One-Day Guide to Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas

There’s far more to Las Vegas than casinos and debauchery, and Red Rock Canyon is the perfect example. This jaw-dropping conservation area in the Mojave Desert feels worlds away from the flashy lights of Vegas, but it’s actually just a quick drive from the Vegas Strip. With gorgeous overlooks, a scenic drive, and plenty of hiking trails, there’s enough here to keep you busy for the day before you hit the casinos in the evening. Whether you have a full day or just 30 minutes to dedicate to this park in Nevada, it’s well worth the short drive from the Strip.

This one-day guide to Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas will help you get the most out of your time in this beautiful park.

Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, NV - Mojave Desert cacti

The Basics

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Fee: $15 per vehicle. You can also pick up an America the Beautiful Pass which will give you unlimited access to this park as well as all U.S. National Parks for one year.

Entry: You’ll need to make a reservation for an hour window to enter the park. Once you enter, you can stay in the park until it closes.

Pets: Pets are allowed in the park and on trails. They must be kept on a leash and never left unattended – even in a car.

Notable Wildlife: Bighorn sheep, burros, chuckwalla, snakes, scorpions, desert tortoise (rare)

Getting to Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area

Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas is about a 30-minute drive from the Vegas Strip. While there are Uber and Lyft drivers that will take you to the park, it’s generally much more cost-effective to rent a car for the day. If you want to spend time hiking the trails and enjoying the views, you’ll definitely need your own car. There are no public transportation services that will bring you to the park.

Best Time to Visit

Red Rock Canyon experiences typical desert weather with hot days, cold nights, and little precipitation. The summer months bring extreme heat that can make hiking difficult or even dangerous. I recommend avoiding a visit in June through September unless you plan to just do the scenic drive. The remainder of the year has much more pleasant daytime temperatures. Crowds are typically manageable throughout the season, but the scenic drive can get busy on weekends and late afternoons.

The best time to visit Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas is from October through April.

Things to do in Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, Nevada scenic drive

Scenic Loop Drive

The Scenic Loop Drive in Red Rock Canyon is spectacular! This 13-mile road through the Mojave desert will bring you past fiery red sandstone, fields of Joshua trees and desert flora, and the towering Keystone Thrust. If you’re short on time, you could do only this scenic drive and still leave impressed. Many visitors to the park come out just to enjoy the beautiful views from the car. If you drive straight through without stopping, you can complete the loop in about 30 minutes.

The Scenic Loop Drive is a one-way road.

Although it’s only one-way, there’s plenty of room to pass other cars and bicyclists as you go along. Since you’ll be unable to turn around, you’ll want to be sure to stop at trails or overlooks as you come across them. This park requires a reservation for a one-hour window to enter the park. If you complete the loop within that one-hour window, you’ll be able to reenter the park without issue. If you miss your window, you’ll need to repay the $2 reservation fee, or you could be denied re-entry if the park is at capacity.

Visit the desert tortoise habitat

The desert tortoise is an endangered species, and sightings in the wild are exceedingly rare. You’re not completely out of luck, however, because you can visit the resident tortoises at the outdoor exhibit behind the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center. The visitor center will be the first stop once you enter the park. Note that from November through March, the tortoises are typically in hibernation and are unlikely to be seen.

Take in the views from the overlooks

There are two overlooks along the Scenic Loop Drive – High Point Overlook and Red Rock Wash Overlook. Neither requires any hiking to reach, so they’re super quick and easy stops. Additionally, there’s a third overlook just after the exit from the loop drive. This overlook is located on the busy highway, so it’s not a super peaceful spot, and the view is not much different than the ones you’ll have already seen in the park. One-star – don’t recommend.

Stretch your legs on a hike

For a somewhat small park, there are quite a lot of trails at Red Rock Canyon. Twenty-seven to be exact. With skill levels ranging from easy to difficult, there’s a trail for just about everyone in this park. Nearly all of the trailheads are located along the scenic drive, so be sure to pick your trails ahead of time so you don’t miss them. You can get the details on all of the park trails here. Below are the ones I recommend adding to your shortlist.

Calico Hills in Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, Las Vegas, Nevada

Calico Hills (Calico I or Calico II)

Calico Hills will be your first stop after the visitor center, and it’s one you won’t want to miss! From the parking area, you’ll need to walk down a slightly steep path to reach these crazy rocks. I love that these hills are really a ‘choose your own adventure’ spot. You can climb around, hike the trail (which goes up to six miles), or just stand in awe of these giant geological formations. This was my favorite spot in the park!

HOT TIP: If you miss the first pull-off at Calico I, don’t worry! There’s a second pull-off at Calico II (both spots join up to explore the same area).

Keystone Thrust

This moderate, two-mile (3.5 km) trail will bring you views of one of the most significant geological features in the park. The Keystone Thrust is a series of faults in the Earth’s crust where the Pacific and North American plates collided. This collision was estimated to have occurred about the same time as the dinosaurs went extinct.

The trailhead for Keystone Thrust is located at the end of a dirt road off of the main scenic loop. There’s a parking lot both at the beginning and the end of this dirt road, and signs warn that a high-clearance vehicle is needed to traverse the dirt path. Since we were driving a compact rental car, we decided to park at the beginning of the road and walk the nearly one-mile path. Although it was certainly rough in spots, we felt we totally could have made the drive in our little rental (and saw several small cars that did so). You’ll have to make this judgment call yourself, however, and keep in mind that the road will be more treacherous after recent rainfall.

Petroglyph Wall

You’ll discover 800-year-old petroglyphs on this super short, easy trail. This path will take you across a wash surrounded by juniper trees toward a cliffside featuring historical rock art. There’s also a picnic area here if you need to stop for a snack.

Grab a bite on your way back to the city

Take advantage of your time off the strip by stopping at one of the amazing restaurants on the west side of Vegas. We opted to check out Honey Salt, and it was one of the better decisions I’ve ever made. This farm-to-table restaurant emphasizes using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. They had tons of vegan options (a separate, mouth-watering menu in fact), and were super accommodating of Joe’s soy and dairy allergies.

If you’re looking for a little adventure and change of scenery (literally) on your next trip to Vegas, Red Rock Canyon should be at the top of your list.

Have any questions about your upcoming trip? Let me know in the comments!