Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is the federal Bureau of Land Management's showpiece property in Nevada. This multi-colored sandstone palisade is only 17 miles from the Strip, 197,000 acres of outdoor splendor, as dramatic a contrast to the electrified cityscape as might be imaginable, yet visible from the tops of the tall buildings along Las Vegas Boulevard. 

A 13-mile loop one-way road runs along the inner edge of the canyon's colorful sandstone walls -- yellow, orange, pink, red, purple -- tempered by the grays of the older limestone. Narrow steep-walled canyons line up along the scenic loop, providing a wonderland for hiking, bouldering, and rock climbing; overlooks and picnic sites abound, and trails lead to springs, quarries, and tinajas (natural water tanks).

The BLM Vistitor Center is nestled in the Calico Hills at the lower end of the wide oval that encompasses all this glowing sandstone, and has excellent exhibits of the area's geology, flora and fauna, and recreational opportunities. A short nature trail out back orients you to the ecology.