March 27, 2012 -- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is the last place Nathan and I planned to visit while in Nevada. This 200,000-acre park is very close to Las Vegas, about 20-minute drive, and has a lot to offer visitors year-round.
Nathan and I checked out from the casino hotel in Henderson late morning and drove directly to Red Rock Canyon. It took us about 35 minutes to get there. There is no map provided at the park entrance, but everyone can make the first stop to get information at the Visitor Center.
There exhibitions are both inside and outside of the building. You can also find a few desert tortoises in the garden outside. There is also a very nice gift shop selling souvenirs here.
The view from the Visitor Center is spectacular!
After learning about the natural world from the Visitor Center's exhibitions, Nathan and I were ready to take the Scenic Drive around the park. It is a 13 mile one-way road and has over 15 interesting stops.
Calico I is the first stop and it seems to be the most popular spot for visitors to explore the Aztec Sandstone escarpment.
At the Sandstone Quarry, you will see the giant white stone and a ton of people doing rock climbing.
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| High Point Overlook is my favorite spot. |
The pictographs "Hand Across Time"at the Willow Springs Picnic Area show that this area has been occupied for thousands of years.
The last stop in the park is at the Red Spring. This site is actually outside of the Scenic Loop but not too far. There is a nice boardwalk along the field, but we didn't see any pool of water here. It wasn't worth a stop at all.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is an interesting natural site near Las Vegas. You can come for hiking, biking, and rock climbing. If you don't have much time, just driving along the Scenic Drive13-mile is worth the visit. The entrance fee is $7 per vehicle, and the park is open from 6 a.m. -7 or 8 p.m. depending on the season.
