While there are many places called Red Rock, this place, Red Rock Canyon, is an extraordinary, wonderful National Conservation Area, located just 10 miles west of Las Vegas, Nevada. What a delightful way to add to a Las Vegas sightseeing trip or vacation! Whether you visit Calico Hills, Lost Creek Canyon or Spring Canyon, all within Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, youre certain to witness unusual beauty in a Las Vegas that most dont ever bother to take the time to see.

The Conservation area is made up of a number of features and natural rockscapes. Amongst the most popular tours, the Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon tour features are these highlights:

The view from Calico Hills is worth the drive itself. It also doubles as a good rock climbing possibility in that its made of eroded red sandstone. There are outlooks and designated trails as well. Looking out at Las Vegas and its casinos from this lofty perch lends one a real perspective on the place. You can see the Calico Basin, which is a very pretty vista, and enjoy the relative solitude.

Lost Creek Canyon is the largest of the canyons and runs through the cliffs. Theres a 20 mile dirt road along the stream that runs through colorful rock formations, and into Pahrump. The journey itself is a destination, and Lost Creek Canyon makes for a worthy trip.

Spring Canyon is home to a large waterfall that runs more reliably in the winter and monsoon months. There is a year-round section of the creek, and it makes for a pleasant destination and a nice spot to have an afternoon lunch.

None of these are truly strenuous and none need special mountaineering equipment to visit, but if you should decide to scale the heights, make sure you have proper training, equipment, etc., and take proper safety precautions.

Like any desert location, there are many hidden beauties. Reptiles and insects are beautiful and mostly harmless, but there are the exceptions in desert rocky regions, so due caution is advised while investigating and exploring places with nitches, nooks and crannies. So long as youre mindful of these, youll find exploring the desert life an exciting and enlightening adventure. There are plants and animals all over the desert, once you figure out where to look.

Proud and colorful, visitors to Red Rock Canyon have long enjoyed the monolith and its canyons; A peaceful option to the lights and slot machines of Las Vegas, this national treasure has delighted visitors since the citys birth. Make a point of adding it to your itinerary next time you visit the snowcapped Sin City.

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Las Vegas Sightseeing

Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon

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