Red Rock Canyon Overview
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is an incredibly fun and beautiful desert area only 30 minutes from Vegas with mountains, sandstone hills, Native American petroglyphs & pictographs, fault lines, canyons, waterfalls, plenty of hikes, it's a rock climber's paradise, and it features gorgeous lookouts that let one see all the way down to the strip and to the mountains beyond.
At 13 miles (one way only), the drive is short and sweet but should be done at a very leisurely pace with frequent stops where you’re allowed and with lots of hiking and exploring.
There are a number of very fun hikes ranging from almost a mile to 14 miles and they range from all sorts of difficulty levels. You can hike to springs like with the La Madre Spring hike (3.3 miles), through canyons like Ice Box (2.6 miles) or Pine Creek Canyon (3 miles), or you can just park at the Calico Hills or the Sandstone Quarry and wander around the frozen sand dunes. Rest assured, you will find your type of hike at Red Rock Canyon.
Make sure you get your reservation from Recreation.gov or else you won't be getting in from October to May. And be very careful and mindful of the elements and where you are! Last time I was there, a ranger told me that they'd already had 2 rescues that day and it was noon... 5 rescues the previous day. Bring plenty of water and don’t hike rocky trails if you have trouble getting around. It’s amazing how many people we saw hiking through boulders and on rocky inclines that could barely walk on level ground.
Be on the lookout for big horn sheep, desert tortoises, rattle snakes, and all manner of desert creatures. And the many desert plants like the Joshua Tree!
