Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon
A red sandstone canyon 25 km west of Las Vegas, with a 21-km scenic loop and the Calico Hills climbing area. You can escape the casinos for the desert in half an hour.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area lies 25 km west of Las Vegas. Covering 800 square kilometers, it is a stretch of red-and-white cliffs in the Mojave Desert, formed from 180-million-year-old eolian Aztec Sandstone. Its highest peak, Wilson Peak, reaches 2,200 m, and the area is one of North America's most important rock-climbing destinations. The main attraction is the 21-km one-way Scenic Loop Drive, with pull-offs along the way, including Calico Hills I and II (red rock hills you can climb and photograph freely), Sandstone Quarry, High Point Overlook (panoramic views from the highest point), Willow Springs, Ice Box Canyon and Pine Creek. The full drive takes about 1 hour, plus 2–3 hours for short hikes. Popular trails include Calico Tanks (4 km round trip, climbing to the rim for views of the Las Vegas skyline), Ice Box Canyon (4 km round trip, with seasonal waterfalls in winter and spring), and the Lost Creek children's trail. The visitor center at the entrance has desert ecology exhibits and a tortoise habitat. Entry is $20 per vehicle (the national park annual pass is accepted). From October to May, entering the loop between 8:00 and 17:00 requires a timed reservation on recreation.gov ($2 per vehicle). Without one, you can only enter outside the reserved hours. No reservation is needed from June to September. Cyclists can ride from Las Vegas along Charleston Boulevard and then ride the loop. Dining is available nearby at Red Rock Casino and around Bonnie Springs, but there are no supplies along the loop. Getting there: about 30–40 minutes' drive from the Strip via W Charleston Blvd (SR-159). Half-day tours and e-bike tours are also available. Watch for rattlesnakes and wild burros in the desert, and do not feed them. In summer, long-distance hiking is prohibited once temperatures exceed 40°C after 10 a.m. The loop closes to new entries around 3:30–4:30 p.m., depending on the season.
Opening hours
Loop road 06:00–20:00 (Nov–Feb until 17:00; Oct–May 08:00–17:00 by reservation)
Nearby sights
- Springs Preserve
- AREA15
- Caesars Palace & The Forum Shops
- O by Cirque du Soleil
- Fountains of Bellagio
- Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
- New York-New York Hotel and Casino
- Luxor Las Vegas