Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Cayce Clifford for Lonely Planet

Las Vegas, Nevada. October, 2024.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

Red Rock's dramatic vistas are revered by Las Vegas locals and adored by visitors from around the world. Formed by extreme tectonic forces, it's thought the canyon, whose 3000ft red rock escarpment rises sharply from the valley floor, was formed around 65 million years ago.

Las Vegas, Nevada. October, 2024....Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
View of a rock winding through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada. Cayce Clifford for Lonely Planet

A 13-mile, one-way scenic loop drive offers mesmerizing vistas of the canyon's most striking features. Hiking trails and rock-climbing routes radiate from roadside parking areas.

Las Vegas, Nevada. October, 2024....Sandstone quarry overlook trail area. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
People walking along a trail at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada. Cayce Clifford for Lonely Planet

The canyon is about 13 miles from the central Strip and just three miles from Summerlin.

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