Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

red rock canyon nevada

Just a few moments west of the Strip is the amazing Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This is a great place for family outings while in Vegas, with numerous hiking trails suitable for almost every skill level.

The most significant geologic feature of Red Rock Canyon is the Keystone Thrust Fault. A thrust fault is a fracture in the earth's crust where one rock plate is thrust horizontally over another. About 65 million years ago, it is believed that two of the earth's crustal plates collided with such force that part of one plate was shoved up and over younger sandstones. This thrust contact is clearly defined by the sharp contrast between the grey limestones and the red sandstones. The Keystone Thrust Fault extends from the Cottonwoood Fault (along the Pahrump Highway) 13 miles northward to the vicinity of La Madre Mountain, where it is obscured by more complex faulting.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area13-Mile Loop Drive offers sightseeing, vistas and overlooks. If your time is limited, stop at either of the Calico Vista points. Both offer good vantage points for photographs of crossed-bedded Aztec sandstone. For easy walking access to the sandstone, stop at the Sandstone Quarry parking lot. There you can see large blocks of stone and other historic evidence of the quarry activity as it occurred shortly after the turn of the century.

Picnic sites are available at Red Spring and Willow Spring. Additional pullouts, offering views of wooded canyons and desert washes, are located at Icebox Canyon, Pine Creek Canyon and Red Rock Wash.

Several short hikes offering a diversity of environments and scenery are accessible from the loop drive. A short trail to the bottom of the canyon at the second Calico Vista leads down to the Aztec sandstone and, after seasonal rains, to small pools of water. There is easier hiking at Sandstone Quarry where many small canyons await exploration. The Calico Hills are riddled with natural water catchments called potholes or tinajas (tee-nah-haz). After rains these natural water tanks fill up with water and may be home to small insects, insect larvae and fairy shrimp.

A spring that flows year-round and a seasonally cascading waterfall await the visitor after a short, 0.3-mile hike to Lost Creek.

Icebox Canyon has a maintained trail which leads in for .8 mile; the end of Icebox Canyon is reached in another half mile by "boulder hopping" in the canyon bottom.

One of the most popular hiking trails is into Pine Creek Canyon. A two-mile round trip hike leads to the ruins of a historic homestead near a running creek, surrounded by large ponderosa pine trees and other water-loving vegetation.

JavaScript must be enabled in order for you to use Google Maps.
However, it seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser.
To view Google Maps, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, and then try again.

 

Las Vegas Vacation Home Rentals

  • Casa Colina
    Casa Colina is a wonderful Las Vegas vacation rental homewith 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and ...
  • Escalera Real
    The Royal Flush Set against the backdrop of the Southern Highlands hills, Escalera Re...
  • Palacio Cascada
    Palacio Cascada is a great choice for both families and businesses. This amazing vacation...

Las Vegas Retreats

delsolCasa Del Sol - A rare value with 5 bedrooms. Las Vegas vacation rentals as close to the Strip as this home are few.
11_barco-2009Casa Del Barco - The perfect 4 bedroom low cost Las Vegas vacation rental with the perfect features and location for families.
afortCasa Afortunada - A wonderful 5 bedroom vacation rental home in Las Vegas that really delivers on location, amenities, and cost.
cascadaPalacio Cascada - An incredible Las Vegas vacation home on with great privacy. Amazing amenities and features galore!
paraiso-frontCastillo Paraiso - This 6 bedroom vacation rental home has everything! View, Pool, Spa, Tennis Court, Volleyball Court, Bocciball, and more.
Name The Vegas Dude!
 

Corporate Housing

Las Vegas corporate housing and vacation rentals areLas Vegas Corporate Travel - corporate housing and family friendly vacation home rentals perfect for business travelers who want to bring the family along.

Vacation Rentals

Las Vegas vacation home rentals
Vacation Homes and Condo Rentals provide excellent lodging for families seeking privacy and security and full-time fun. Las Vegas Retreats is a leading provider of Vacation Rental Homes and Condominiums.

Casa Del Sedona

Sedona is at the center of outdoor activity in an area known affectionately as "Red Rock Country". Sedona is a playground for people young and old, no matter what interest. A tour of Sedona offer history, arts, culture, shopping galore and a plethora of outdoor activities. Whether your a guest in one of the many Sedona vacation rentals here in town, or at one of our many Five Star hotels, Sedona is a wonderful place to retreat.
You are here: Home Finding Las Vegas for Kids Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Statistics

Content View Hits : 22085

Who's Online

We have 2 guests online