Day Trips From Las Vegas

Posted on Nov 09, 2007 under Hiking, Las Vegas, OutDoors |

If you’re traveling to Las Vegas or are already here and are quickly running out of money - think about taking a day trip from Las Vegas.

Despite being in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas offers an abundance of beautiful natural resources a very short distance from the Las Vegas Strip.

The following areas offer some great hiking and sight seeing, and won’t cost you much besides a rental car and gas and whatever you decide to spend on souvenirs.

The Grand Canyon - Located in northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is about a 4 hour trip south of Las Vegas. There are a number of tour buses and groups that leave from Las Vegas everyday if you don’t want to do the drive yourself. Helicopter tours are also available and are a quicker option. If you’re feeling especially adventurous be sure to check out the new Grand Canyon Sky Walk.
Hoover Dam - Built in the 1930’s, the Hoover Dam is still one of the most impressive man made structures in the Southwest U.S. You can tour the dam itself as well as walk across it and peer down into the blue waters of Lake Mead. The Hoover Dam is about 20 minutes south of Las Vegas on the border of Nevada and Arizona.
Red Rock Canyon - Red Rock Canyon is about 25 minutes West of the strip on Charleston Boulevard. The Canyon is home to quite a few varieties of desert plants and animals and sports a number of scenic hiking trails that range in difficulty from easy to difficult. It’s also a popular place for rock climbers and has a visitor center that talks about the native wildlife and Native Americans that used to live in the area.
Mt. Charleston - Home to the closest ski area to Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston is about a 30 minute trip northwest of Las Vegas. During the summers the mountain sports a temperature about 20 - 30 degrees cooler than the hot Las Vegas valley. There a ton of great hikes and many scenic views of the surrounding mountains.