Most Las Vegas visitors don’t know that there is a fantastic site for scenic hiking just 17 miles west of the Strip. If you are not the gambling and high-end shopping type, and more excited about nature and photography, you will want to head west to the Mojave Desert. The guides at the visitor’s center can help you choose a hike according to ease or difficulty. My husband and I chose a moderate hike, knowing we were lugging two cameras, and we still found it plenty challenging, (i.e. we needed two hands and strong quads at times.) There is also rock climbing, mountain biking, road biking, horseback riding and a 13-mile scenic drive.
My daughter Erin is headed out to Red Rock Canyon for a wedding this month. She and her boyfriend are pro hikers with lots of practice in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. I hope they get a chance to hike this trail (in shorts and a good pair of sneakers after the wedding).
Blog: Cathy Kelly Photography 