After one full day in downtown Las Vegas, my husband and I were ready to ditch the city and recharge in nature after all the stimulation. Our first stop was the nearby Red Rock Canyon Natural Conservation Area, only 45 minutes drive from the city, where we went on 2 gorgeous hikes.

The park is a 20km scenic drive (as seen in the photos below) with stops all along the way with various hikes and scenic viewpoints. To get on the road, you first have to line up in your car to pay the $15 fee. We went on a Thursday morning before a long weekend and it was still busy, but rest assured, it was worth it. Even if you don’t do any hikes, just driving through affords you beautiful scenery, but it gets even better when you take the hikes. We chose to do Canyon Tanks trail and Icebox Canyon trail. We wanted to do the Lost Lake trail too, but the parking lot was full. At busy times, it may be harder to find parking as the lots don't appear to be big enough to handle much volume in terms of crowds.

Be warned that this area is all desert lands. Do your best to pre-hydrate the night before and bring plenty of water and electrolyte tablets so that you don't tank while you're on the trail. Try to take a drink every 10 minutes or so on the trail so that your body can absorb what it's getting rather than waiting a while and guzzling a bunch of water back (and then have to pee it all out soon after). Sunscreen is a MUST... unless you take my approach and wear lightweight long, super-breathable clothes. Also, be sure to bring a hat and sunglasses as the sun on the rocks can be hard on the eyes.

Calico Tanks Trail

Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1-2 hours
Distance: 3.5km (round trip)
Elevation Gain: 125 metres
Season: Year-round

At the Sandstone Quarry, many people stop, jump out, climb a few of the rock formations, and snap a few photos and move on. We did this ourselves too, as the sandstone is super grippy with plenty of hand and footholds, making it easy to climb. It’s pretty famous for rock climbing too if you have your gear with you (*you can also rent some at Desert Rock Sports if you so desire).

We wanted to move quickly and see as much as we could, so we stuck with hiking. I implore you to try one of the hikes at Sandstone Quarry, as you’ll get to see and experience so much more by doing so. Calico Tanks trail was no exception.

You start off meandering amongst desert terrain with towering, jumbled sandstone formations. As you hike, there is gorgeous desert scenery everywhere you look. Desert landscapes, sandstone formations and towering features like Turtle Rock make everywhere you look a view that's like looking at a painting. The three shots below were all taken within a 25-minute span of hiking.

Eventually you get to a small lake amongst the rocks, more aptly described as a “hidden water pocket” on the area website. Just beyond that there is a sweeping view of the area from the top of the sandstone with Vegas in the background. We lingered there a while and took it all in before heading back.

Ice Box Canyon Trail

Difficulty: Difficult
Time: 1-2 hours
Distance: 3.5km (round trip)
Elevation Gain: 176 metres
Season: Year-round

The Ice Box Canyon Trail starts off on an easy meandering trail through desert terrain with a lot of scrub brush, which is lovely on its own. This section of the trail is easy enough for pretty much anyone to do, making you wonder why it is described as being difficult.

As you approach the canyon, the difficulty increases and you have to pick your way over loose rocks, amble over more boulders, with a bit of minor scrambling. This section would be more moderate in terms of difficulty, but manageable by anyone injury-free and in reasonable shape.

As you approach the end of the trail and the deepest part of the canyon, it gets a lot harder. If you don't have a decent pair of grippy hiking shoes, you might struggle to make it to the icy cool waters at the top of the water source. It's a lovely, shady place to take a break, kick off your shoes and dip your feet in to cool off, or even fully jump in if you're so inclined.

Leaving Las Vegas

If you're only going to leave the city and escape the over-stimulation of Vegas for half a day, the Red Rock Canyon Natural Conservation Area is probably your best bet. It's not too far a drive, there are hikes for all levels of ability, and the drive itself beautifully scenic. We managed to drive the whole thing and do both hikes and be done by lunch with plenty of time to visit other local attractions before heading to our campground.

Now over to you. Have you ever been to Red Rock Canyon Natural Conservation Area? Did you do any hikes? If so, which ones did you do? Please share your thoughts in the comments. :)