Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV, USA
March 2012
Andrew and I recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas. Having been to the Grand Canyon on a previous trip, we decided to take a short trip out of the city to Red Rock Canyon. Located about 30 km from the Las Vegas Strip, a day or half-day trip can easily be done (though if you want to extend your stay and camp there, it's possible from September to May).
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| The Calico Hills of Red Rock Canyon |
If you don't have much time, you can see all of Red Rock by car. There is a road called the 13-Mile Scenic Drive. There are many turnouts that allow you to stop and get out of the car to look around. This is also a popular cycling route as we had passed several cyclists on the road.
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| Las Vegas can be seen in the distance |
If you have time to hike around, the visitor's guide lists 19 different trails one can explore. Most range from easy to moderate in difficulty, with distances from 1.2 to 9.6 km. Adventurous tourists can also take advantage of the rock climbing routes here. Permits (and skills) are required for climbing though.
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| The extent of my rock climbing; in the background are La Madre Mountain (left), and Turtlehead Peak (right) |
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One of the signature rock formations of Red Rock Canyon is the Keystone Thrust. It was created as a result of a series of faults with different rock types being forced on top of each other. The red rock is a red sandstone, and the lighter rocks are made from limestone and dolomite.
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| The Keystone Thrust |
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| The Keystone Thrust |
The geology geek (yes I'm a geek because I took an Earth Science class for fun) in me was in awe with all of the magnificent rock formations.
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| I love geology! |
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| View from the car window |
It's worth the 35 minute or so drive out to the Red Rock Canyon. It's a great and quiet getaway from the bustling scene of the Las Vegas Strip. I haven't come across any information on tours to the canyon, so I would recommend renting a car. The entry fee is $7 per vehicle and the canyon is accessible from 6 AM, but the closing hours vary from 5-8 PM depending on the season.
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| White Rock |
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| Cactus in front of the Red Rock Wash |
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