The 20 Best Hiking Trails in Las Vegas
Most people know Las Vegas for its glitz, glam, and casinos. However, frequent visitors and locals know that Sin City has a lot more to offer than dazzling lights and endless buffets.
The southern tip of Nevada is technically part of the Mojave Desert, a “high desert” (meaning it’s a desert in a higher altitude), and the scenery is breathtaking. That’s why, when you’re there, you should think about doing more than hitting the penny slots. Literally, take a hike!
Here are the 20 best hiking trails Las Vegas.
1. Promenade Trail
North of the Centennial Hills neighborhood, you can explore the Promenade Trail. This is a great trail for beginners, particularly if you want a low-stress way to discover what it’s like to take a stroll in the desert.
The hiking path is paved and it’s only about a half mile long. This trail connects to a park with amenities. So, it’s also convenient for families with small children, pets, and people with impaired mobility. Just beware of two-wheelers because it’s also a popular bike trail.
2. Pecos McLeod Trailway
The Pecos McLeod Trailway is known for being the trail where Vegas history buffs can find the demolished remains of the famous Stardust Resort and Casino. While those days are long gone, the trail pays homage to the heyday of old Vegas glam.
Visitors can find a nice selection of cultivated desert gardens. The signs that mark trail directions and landmarks were made by specially selected artists. Take in some of the past while appreciating the desert landscape.
3. Cottonwood Canyon Park
Cottonwood Canyon Park is a family-friendly and dog-friendly community park full of numerous hiking trails. Located in the Summerlin neighborhood, the park covers a wide area and multiple subdivisions of Summerlin.
If you have dogs and are looking for a nice place to hike, this is it. Many people refer to Cottonwood as an unofficial dog park. The park is carefully landscaped, well-maintained, and definitely worth seeing.
4. Red Rock Canyon National Reserve
Although Red Rock Canyon is technically outside of Sin City, it is not a far drive and is the most popular place to hike in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Anyone that’s fascinated by geological structures and desert wildlife will be amazed by the scenery.
Red Rock covers more than 195,000 and 26 designated hiking trails. So, if you want to plan a day to hike, this is the place to do it. It’s a visually stunning place and you won’t be disappointed when you go.
5. Hualapai Canyon
Although less than a mile long, the Hualapai Canyon Trail is still a pleasant hike for anyone looking for the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. It’s somewhat considered a nice secret trail that’s nestled alongside the Summerlin neighborhood.
As it’s technically a park, there’s more to do than just hike. Bring family or friends with you to add to the fun. There’s also a well-lit pavilion if nighttime hikes are more your style.
6. Calico Basin Trail
One of the many gorgeous trails sprawled throughout Red Rock Canyon, Calico Basin Trail is a straight shot hike that gives visitors a wonderful view of the Calico Hills. While the overall scenery is astounding all over the canyon, Calico Basin has ash trees that form a natural line along the river.
This is a popular spot for climbers, as well as hikers. So, if you enjoy both, you just hit gold with this trail. The trail itself is not difficult to walk and you’ll love what you see from the path.
7. Valley of Fire
Valley of Fire is one of Nevada’s most beautiful state parks and the hiking possibilities are endless here. Within an hour’s drive of Sin City, this place is full of stunning scenery and rich in prehistoric monuments. Think of 2,000-year-old petroglyphs and petrified trees, which should give you a clue about this ancient, yet majestic place.
There are many trails to hike and explore, including the Natural Arches, Balancing Rock, and Rainbow Vista trails interspersed throughout the park. If you have never been to the Mojave desert, this is something you should see. This place defines everything in the U.S. southwestern desert’s landscape.
8. Brownstone Trail
A bit south of the main canyon in Red Rock, you can find Brownstone Trail. This trail is not as popularly advertised as most others because access is a little harder to attain. This is a hiking trail that may be best suited for seasoned hikers and those that like solitude during their walks.
There is some accessibility from the Calico Basin area and it’s suggested that hikers stick to the wash as the hiking trail. High cliffs and petroglyphs line this four-mile path. If you’re up for a challenging hike that lets nature be your best companion, then this is the trail for you.
9. Angel Park Trail
The Angel Park Trail has two official entryways. You can find the trail from the Alta Drive entrance, or from the Bruce Trent Park area. This is another trail that borders the Summerlin area of Las Vegas. At certain points, the trail is adjacent to a golf course (which is private property).
Many of the trails in or around Las Vegas have parking areas. The Angel Park trail does not. So, make sure to plan your parking arrangements before you embark on your hike here.
10. Buckskin Cliff Shadows
If you’re up for a little challenge while hiking, Buckskin Cliff Shadows is another trail you can try to master. There are over five miles of trail here and that includes scaling some elevated points during the hike. However, the payoff happens as you take in the beauty of the place while enjoying the sounds of nature all around you.
Don’t be surprised to see people on horseback and bikes as you traverse the trail. You are free to bring your dogs, but please make sure the animals are on a leash for their safety. Some area trails are strictly seasonal, but Buckskin Cliff Shadows is open all year.
11. Calico Tanks Trail
Courtesy of Red Rock Canyon, another astounding trail that you can check out is Calico Tanks. So, this trail can be challenging for the inexperienced hiker. If you want to explore it, make sure your hiking abilities are up to it because it’s well worth it if you can do it.
Gorgeous hidden pools of water and high mounds of sandstone are some of the natural standouts of this trail. If you can get to certain vantage points, you actually get a really nice view of Las Vegas (which is cool to see, day or night). The entire trail extends for a little over 2 miles, but the distance is certainly worth the views.
12. Bears Best Trail
This trail is more of a loop, but if you’re going to explore the Bears Best Trail, you’ll appreciate the full-circle experience of the hike. This course is almost eight miles long and you might reach elevations over 500 feet. However, it might be well worth your time.
Bird lovers and mountain bike enthusiasts covet the Bears Best area because the wildlife and peaks provide tons of beauty and challenges. It is one of the more popular trails for nature-loving sightseers in the area and one of the safer trails for dog companions.
13. Lone Mountain Trail
The Lone Mountain Trail isn’t named for the company you’ll encounter because you’ll probably find other hikers wandering on its path. It’s named for its standalone position in the middle of an area of northwest Las Vegas. This is the sort of hiking trail that you can turn into a hike or a leisurely stroll if you wish.
One of the nice things about the trail is that it’s close enough to the city to give you a nice view of the Vegas skyline. There is also a city park nearby. At just half a mile long, it’s an easy trail to choose when you want to hike, but if you also want to get back to the city soon after.
14. Girl Scout Trail
The Girl Scout Trail is another hiking gem that comes from the sparkling Red Rock Canyon area. With just over a mile of trail path, hiking here is an easier venture than in other areas of the canyon. It’s a straight-shot path that takes hikers from one destination to another, from two different points.
The trail is actually named after a picnic area that is dedicated to the Girl Scouts of the Southern Nevada region. So, it’s a nice homage to a longstanding organization. If you keep your eyes peeled, you’ll see a few fascinating examples of desert wildlife roaming around the area.
15. Moenkopi Loop
Red Rock Canyon isn’t lacking in amazing trails and Moenkopi Loop is just another example of one. At about two miles long, this looping trail is unique in how it features desert vegetation and flora. Lined by a limestone ridge, this trail gives visitors a nice visual of the Wilson Cliffs.
There’s fossil evidence of the Triassic era which is a powerful testament to the desert’s history. This hike is also one of the easier trails that you can travel.
16. Peccole Ranch Trail
Unlike most of the mountain-based trails on this list, the Peccole Ranch Trail is a hiking path based in the Peccole Ranch neighborhood. It’s really a series of different trails within a defined area that is actually bordered by a golf course at certain points.
This trail is great for hikers that don’t want to travel outside of the city for a hiking experience. If you want a neighborhood trail with other friendly hikers, give it a try!
17. Hell Hill Trail
Here’s a spookily named trail called the Hell Hill Trail that’s located in the Calico Tanks Trailhead area. This is actually the first hiking ascent up to the Calico Hills Trail. However, Hell’s Hill is known as that because you have to get to the top of it first.
There’s a neat little place along the way known as Pink Goblin Pass, an area of funky-looking and warped rock formations. Deep red rocks and stunning views await you at the top of this trail.
18. Cathedral Rock Trail
Mount Charleston is one of the most popular places to go in the Las Vegas area and it’s also home to the Cathedral Rock Trail. Unlike other mountainous areas in metropolitan Vegas, this area is known for having tall green trees and snow-capped peaks during the colder months. Southern Nevada is a warm area, but hiking this trail provides a nice change of temperature.
Almost 3 miles long, it can present itself to be a challenging hiking course. However, the scenery is breathtaking and if you can get through it, you’ll get a nice shot overlooking other area canyons. Grab a jacket before you head out there.
19. Fossil Ridge
Fossil Ridge is an extremely family-friendly trail that is a popular tourist attraction for Red Rock Canyon visitors. This easygoing trail path is also a tour that covers rock formations and even some dinosaur history. This is a wonderful trail to visit, especially if you have little ones that love to know about the times when dinosaurs ruled the earth.
20. Middle Oak Creek
Middle Oak Creek is another trail in Red Rock Canyon. It is a dirt-only trail that can only be accessed from an unpaved road. This trail is more remote than some of the others in Red Rock and the course can be somewhat challenging for new hikers.
The Oak Creek Canyon is situated along the three-mile trail path and is a sight to behold. This is considered an open desert trail. So, make sure to have adequate equipment if you choose to explore it.
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