Every time I go to Las Vegas, I make an effort to do something new that I haven’t done in the past. And I also try to make sure I plan activities that get me out of the casinos, as it can be very easy to lose oneself there over multiple days.
So thanks to a friend who I visited Vegas with on my most recent trip, who had a rental car and an “America the Beautiful” pass to various national parks, we took a pass down the 13-mile Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive.
While we didn’t intentionally time it that way, we ended up showing up as the sun was setting, and it led to some incredible views as the sun set and the colors shifted.
There are a number of places to look out, hike and enjoy other activities; in this case we opted to keep going so we could enjoy the entire route while there was still daylight.
At the end there’s a pullover point off the main stretch for those who didn’t do the scenic route (or did, as the case would be), to get a great look at things as well. The panoramic picture shot above came from that pullover point, which is also located at the conclusion of the scenic drive.
It’s not a lengthy drive from the strip to the scenic drive, nor is it expensive – when we went a reservation and a vehicle (reservations were requested through the winter) was less than $20 total, or included (minus the reservation fee of $2) in that America the Beautiful national parks pass, which can also be bought on site and are valid for a year for entry, amenity fees and day use fees to any national park as often as you want for $80.
If you have access to a vehicle, it’s a fun, affordable diversion away from the strip for a bit.
