October 13th, 2008 by Rick

Last time, I talked a little bit about the Las Vegas Strip.  This time, we’re going out into the beautiful Red Rocks a few miles west of Las Vegas.  Officially known as the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, the area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.  The area is popular with tourists, photographers, hikers, mountain bikers and general sight seers.  If you’re on the Strip, it will take you about 25 minutes to get to the park.  If you take Charleston Boulevard straight west, you can’t miss it.  As you drive into the area, you’ll see the Spring Mountains in front of you and the red hills of Red Rock on the right.  First, you’ll pass a small road to Calico Basin (worthy of exploring, but not part of the park) and then you’ll see the turnoff for the visitor center.  If you continue west past the visitor center, you’ll see an overlook (where the first two of these three photos were taken).

There are many awesome vantage points within the park – some are accessible right form the road and some are remote.  The park can be enjoyed from the 13 mile scenic loop – there are plenty of stopping points at areas of interest.  Note that you’ll have to pay a $5.00 entry fee at the gate.  To take advantage of the beautiful desert light, consider showing up right after sunrise or just before sunset.  The red hills are nesteled between the Las Vegas valley and the Spring Mountain range, so the sun is always changing the available views – what works in the morning won’t work in the evening.

Remember that Las Vegas has much more to offer than just the casinos, gambling and the night life!  The beauty of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is remarkable and unique to Southern Nevada’s desert!  If you get out to