails in the park is called Calico Tanks. It is probably medium difficulty and takes about 2 hours to hike. Check it out if you can!
Chances are, the car rental company you use has a drop-off either at your hotel or at one very nearby. They don’t charge too much (if anything) for picking the car up at the airport and dropping it off in a downtown location—but if they do, the airport is only 15 minutes from the city center anyway.
If you have any specific questions about visiting this area, feel free to leave it in the comments or share some tips or favorites of your own!
Until Next Week,
CAITLYN WITHOUT A COMPASS
For more destination ideas for Las Vegas, check out my other Vegas posts HERE.
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