Spend time at the Visitors Center and then drive the loop stopping to take in several of the pull offs/hikes. The Visitor Center offers a well curated experience on the various aspects of Red Rock. We stopped twice on the loop after exiting the Visitors Center and it took approximately 45 minutes to complete the loop. I would definitely go back to hike.

Just a 45 min drive from the Strip, Red Rock Canyon offers some of the best desert scenery you can find. The vibrant colors that can be seen in the rock formations are stunning. The scenery is truly unique. At busier times of the year, a reservation system is in place so plan accordingly. You can simply drive along the 13-mile one way road that has several scenic pull offs, but the best way to experience is to go on a hike. I hiked the Calico Tanks Trail, and it was terrific. Moderately strenuous with some mild rock scrambling in parts and some elevation change but the rewards were very much worth the effort. Make sure you have hiking shoes and bring a hat and plenty of water. I would start as early as possible in the morning to avoid the mid-day sun. There is no shade on the hike.

The 13-mile drive has many parking lots for close views of several different scenes of the mountains and deserts. The welcome center is outstanding and the view in the back is well worth it. It costs $20, but if you're 62+ they offer a one-year national parks seniors pass for $20 to enter that day and save for future visits to parks. The next day, I used it for free to enter Lake Mead that would have cost $25.

Less than 30 minutes from The Strip is the Red Rock National Conservation Area offering unlimited hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, and amazing views. Morning is generally the best time to go as the Cliffs face to the East and catch the Morning Sun. By mid-afternoon they are less vibrant as they begin to develop shadows. The park does not provide maps or guide sheets, so be sure to PRINT them or save the picture of it to your phone. You can just download the ones I provided in the photos. Cell service is not very good throughout most of the park, so don't plan to get service while there.

20ish miles away from the strip and it feels like a completely different place. We went early in the morning and other than a few climbers and cyclist there was hardly a soul around. Watching the colors change as the sun rose higher in the sky was amazing. There is just a calm and peacefulness about this place. Highly recommend

Red Rock Canyon and the Conservation Area are one of the most beautiful places I've ever experienced. Coming from Eastern Canada, the terrain is completely foreign to me and stunning. I was there twice in my one week trip, during the day driving the loop and visiting the tourist center and once during sunrise as the sun broke the desert horizon and bathed the mountains in it's morning glow. Definitely worth experiencing if you are visiting Vegas and love the outdoors!

This was well worth cost of the self driving tour pass to see the amazing views at Red Rock Canyon. We were not expecting to see so much natural and breathtaking beauty so close to the heart of Vegas. We rented a car and packed a lunch for our visit to Red Rock Canyon. We purchased our pass on line and had no issues finding it using gps. The staff in the gift shop and visitors center were helpful. The driving was easy, and we hiked a few of the trails off of the driving tour. Cell service was spotty to non existent once we were in the park, but we expected that. Over all, with our stops along the tour and hikes we spent about 3 hours in the park. Definitely worth seeing and taking the time. Wear good shoes if you plan to hike or get off the driving tour.

You’ll need an advance reservation before coming out as they will turn you away at the entrance without one! Easy to book online so pick a time and get your QR code (print or digital). Nice visitor center (no paper maps so download and print before arrival) and clean restroom. Most popular trail is the one to Calico Tanks. It’s about 1.4 miles one way and requires climbing and scrambling up and over sandstone boulders through a wash. Not an easy hike but not difficult either. At the end, you’ll be rewarded with a view of Las Vegas in the distance after you pass the large water tank (pond). We took an hour to go one way so plan for two hours round trip. Lots of wildflowers blooming in late April. Plenty of parking and toilets at trailhead. Good signage with cairns to guide you on the trail. Be sure to also stop at the Petroglyph Wall further along your drive through the area. It’s a short and flat walk in to the area with a few decent examples of both pictographs and petroglyphs.

Make reservation for the time and day you would like to go, otherwise you will not be able to do the sonic drive or the trails in the park. I heard from many travelers that the hiking trails just outside of the park are also very nice. It is HOT so go early. It was nice to see school groups and groups for rock climbing. I do not rock climb but it was fun watching. Trails were decently marked. I Loved that there was one trail that took us to a waterfall and small pool. We went in April so all of the desert flowers were beginning to bloom. There were so many beautiful vistas. I would recommend going even if it was just to do the scenic drive loop.

There are many different trails and the weather can be vastly different than downtown so be sure to pack layers and hiking shoes! We started with the Calico Tanks trail which we followed for about 30 min and then turned back as it was getting a bit tricky to climb. (We just had running shoes, so I’d recommend hiking shoes). Also it was much cooler than anticipated so we turned back since it was windy and cool. (we didn’t have wind breakers). We then drove and stopped at the overlooks for pictures. Unfortunately we arrived before the visitor center was open, so I feel that they could have given us some pointers. We would like to do the Pine Creek trail the next time as that looked very unique compared to all the other trials. We were basically under dressed and couldn't really comfortably do any other trails, but it was still a beautiful drive and the overlooks provided a great view and pictures!