Las Vegas is best known as being an oasis for gambling and partying. But this desert city is also a great place to begin a hiking vacation. Below are nine great locations for hiking near Las Vegas, organized from the closest to the furthest away. These destinations can be visited in just a few hours or part of road trip that can last for days.
What to Pack When Hiking Near Las Vegas
Listed below are things I highly recommend you pack while you are hiking near Las Vegas.
- Water!! Whether you use a hydration backpack or carry bottled water, make sure to pack plenty of water when outdoors!
- Sunscreen – Protect your skin from the sun, and do not forget to reapply.
- Chapstick with Sunscreen – Wearing chapstick can actually cause severe sunburning and blistering, so make sure you use chapstick with sunscreen.
- Hat – More sun protection to block the sun from your face
- Hiking shoes/boots – Some of the hikes are on steep, slick rock, and people wearing regular tennis shoes struggled to keep their footing. Here are the men‘s version of the hiking shoes I love.
- Hiking socks – The best way to prevent blisters is by keeping your feet dry. Moisture-wicking socks are the best way to do that.
- Backpack – A backpack is a necessity when hiking to carry your water, snacks, sunscreen, etc. that you may need on your longer hikes.
- Printed Maps/Directions – Cell service can be spotty or nonexistent, so I recommend you print maps/directions to all hiking trails.
1. Red Rock Canyon
- Distance from Las Vegas – 16 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 20 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – November to March
- Entrance Fee – $15 per vehicle per day; No fee with an America the Beautiful Annual Pass which can be purchased here. You will also need to make a time reservation for $2 prior to arrival at recreation.org. You will be required to pay the $2 fee whether you have an America the Beautiful Pass or not.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is one of the closest places for hiking near Las Vegas. While visiting Sin City, you can rent a car for the day and spend as little or as much time as you like day hiking. You can walk the Calico Hills trail while detouring to play on giant sandstone rocks. There is even a hike that ends with a trickling waterfall, Lost Creek Trail. If hiking is not your jam, you can still visit the park and drive the 13-mile one-way scenic drive making stops at the various overlooks. Are you feeling super adventurous? Red Rock Canyon is a popular place for rock climbing.
2. Valley of Fire
- Distance from Las Vegas – 46 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 50 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – November to March
- Entrance Fee – $10 per vehicle per day, bring cash
- For more travel information, visit 13 Reasons to Visit Valley of Fire State Park.
Valley of Fire State Park is my favorite state park of any state I have visited. The unique formations and sandstone colors make this park stand out above all the rest. Popular hikes include The Fire Wave, a wave-like formation with red and white sandstone stripes, Pink Canyon, a slot canyon with pink hues (featured in the cover picture), and Mouse’s Tank, a trail where ancient petroglyphs can be spotted on the canyon walls. This park consists of two scenic drives: Valley of Fire Highway and Mouse’s Tank Road where you can see sights such as Seven Sisters, Balancing Rock, and Elephant Rock.
3. Death Valley
- Distance from Las Vegas – 126 miles
- Drive Time from Last Vegas – 2 hours
- Best Time of Year to Visit – November to April
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass; No fee with an America the Beautiful Pass
- For more travel information visit, The Perfect Death Valley Itinerary: How to Spend 1, 2, or 3 Days in this National Park and The Ultimate San Francisco to Las Vegas Road Trip
You can see the highlights of Death Valley National Park in a day trip from Las Vegas, but I recommend staying overnight. Death Valley is the largest park in continental USA, so there is a lot to do and see here. Make sure to visit here during the cooler months as temperatures can get into the 130s Fahrenheit. Walk along the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and hike to Zabriskie Point. Drive along the scenic 9-mile Artist’s Drive for incredible canyon views and rainbow-colored mountains. Do not miss the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level) at the Badwater Basin Salt Flats.
4. Grand Canyon West
- Distance from Las Vegas – 126 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – March to May; October to November
- Entrance Fee – General Admission starts at $49; Skywalk prices start at $26; For more activity pricings, visit here.
- For more travel information visit, The Best Day Trip from Las Vegas.
Grand Canyon West is located on Hualapai Tribal Lands and features the famous glass-bottomed Skywalk that jets out over the Grand Canyon located 4,000 feet below. The second stop on the shuttle service is Guano Point. Take Highpoint Hike to the top of a pyramid-shaped boulder stack for epic 360-degree views of the Grand Canyon. As you circle the boulder stack, you will come across areas you have to walk that are only a couple feet from the canyon’s edge. Be super careful as there are no handrails or guardrails to prevent you from falling.
5. Zion
- Distance from Las Vegas – 160 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 2 hours, 40 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – April to October
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass; No fee with an America the Beautiful Pass.
- For more travel information, visit A Whirlwind Utah Road Trip or Grand Circle Road Trip.
One of the most popular (and crowded) places for hiking near Las Vegas is Zion National Park. The two most epic hikes in Zion are Angel’s Landing and The Narrows. Angel’s Landing is one of the most daring trails you can hike with steep drop-offs on a narrow ridge that takes you to an amazing view of the canyon. The Narrows are unique in that you are literally hiking up the Virgin River with tall canyon walls surrounding you. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive can only be accessed by personal vehicle during the lesser busy times of winter, but you can ride the shuttle when the park is busy. The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway is another scenic drive with epic views of the canyon with hairpin turns and through a tunnel.
6. Joshua Tree
- Distance from Las Vegas – 187 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 3 hours, 10 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – March to May; October to November
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass; No fee with an America the Beautiful Pass
Joshua Tree National Park is another place with hiking near Las Vegas that I have not yet visited. Until writing this blog, I actually had no idea this park was close to Sin City. Wander through the Cholla Cactus Garden, explore Arch Rock, and marvel at Skull Rock during your visit. Ryan Mountain and Hidden Valley trails are some of the most popular and relatively short hikes in park.
7. Bryce Canyon
- Distance from Las Vegas – 260 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 4 hours
- Best Time of Year to Visit – May to September
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass; No fee with an America the Beautiful Pass
- For more travel information, visit How to See Bryce Canyon in One Day or Grand Circle Road Trip.
The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park are unlike any other rock formation you have ever witnessed. Upon arrival, drive straight to the end of the 20-mile Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive at Rainbow Point and make your way back. Pullout at all the stops for breath-taking views of the canyon, Natural Bridge, and the impressive Bryce Amphitheatre. If there is one can’t miss hike at Bryce Canyon, it is the 3.5-mile Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden where you can walk among the hoodoo formations.
8. Grand Canyon National Park
- Distance from Las Vegas – 275 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 4 hours, 10 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – March to May; October to November
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for a 7-day pass; No fee with an America the Beautiful Pass
- For more travel information, visit The Ultimate 4-Day Arizona Road Trip or Grand Circle Road Trip.
Grand Canyon National Park is about twice as far as Grand Canyon West, but the canyon is even more impressive and around 2,000 feet deeper. If you want a grand adventure, you could hike for days on the Rim-to-Rim hike. However, the Rim-to-Rim hike is not necessary to see some of the best views of this national landmark. You can walk along the South Rim for miles while gazing at the magnificent landscapes below. You can also find helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon that leave from the Las Vegas area.
9. Sedona
- Distance from Las Vegas – 279 miles
- Drive Time from Las Vegas – 4 hours, 30 minutes
- Best Time of Year to Visit – March to May; September to November
- Entrance Fee – Red Rock Pass is $5 per day, $15 per week, or $20 annual pass; No fee with an America the Beautiful Pass
- For more travel information, visit A Perfect Weekend Getaway to Sedona and The Best of Sedona: Things to Do.
Sedona is the most beautiful town in the American Southwest. That is a bold statement, but I believe it to be true. The bright blue skies serve as the ideal backdrop to the red rock formations and green shrubbery in the foreground. You will have sensory overload with the variety of vivid colors in this Arizona small town. The Coconino National Forest surrounding Sedona has numerous iconic hikes such as Devil’s Bridge, West Fork Trail, Soldier Pass, and Boynton Canyon. Get recharged from your time in Las Vegas by visiting one of the many vortexes of Sedona.
