three people standing on top of the red rock canyon sand stone in las vegas

A Must See When Visiting Las Vegas

Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas

We honestly had NO CLUE that this place even existed in Las Vegas! We asked some locals, of a nearby hike, they said 'check out the Red Rock Canyon... it's incredible'! And WOWZA! They were right, 100%! We have been vacationing to Las Vegas for multiple years & never heard or seen this place.... its AMAZING!

Red Rock Canyon - Las Vegas' Hidden Gem

If you are planning a vacation to Las Vegas & looking for things to do, consider checking out Red Rock Canyon (see our pictures). The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is roughly 17- 25 miles away from Las Vegas Blvd (depends where you are on the strip) and is a place that gets overlooked more often than not. But trust me when I say, this should be on your list of adventures and you should experience the 'different' views of Las Vegas, like we did!

woman standing on the edge of a cliff in las vegas

On our most recent vacation, we weren't sure what to do in Vegas, but we knew we wanted to be outdoors for a good portion of it, and we didn't want to drive more than 30 minutes to find our outdoors hike. And... it just so happened that our resort, Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa (watch or read about it), was literally 6 miles away and we had an amazing view from our room, of the canyons themselves! I can't tell you how many times we have been to Vegas and never even knew this place existed! Anyway, long story short, we decided to just drive up in the canyon area and see what there was to do up there.

We were told about the Scenic Loop which is near the visitors center (a 13 mile one way scenic drive of the Mojave Desert), so we attempted to drive straight through. Ya.... NOPE! Turns out, you actually have to reserve a specific time slot to drive the loop (see below in 'Things To Know' section) & there is a fee to do so.

After being turned around, of course I had drank a ton of water and needed a bathroom asap, & this is how we landed on our hiking location! Oh, and the best part, it was free to park, and no reservations necessary!

If you want to hike the massive Sandstones like we did and see the incredible views of the Las Vegas Strip from the top, with your GPS type in the words 'Red Spring Picnic Area', and you will be taken to a small little parking area. SEE our YouTube video and click HERE to see a map of all the other hiking trails.

I'll be honest, the hike intensity was all over the board.... probably more medium to hard most of the time. But the really nice thing about the hike, the sandstones kind of created this stair step effect all the way up the mountain, which made it pretty easy to navigate! There isn't a 'trail' so to speak of, when you are hiking up the side of the mountain, so we just created our own way up... that's where the fun begins!

It's pretty cool watching the city of Vegas slowly emerge out behind the horizon and what seems like a never ending amount of mountain ranges & desert too! We even managed to get some drone shots while we were at the top of the mountain and Wwwwwooooooooowwwwwweeee... talk about one of the coolest areas to fly your drone! Speaking of gear, here's what we suggest you take with you while on your hike and what gear we utilized as well.

⬇ CONTINUE READING for our suggested hiking gear & what to expect ⬇

Join Our Mailing List

Become a part of the Adventure Encounters squad and be the first to hear about where our next travel destination will be, our insight on locations we stay & adventures that we take via our travel blog, plus a few extras (like Las Vegas & the Red Rock Canyon)!

TIPS WHEN VISITING THE RED ROCK CANYON IN LAS VEGAS

Ok, let's get into the good stuff and move on to what y'all are interested in learning about, and answer some of the questions that arise when visiting this big beautiful place...

OUR GEAR ON THIS HIKE:

SUGGESTED HIKE ITEMS:

Back Pack: When you go on a hike, there are a few things that you WILL want to bring with you. We obviously used our hard-shell camera gear backpack and packed these few items in them (along with our camera gear). It did get a few scrapes on it, but that's ok, because that was the purpose of it... keep our gear safe!

Plenty Of Water: We took about 3 bottles each, BUT it was also winter time... so, we didn't consume nor need very much because of the cold temperatures. During the summer, you WILL want way more than that! Temperatures are insanely hot and not to mention, you will be hiking on sandstone which will hold a lot of extra heat as well. DO NOT SHORT YOURSELF! We did see a few people with camelbacks (backpack/bladder that holds water & keeps it cool) while hiking up the mountain, which would have been way easier to take up vs water bottles.

Sneakers/ Hiking Shoes: You will/could be doing A LOT of hiking/walking at the Red Rock Canyon and trust me, you do NOT want to be wearing the wrong shoes! Don't wear flats either... Blake wore his skateboarding shoes and had two VERY big blisters on his feet once we got back to the bottom! Don't be like Blake ;)

Take A Hat: Again.. you are in the desert! In the winter months, it's not a huge deal, but during summer months, you WILL want some type of sun protection! Which leads me to my next suggested item.

Sunscreen: I personally wear sunscreen pretty much everyday that I know I will be getting any amount of sun. I have a sun/skin allergy and will blow up like a balloon if I don't protect myself properly (imagine that... and we live in Florida 🤦‍♀️). During the summer months in Vegas... THIS IS A HUGE MUST, especially when you are out hiking. The higher the spf, the better! We prefer Sun Bum 50-70 coverage, especially in the desert! Leave the red, burned color to the sandstones & red rocks... don't be greedy & steal it from them 😜

Clothes & Shoes That Can Get Dirty: You are going on a hike and you are out in the desert... need I say more?

SPF Chapstick: Drinking all that water will dry out your lips... plus you add in the sun... recipe for some rough, dry, painful lips! Once again, Sun Bum Lip Balm gets our vote!

Energy Food/Snacks: Once we got to the top, a quick snack would have been nice! Especially getting a little 'fuel' for the hike down the mountain. Also if you really want to have a cool lunch spot, get to the top of the mountain and have an AMAZING view of Vegas and make sure you tag us on Instagram or Facebook, when you do!

GOING ON VACATION? WE CAN HELP!

Whether you're interested in a Cruise, guided tour, group trip, independent international travel or just a weekend get-away, and even that bucket list adventure... we can assist you with that!
Click 'Lets Go!' & lets start this adventure together!

LET'S GO!

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE RED ROCK CANYON IN LAS VEGAS

Here's a few 'tips' or items that we think you should know before you go... or might be thinking about prior to going on your hike.

How Do I Get To The Red Rock Canyons?

The easiest way and probably the cheapest way, in my opinion, would be to rent a car. Most resorts/hotels have access to car rentals (if you don't get one from the airport) & sometimes they are cheaper to rent from (sometimes). With saying this, I know renting a car is not always a possibility, so a second option would be to get an Uber or Lyft ride. BUT!! I'll warn you, there is LITTLE TO NO CELL SERVICE in the canyon area, so calling to get a ride in will be fine... the risky part is getting service to call for a ride out! Last but not least, there are tours that you can hop on, and they will pick you up from your resort/hotel. As always, check Groupon first for a discounted price on the tour before paying full price for the same thing! This is a hack we ALWAYS use, especially when we are on vacation... more pennies for mama's pocket (and the slots 😜)

How Much Does It Cost To Go To Red Rock Canyon?

There is only one area that charges a fee to gain entry into the Canyons, that is essentially the entrance to the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center and the Scenic Loop (to find this area, type in Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center to your gps). Click HERE to see the fee amounts. Here's the kicker about the Scenic Loop (we learned the hard way), you MUST have a reservation to drive the loop (while the 'beer virus' is still in play), otherwise you will be turned away. We originally were going to drive the Scenic Loop, but of course, we didn't have a reservation, and we couldn't even secure a time slot until the next day! Yes, we were frustrated to say the least, but honestly... what did we expect with all this craziness going on?! So... as of right now (until further notice), if you are wanting to drive the Scenic Loop (vs getting out and hiking), make sure to make a reservation (make a reservation here)!

QUICK TIP: We noticed reservations filled up quickly, so make sure to plan ahead and get a reservation booked asap... maybe even a day prior (don't make the same mistake we made!)

There Is Little To NO Cell Service

Yep... this is truly an area that you can escape too, and not get any cell service. I'll be honest, it was hit & miss... but I would just plan for probably not getting any service on your phones. It's a great place to connect with your kids 😜 Also, keep in mind, if you get a ride with Uber or Lyft... you might have a tough time getting in contact with one another!

Beware Of Where You Put Your Hands & Your Feet

You are in the desert... and there are little desert creatures that will only show themselves when you get too close, and it could end badly for you! Just something to think about when you are out hiking the Red Rock Canyon area and a reminder about the wildlife!

The Earlier The Better

We suggest you get to the Red Rock Canyon earlier in the day vs later in the day. Why you ask?!

In the summer months (more specifically), it's a tad bit cooler, which means a lesser likely hood of getting fried on the side of the mountain or trails... but you still should wear your sunscreen and bring a hat & water 😉
Parking can be a pain. If you get to the Red Rocks in the afternoon, finding a 'proper' parking spot can be next to impossible. Yes, you can park on the side of the roads, but honestly, we didn't like the idea of not being in a parking spot because we honestly didn't know where we could park, that the car wouldn't get towed. People do have homes up in that area, and if you park in the 'wrong' area, bad new bears! I'll be honest, we saw a TON of cars parked in every nook and cranny, and we did notice multiple 'no parking' signs. So as long as you are looking for the signs and you don't see any, hopefully you can find a spot!
You could be sitting in traffic for a good amount of time if you go later in the afternoon... especially on the weekends and holidays! Who wants to sit in traffic while you're on vacation?!

More Las Vegas:

Watch ➡ Where We Stayed In Las Vegas

Read ➡ Where We Stayed In Las Vegas

Watch ➡ Where Else We Adventured In Las Vegas

And as always, if you enjoyed my rambling, and you would like to hear more, be sure to sign up for our blog posts. And if you REALLY like us, we would so much appreciate you sharing this with someone else ❤

The referral of your friends & family is the greatest compliment you can give us!

(Be sure to check your SPAM folder often if you don't see an email message from The Adventure Encounters in the near future!)

Thank you for your trust & Happy Adventures!

- Ashley, (Nate & Blake)