Red Rock Canyon National Reservation - A Natural Beauty Near Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a great vacation destination. While it offers a lot for the glitter and glamour seekers, there are equally engaging options for those who are away from these worldly temptations. There are many natural sites around Las Vegas that would be interesting destinations for short visits from the city. One such natural site we covered during our Las Vegas visit was - Red Rock Canyon National Reservation.
The Red Rock Mountains
Introducing Red Rock Canyon
The Red Rock Canyon National Park encompasses 195,819 acres within the Mojave Desert and the structure of rocks has created worldwide geologic interest and beauty. There are multiple avenues to explore the area and there are multiple hiking trails and campsites across the conservation zone. Additional information is available on the official websites below:
- Red Rock Canyon - Las Vegas - Visitor Information
- Bureau of Land Management - Red Rock Canyon Canyon National Conservation Area
Let's start the journey
On a sunny summer morning on September 1, we started our short road trip to this natural curio. We were armed with our usual package - camera, tripod, snacks, and baby bag. We had our car ready - filled up with gas, loaded with luggage, and set with the dashcam. After a quick lunch at our hotel, we set on our trip to the Red Rock Canyon National Reservation. The reservation was about 25 miles out of the city of Las Vegas.
A video blog of the trip:
Guided by the amazing application of the car's navigation system, we maneuvered through the maze of expressways and city roads. We were on the approach road for the destination in about half an hour. As you approach the park, you can see hills of red stone which offer spectacular views. Visited by over a million tourists and campers every year, Red Rock Canyon is definitely worth a visit for its rich natural structure. The trip to the reservation starts with a quick visit to the visitor center. The center is marked nicely at the start of the reservation zone and is easy to identify.
The Visitor Center
The visitor center has been recently renovated and is now housed in an environment-friendly building. The center is an information hub providing visitors with required guidance on how to make the best use of their time. The staff at the center provides adequate information based on your interests and the purpose of the visit. There are multiple internal and external exhibits that provide a glimpse into the park along with various specimens of flora from the entire region. There is also a small gift shop to pick souvenirs if you want to remember your trip that way. We paid a very quick visit to the center and proceeded on the scenic drive.
The Scenic Drive
This is a 13-mile motorable road that takes you through the reservation area and gives you an opportunity to pass through the highs and lows of the red-colored natural structure. There is a small fee at the entrance of the scenic drive which helps to maintain the visitor facilities. This one-way drive takes about a couple of hours depending upon the time you take to enjoy the natural structures and hikes. The campus also has a number of hiking trails of varying difficulty levels.
There are many viewpoints strategically located which help make the best of your time there. The views comprise a network of narrow canyons, seasonal waterfalls, rock art sites, and surreal rock formations which easily tempt you to keep admiring them for any length of time.
Here is a detailed scenic route guide (sourced from the visitor information page of Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas) - Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive Route
We leave you with a few pictures from the visit which may tempt you to include Red Rock Canyon in your itinerary.
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