I know Red Rock Canyon is operated by the Bureau of Land Management and that Valley of Fire is a state park. But are there any other state parks closer to the city than Valley of Fire, which is a trek?
Yes there is and it's a fine park only 10 minutes (around nine miles) past Red Rock Canyon.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park gets relatively little publicity in local-area travel media, especially compared to places like Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, and the Grand Canyon. But a lot of Southwestern desert surrounds Las Vegas Valley and if you look, you can find spectacular natural areas and Spring Mountain State Park is certainly one of them.
The 520-acre park is nestled at the bottom of the Wilson Cliffs, sheer buff-colored sandstone bluffs, part of the Spring Mountain range that hems in the west side of Las Vegas Valley beyond Red Rock Canyon. The area’s relatively cool temperatures, plentiful water, bountiful bottom land, and gorgeous setting have attracted travelers since the 1830s. By 1869, a ranch had been established, with a stone cabin and blacksmith shop, both of which are still standing. Three generations of the Wilson clan owned the ranch from 1876 to 1948, after which it changed hands several times, until Howard Hughes bought it in 1967. The Nevada State Parks Division acquired the acreage, including the ranch house and outbuildings, in 1974 for $3 million.
The bright white picket fences, red ranch house, long green lawns, and tall trees are a surprise if you’re not expecting them. Mostly locals go to the park to hang out, have picnics, toss frisbees and footballs, attend living-history presentations by the park docents, and take in a theatrical presentation at Theater Under the Stars (June through August).
It costs $15 per vehicle ($2 per bike, $10 for Nevada residents) to get in and day-use reservations are required daily during the park’s peak season, April 15 to October 15. But it’s well worth it for an outdoor experience only 25 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. Take West Charleston Boulevard, which turns into NV 159; the park is on 159, five miles past Red Rock Canyon.
