Get Off the Strip and Enjoy the Top Hikes and Watersports in Las Vegas
If you plan to visit Las Vegas, venture beyond the famous Las Vegas Strip. A short drive from the glitzy nightclubs and hectic casinos, you'll discover red rock canyons, snowy mountains, hot springs, and many hiking trails.
Las Vegas provides heart-pumping adventures due to its proximity to deserts and lakes, creating amazing off-roading and water sports opportunities.
Whether you prefer hiking the canyons or renting a jet ski, this list is yours. Get inspired for the best outdoor activities in and around Sin City.
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Less than 30 minutes from the Strip, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area might be one of Nevada's most famous natural areas. With 19 marked hiking trails and endless unmarked paths, this is a perfect outdoor adventure area for hikers and climbers.
Hikers can enjoy Ice Box Canyon, a shady hike through the canyon with seasonal waterfalls. One of the other most popular hikes in the Red Rock area is the Calico Tanks Trail which leads to scenic views of the Strip. If you visit Red Rock Canyon during the summer, it's advisable to carry some sun protection since the majority of the trails are exposed. Otherwise, you could hike at sunset or sunrise before it gets hot. But during other seasons, Red Rock Canyon is usually 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the city.
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Hikers have many options for hikes in Las Vegas. The ideal spot for a hike during the summer would be Mount Charleston since its high elevation provides cooler temperatures than downtown Vegas. It's 20 degrees cooler than downtown.
This beautiful location is about 50 minutes from the Strip, where you'll be surrounded by aspen, bristlecone, and ponderosa pine trees. During the fall season, the aspens turn their color to gorgeous yellow.
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Valley of Fire State Park is the largest and oldest Nevada state park. It features beautiful-looking red Aztec sandstone similar to what you find on Mars. The park is located about one hour from the Strip.
Here you'll find a stunning park filled with great hiking trails, 2,000-year-old petroglyphs, and petrified trees. Most hiking trails in the Valley of Fire are less than 2 miles, so hikers can cover a great distance in one day. Be sure to try the Fire Wave Trail, which leads to a picturesque rock that folds into a rainbow of oranges, reds, pinks, and yellows. The other hikes to try include Elephant Rock and Natural Arch.
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Located East of Las Vegas, Lake Mead National Recreation Area provides a ton of outdoor activities. Bikers can enjoy the 34-mile paved River Mountains Loop Trail, which connects Boulder City, Henderson, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and other parts of Las Vegas Valley. If you're into boating, you can rent boats, kayaks, or stand-up paddle boards.
Hikers are also taken care of since they can head over to Anniversary Narrows hiking trails. It starts in a wash and ends with a twisted and narrow slot canyon with a variety of geologic features and colors. This is the perfect location for slot canyon hiking due to its beginner-friendly and beautiful hike that will have you crave more slot-canyon adventures.
The other popular spot is the Historic Railroad Trail which goes towards a preserved section of the railroad bed that helped icreateLake Mead and Hoover Dam.
Hikers looking for a challenging hike can head over to the Fortification Hill climbs, which stand at 1,400 feet. During a clear day, one can see Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and Mt. Charleston.
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This Mediterranean-themed community is located 30 minutes from the Strip on a 320-acre lake with surrounding desert mountains. There are plenty of water sports, like electric boats, kayaks, and stand-up paddle (SUP) boards. This is an ideal outdoor adventure for those looking for something extreme. Then try their wakeboard cable park, fly boards, or aqua park with inflatable toys.
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Located just 45 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, the Black Water Canyon Trail is ideal for paddlers. It's a 12-mile stretch of the Colorado River, where paddlers can enjoy the views of the dramatic desert landscapes and narrow slot canyons.
Travelers start from the bottom of the Hoover Dam.
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Located just above the Colorado River, this beautiful pool is housed in a narrow slot canyon. Travelers can access the hot springs via boat from the Black Canyon Water Trail or via a 5.6-mile round-trip hike on foot. Arizona Hot Springs is an ideal spot to visit during the winter as you'll enjoy the warm soak.
Gold Strike Canyon is a popular hot spring you can access by paddling the Black Canyon. Alternatively, you can also hike by navigating an 8-rope course in and out of boulders. This is a nice all-day adventure that's worth a try.
Las Vegas provides heart-pumping adventures due to its proximity to deserts and lakes, creating amazing off-roading and water sports opportunities.
Whether you prefer hiking the canyons or renting a jet ski, this list is yours. Get inspired for the best outdoor activities in and around Sin City.
1. Red Rock Canyon for Climbers and Hikers
[caption id="attachment_35022" align="alignnone" width="819"]
Red Rock [/caption]Less than 30 minutes from the Strip, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area might be one of Nevada's most famous natural areas. With 19 marked hiking trails and endless unmarked paths, this is a perfect outdoor adventure area for hikers and climbers.
Hikers can enjoy Ice Box Canyon, a shady hike through the canyon with seasonal waterfalls. One of the other most popular hikes in the Red Rock area is the Calico Tanks Trail which leads to scenic views of the Strip. If you visit Red Rock Canyon during the summer, it's advisable to carry some sun protection since the majority of the trails are exposed. Otherwise, you could hike at sunset or sunrise before it gets hot. But during other seasons, Red Rock Canyon is usually 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the city.
2. Mt. Charleston Provides Some Reprieve from the Heat
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Facebook[/caption]Hikers have many options for hikes in Las Vegas. The ideal spot for a hike during the summer would be Mount Charleston since its high elevation provides cooler temperatures than downtown Vegas. It's 20 degrees cooler than downtown.
This beautiful location is about 50 minutes from the Strip, where you'll be surrounded by aspen, bristlecone, and ponderosa pine trees. During the fall season, the aspens turn their color to gorgeous yellow.
3. Hike in the Largest and Oldest Nevada State Park – Valley of Fire
[caption id="attachment_35026" align="alignnone" width="771"]
Facebook[/caption]Valley of Fire State Park is the largest and oldest Nevada state park. It features beautiful-looking red Aztec sandstone similar to what you find on Mars. The park is located about one hour from the Strip.
Here you'll find a stunning park filled with great hiking trails, 2,000-year-old petroglyphs, and petrified trees. Most hiking trails in the Valley of Fire are less than 2 miles, so hikers can cover a great distance in one day. Be sure to try the Fire Wave Trail, which leads to a picturesque rock that folds into a rainbow of oranges, reds, pinks, and yellows. The other hikes to try include Elephant Rock and Natural Arch.
4. Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers Fun
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Facebook[/caption]Located East of Las Vegas, Lake Mead National Recreation Area provides a ton of outdoor activities. Bikers can enjoy the 34-mile paved River Mountains Loop Trail, which connects Boulder City, Henderson, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and other parts of Las Vegas Valley. If you're into boating, you can rent boats, kayaks, or stand-up paddle boards.
Hikers are also taken care of since they can head over to Anniversary Narrows hiking trails. It starts in a wash and ends with a twisted and narrow slot canyon with a variety of geologic features and colors. This is the perfect location for slot canyon hiking due to its beginner-friendly and beautiful hike that will have you crave more slot-canyon adventures.
The other popular spot is the Historic Railroad Trail which goes towards a preserved section of the railroad bed that helped icreateLake Mead and Hoover Dam.
Hikers looking for a challenging hike can head over to the Fortification Hill climbs, which stand at 1,400 feet. During a clear day, one can see Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and Mt. Charleston.
5. Try Water Sports at Lake Las Vegas
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Facebook[/caption]This Mediterranean-themed community is located 30 minutes from the Strip on a 320-acre lake with surrounding desert mountains. There are plenty of water sports, like electric boats, kayaks, and stand-up paddle (SUP) boards. This is an ideal outdoor adventure for those looking for something extreme. Then try their wakeboard cable park, fly boards, or aqua park with inflatable toys.
6. Paddle the Black Canyon Water Trail
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Facebook[/caption]Located just 45 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, the Black Water Canyon Trail is ideal for paddlers. It's a 12-mile stretch of the Colorado River, where paddlers can enjoy the views of the dramatic desert landscapes and narrow slot canyons.
Travelers start from the bottom of the Hoover Dam.
7. Relax at the Arizona Hot Springs
[caption id="attachment_35030" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Facebook[/caption]Located just above the Colorado River, this beautiful pool is housed in a narrow slot canyon. Travelers can access the hot springs via boat from the Black Canyon Water Trail or via a 5.6-mile round-trip hike on foot. Arizona Hot Springs is an ideal spot to visit during the winter as you'll enjoy the warm soak.
8. Soak at Gold Strike Canyon Hot Springs
Gold Strike Canyon is a popular hot spring you can access by paddling the Black Canyon. Alternatively, you can also hike by navigating an 8-rope course in and out of boulders. This is a nice all-day adventure that's worth a try.