Get back to the desert land of Nevada by heading to Red Rock Canyon, which covers 197,000 acres within the Mojave Desert. Located 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip, Red Rock Canyon feels like an entirely different world. Whether you’re in Vegas for business or pleasure, you should make a point to visit this desert haven, a beautiful nature reserve. Red Rock will help soothe you in ways the neon and gaming of the Strip can’t begin to.

To get to Nevada’s first National Conservation Area, you’ll need to rent a car. The approximately half-hour drive is a pleasant one, with parts of the weathered sandstone landscape visible from your vehicle on a one-way 13-mile scenic loop.

If the weather is mild and not unbearably hot, consider taking a short hike for a closer look at desert life. First, check in at the Bureau of Land Management visitor center for maps and background information on the canyon. Hikes ranging from easy to strenuous are led by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rangers and volunteers, as well as The Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association Naturalists. If you plan to hike, remember to wear sturdy shoes, protect yourself from the sun and bring plenty of your own drinking water.

Biking is allowed on the one-way scenic loop, paved spur roads and designated trails. Camping is allowed in season, for a fee. Off-highway driving is limited to designated roads. However you choose to enjoy your visit at Red Rock Canyon, keep in mind that the park is a protected reserve — take only pictures and leave only footprints so that future generations can enjoy its natural beauty, too.

Red Rock Canyon
BLM – Las Vegas Field Office
4701 North Torrey Pines
Las Vegas, Nevada 89130
702-515-5000