While most people visit the City of Sin to gamble at the casinos, party at the clubs, and watch some of the most entertaining shows ever, it still has tons to offer outside of that. By outside, we mean outdoor activities in Las Vegas and not inside the many buildings filled with restaurants, bars, and other venues.
The great outdoors is something that most people would think about when it comes to Las Vegas. To the surprise of most, it does have many areas where you can do outdoor activities, such as hiking or kayaking. If you are the type of person who enjoys doing outdoor activities, then you’ll find plenty of them to do while visiting Las Vegas. There are plenty of beautiful locations surrounding the city of Las Vegas that will surely appeal to those who enjoy outdoor activities.
For this post, we are going to provide you with some of the best outdoor activities found in Las Vegas.
1. Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead is the place to be if you’re someone who enjoys boats and hiking. It’s one of the best places to go if you are an outdoor enthusiast visiting Las Vegas. Lake Mead is an artificial lake that developed when the Hoover Dam was built up the Colorado River in the 1930s. As of today, the place has become an oasis in the middle of the desert outside of Las Vegas. While the water levels have lowered over the decades, and scientific research predicting that it will have a 50% chance of drying up, it is still one of the best locations for some outdoor activities.
Aside from the large body of water itself, the area has some excellent hiking trails and picturesque scenery. There are several places you can stop for a nice picnic or a rest along the road as you hike through the area. Lake Mead is massive, and the road does not trail along the banks, so if you are planning to go fishing or boating, you need to drive into any of the bays for the chance. There are also boat tours you can take off the lake, or you could simply have a fun beach day at the shore. Kayaking is also an option, so you want to have some fun paddling around the lake, then go ahead and rent one yourself.
While you’re here, make sure you hit up the Historic Railroad Trail. It’s a multi-use, gravel trail that provides hikers and cyclists a chance to travel the same path as the supplies used to construct the Hoover Dam. Hiking through the tunnels blasted into the side of the mountain to make way for the trains is quite exciting. Plus, it provides an incredible view of Lake mead, along with a low incline of the trail.
2. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Not too far from downtown Las Vegas, you’ll find the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area after a mere 30-minute drive. Red Rock Canyon is an excellent hiking spot for people of all ages. In fact, the canyon is home to over 2,500 different routes, with each one providing a level of difficulty and something different to offer. The area also has many locations for rock climbing, so you can work yourself to the top if that’s your thing. There is also a Visitor Center where you can get all sorts of neat information about the area and do some last-minute preparation before heading to your next destination.
The canyon also used to be home to a tribe of Native Americans and has several cultural spots that can be visited. You can find a preserved kitchen and camping spot used by Native Americans centuries ago. If you decide to walk through the Willow Spring trails, make sure to keep an eye out for the endangered Desert Tortoise. They can be found in burrows usually but stay hidden during times of extreme weather.
3. Colorado River
Just 40 minutes away from the strip is one of America’s most famous dams around, the Hoover Dam. Along with the dam, a town was built nearby called Boulder city, which was formed mainly for the workers constructing the dam. Touring the Hoover Dam allows you to see the massive underground complex that holds the gigantic electricity generators. While touring the dam itself is enjoyable enough, most people don’t tend to head to the lower parts and see the dam from the bottom up.
Several local operations offer you the chance to take a kayaking tour that starts below the enormous dam. These tours will vary from each other, but typically you can travel downstream through the river canyon and spot all sorts of interesting wildlife. You can even pass by the Emerald Cave, which is a location that makes the entire area look green. Some of these kayaking companies even provide night tours that enhance the beauty of this river, especially during the full moon.
While it’s not possible to kayak the entire Colorado River from start to finish without getting off your boat and hiking through most of it, it is possible to kayak a good chunk of it. Most people tend to go through the popular section to kayak and park their boats at the end.
4. Mount Charleston
Whenever anyone thinks about the outside area of Las Vegas, they usually think about canyons, deserts, and heat. Snow is something that most people wouldn’t associate with a place like Las Vegas. However, there is a place you can go to not only experience some excellent outdoor activities but do so in a snow-covered area.
Located inside of Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Mount Charleston is one of the best places to head towards if you want to escape the dreaded desert heat and have fun in the powdery snow. During the winter season, the mountain provides you with an opportunity to sled, ski, and snowboard, to your heart’s content. Outside of the winter season, Mount Charleston becomes an excellent spot for camping and hiking.
The hikes will take you through some of the most amazing scenery you will ever see. There are several hiking trails available for every skill level, so you can find some more comfortable trails to enjoy the view, or you can challenge yourself to climb to the top of 11,916 ft, Charleston Park. Make sure to take advantage of the seasonal waterfalls that appear once the snow melts as well.
5. Bootleg Canyon
While Las Vegas has several locations where you can zip-line from one area to another, the ones found outside of it are far more thrilling than the city ones. Bootleg Canyon is only 30 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip and provides you with an area that is filled with some exciting outdoor activities.
Once you’ve hopped into the pick-up truck to ride up the mountain and take a short hike, you’ll find yourself in a place where you can strap yourself onto a paragliding harness and take off at up to 50 MPH downhill through a series of zip-lines, with the longest being half a mile. If the weather permits it, the flight lines are normally open between the hours of 7 am until 6 pm daily, but you need to make reservations.
If zip lines are not your thing, then you can always go mountain biking in Bootleg Canyon instead. The canyon has several mountain bike trails that are open for people of all skill levels, and you won’t have to worry about bringing your own mountain bike. You can rent a bike while you are here and even try out one of the many guided tours if you want to enjoy the scenery provided by this exceptional mountain.
6. Valley of Fire
One of the oldest state parks in Nevada is located only 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The Valley of Fire consists of some of the most colorful sandstone formations created by 150 million years of weathering in the Mojave Desert. The park earned its name from its striking appearance of sunlight on the reddish rocks.
The park has some fascinating yet bizarre rock formations that were given some notable names, such as Arch Rock, White domes, and the Mouse Tanks. Every one of these insertion formations is located throughout the park. If you pay close attention to some of the rocks, you’ll notice that they have ancient Native American petroglyphs inscribed into them. The best time to take a hike through these areas would be the early morning and late afternoon since they provide some of the best scenery around and take some excellent photographs to bring back home. Furthermore, the local park rangers offer free guided services between those times.
Before You Embrace the Outdoors
Before you make your trip out to these locations, stop by Wallflower Cannabis House. We have an excellent assortment of cannabis products that you can enjoy both before and after your trip to these areas.
