Klemio
Red Rock Canyon
Half an hour west of the Strip the casinos fall away and you get red-and-tan sandstone cliffs and open Mojave desert. A 13-mile one-way loop runs past the overlooks and trailheads, with a visitor center at the gate. One thing will trip you up: from October through May the scenic drive needs a timed-entry reservation, so you cannot just show up.
Photos: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
The best quick nature break from Vegas, close enough that you are at the cliffs in about half an hour. The snag is that reservation on the Scenic Drive in the cooler months, so book ahead or roll in very early.
Worth it for
- Trading casinos for desert hiking and rock formations without a long drive
- Catching morning light on the cliffs with a camera
You can skip if
- You missed the peak-season reservation and cannot go right at opening or late in the day
- Midsummer heat makes daytime hiking a bad idea for you
Tickets & tours for Red Rock Canyon
Which ticket should you buy?
The scenic drive
The core of a visit is the 13-mile one-way paved loop that runs through the conservation area. It passes overlooks, sandstone formations, and the trailheads for the area's hikes, and it takes roughly 40 minutes to drive without stopping, longer once you pull over for views. The visitor center near the entrance has exhibits and information, and the loop runs one direction only, so plan stops in order as you go.
Standout pull-offs include the Calico Hills, where bright red-orange rock rises right beside the road, the high point overlook with views back across the valley, and the Sandstone Quarry, where historic cutting left blocks scattered among the rock. Cyclists also ride the loop, which is a popular route, so watch for them on the narrower bends. There is no fuel or food inside the loop, so come with water and a full tank, and note that the drive closes its gate in the evening, with the visitor center keeping shorter daytime hours.
The rock and wildlife
The colors come from iron in the sandstone, which oxidizes to deep red against the paler gray rock around it. The bright layers are Aztec sandstone, the cemented remains of ancient desert dunes, and one of the area's defining features is the Keystone Thrust, a fault where older gray rock was pushed up and over the younger red rock, putting the two colors side by side along the cliffs.
Wildlife is part of the draw. Desert bighorn sheep pick their way across the slopes, wild burros graze near the road, and you may spot reptiles and desert plants like agave and yucca, along with stands of Joshua trees and ancient gnarled junipers on the higher ground. The landscape is a sharp contrast to the Strip a short drive away, and the quiet is part of why locals come out here. The escarpment that walls the area to the west draws rock climbers from around the world, so you may see them on the cliffs above the road.
Timed entry
From October 1 through May 31, the scenic drive requires a timed entry reservation during daytime hours. You book a slot in advance through the recreation reservation system rather than just showing up, so plan this before you go in those months.
From June 1 through September 30, the timed entry requirement is dropped, and you can pay at the entrance station instead. The trade-off is summer heat, which makes the hikes hard in the middle of the day, so go early if you come then. An annual or interagency federal lands pass covers the entrance fee in either season, though in the reservation months you still need the timed slot on top of the pass, which trips up some visitors who assume the pass alone gets them in.
Hiking and getting there
Trailheads off the loop range from short, flat walks to longer scrambles up the sandstone, with routes like the climb to Calico Tanks or the walk to the Keystone Thrust among the popular ones. Carry plenty of water, since the desert is dry and exposed and there is little shade on most routes. Sturdy shoes help on the rockier trails, and summer midday hikes are best avoided.
Red Rock is about 30 minutes west of the Strip via Charleston Boulevard, State Route 159. There is no public transit, so you need a car or a tour. Sunrise and the late afternoon give the best light on the cliffs and the most comfortable temperatures.
Red Rock Canyon: FAQs
About 30 minutes west of the Strip via Charleston Boulevard, State Route 159. There is no public transit, so come by car or guided tour.
For the scenic drive, yes, from October 1 through May 31 during daytime hours, booked in advance as a timed entry. From June 1 through September 30 no reservation is needed; you pay at the entrance.
It is a 13-mile one-way loop that takes around 40 minutes to drive without stopping, and longer once you stop at the overlooks and trailheads.
Yes. Trailheads off the loop range from short flat walks to longer climbs on the sandstone. Carry water, since the desert is dry and exposed with little shade.
Sunrise and late afternoon for light and cooler temperatures. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons; summer middays are very hot for hiking.
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