Red Rock Canyon: A Day Trip Adventure from Las Vegas
Red Rock Canyon: A Day Trip Adventure from Las Vegas
Looking for something different to do the next time you visit Las Vegas? If you want to escape the glitz and glam for a day and immerse yourself in nature, a day trip to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is the perfect getaway. Here’s how to make the most of your visit.
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Where is Red Rock National Park?
This National Park is only a 30-minute drive from The Strip which makes it perfect for a day trip. There are other places that you can visit in close proximity to Vegas (Valley of Fire, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Damn etc.) but these can take a lot longer to drive to or you need to fly. This makes Red Rock an excellent choice for a one day adventure away from The Strip. There are many activities to do near the National Park, but this blog will mostly focus on the Loop Drive that is easily doable in one day.
Where can I hire a car?
Many Las Vegas hotels have a car rental office within their complex which is really convenient. Even if there isn’t one at your hotel, it won’t take long to find another one nearby. We would always recommend reading some Google reviews of where you plan to hire your car from. Once again, we chose Enterprise as we have used them around the world and find their customer service and cars to be good. They have a location at The Westin, which is just off The Strip.
How much does it cost to hire a car for the day?
This will totally depend on which company you choose, how long you hire it for, and what type of car you choose. We booked a four-door sedan and got a Nissan Altima, which was quite nice. The car cost $73 USD for the car, plus insurance. We are never risky with car insurance and always get full cover when we travel internationally.
Driving to Red Rock
This drive was really easy (I say as the passenger princess). We left around 9:30am and headed out towards the National Park. We did stop at a Trader Joes on the way because we love that supermarket and needed to stock up on some essentials. Once we were loaded up on snacks and some water for the hot day ahead, we didn’t have to drive too much longer to reach our destination. You will pass the Red Rock Canyon Marker (North) a few minutes before the turn off.
TIP: If you want a photo with the marker, we suggest putting that into Google maps/sat nav and then the park entrance afterwards so that you don’t miss it. It will be easier to get this photo driving to the park rather than back to Vegas.
Entrance to the Park
A day pass with a private vehicle cost $20 (see more information here). We found the entrance confusing with the signs, so go slowly. There is a side for pre purchased park passes and another side where you need to buy them. It also says online that you needed to book a time to enter the park; however, we didn’t need to do this when we went.
Visitor Centre
Make sure you don’t miss the turn off for this as it’s your one time to go to the Visitor Center on the Loop Drive. It’s well worth the stop to gather information about your visit, purchase souvenirs, and walk around the outdoor information trail. You may also be lucky (like us) and see an endangered Desert Tortoise, which would be very rare to see in the wild.
The Scenic Loop
The 13-mile scenic loop has many stops along the way. We suggest getting out at some and driving through others depending on how much time you have. There are plenty of trails so you can definitely pick and choose what suits you. The first stop was well worth it, and within a short distance from the car park you can get right amongst the impressive scenery. There were a lot of rock climbers to watch, and make sure you keep an eye out for chipmunks and lizards.
The amount of time that you want to spend driving around this loop is up to you. If you don’t stop at all it may take an hour; alternatively, if you stop everywhere and go walking it could take the entire day.
What else can I do in Red Rock
Lots! Hiking, biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, or just generally make your way through the stunning park at your leisure. Next time we head back to Vegas we would like to spend more time in those idyllic surrounds.
What else did we do on this day?
Since we had the car for the day, we also wanted to hit the outlet shops. After spending a few hours in the stunning National Park, we headed to the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets. We did this going via a Wholefoods (again, love an American supermarket) and grabbed lunch there. If you’re looking to save costs, this is a really good idea! They have so many options, and although it may be a bit more expensive than your typical fast-food takeaway, you’ll probably much feel better afterwards.
The outlets were a bit disappointing – the deals weren’t amazing apart from a couple of stores (thank you North Face!). But since I did buy a huge coat (unplanned..) it was great to have the car with us.
We also drove to the infamous Las Vegas sign because it’s actually a bit of a walk from the Strip (I’ve walked there before, but in the heat, it can be a bit uncomfortable). There is lots of parking here but be prepared to queue to get your photo with the sign.
If you’ve been to Las Vegas a few times and want something different to do this was definitely a fun day trip! Whether you make the most of having a car to do a few things or you use it for a full day at Red Rock National Park, we suggest breaking up the madness of The Strip with a great day trip.
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