There are many different “Red Rocks” but the most common reference is to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s only 30 minutes outside of the Las Vegas strip, making it a fun day trip option to enjoy some nature just outside the city of sin.
Timed entry reservations are required to visit Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Click here to check availability.
Red Rock Canyon Tours
There are so many guides offering Las Vegas Red Rock Canyon Tour — I recommend checking out these depending on your activity levels:
Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center and the Desert Tortoise Photos
On Sunday [4.5.15], I finally made it to Red Rock Canyon just before we headed back home. The visitor center has a tortoise display out in the back but we only got to see one. They go in their dugout holes and blend so well with the background!
Anyways, there’s supposed to be a short 15 min loop to an overlook (Moenkopi trail) with views of limestone along the way starting from the visitor center, but we opt for the second short hike with views of the red rocks and Aztec sandstone. Here is a map of all the hiking trails.
We started from the visitor center and hiked to Calico I. Since it was a long drive back home to Orange County, we didn’t want to do a long hike, just something small to check out the scenery and explore a bit. The trail starts just past the picnic area and the whole trail was roughly 4 miles round trip and took us maybe 2 hrs including exploring time — it’s a leaisure nature walk.
Hike from Red Rock Visitor Center to Calico Hills Trailhead
Calico Hills I
Heading back…
Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive
The scenic drive through Red Rock Canyon is a 13-mile, one way drive, with about ten parking lots along the drive to pull off and exploreRed Rock Canyon Overlook
Red Rock Canyon Campground
The Red Rock Canyon Campground is just 3 miles outside of the scenic drive loop and visitor center and advanced reservations are required from Oct 1 – May 31. Click here to check reservation availability.
Hotels Near Red Rock Canyon
Nearby Hikes to Explore
Valley of Fire State Park is only an hour away from Las Vegas (in an opposite direction as Red Rock Canyon. There’s even cooler landscape to check out here if you have time!
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Tiff, the owner and author of Follow Tiff’s Journey, is a California/ Colorado-based adventurer and outdoor connoisseur who divides her heart between the Eastern Sierra Mountains and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Despite her fear of heights, she’s become a seasoned mountaineer, ultralight hiking and backcountry camping enthusiast, expert road trip planner, and a fervent explorer of alpine lakes, natural hot springs, and sandstone canyons.
With 10 years of experience exploring the outdoors, her blog is your go-to source for all things wilderness, offering invaluable insights and pro tips, essential gear recommendations, and awe-inspiring stories from her adventures.
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How long was it to hike the trail at Red Rock Canyon? Seems like a place to visit when I do go to Vegas. Something different from the usual spots on the Strip. Would it be a whole or a half day excursion? Have you tried the trails in the Grand Canyon? 👍
Great article and nice pictures. Thank you for the reading !