Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas is a fun filled adventure playground for the whole family to enjoy fantastic hiking trails and picturesque views. We’re going to show you the 10 best hikes in Red Rock Canyon to help you plan the perfect hiking itinerary for your visit.
In this guide we will cover:
- List of the best easy, moderate and hard hikes in Red Rock Canyon
- Parking tips, passes and fees
- Full one day Red Rock Canyon hiking itinerary example from Las Vegas
- Map and photos of the most popular hikes in Red Rock Canyon
- Red Rock Canyon vs Valley of Fire and which is worth visiting
Let’s get right into the best hikes in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas!
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What Is The Best Hike In Red Rock Canyon?
With no clear standout “bucket list level” hiking trail, the title of best hike in Red Rock Canyon is up for debate. However, we would say Calico Tanks is arguably the best all around hike in Red Rock Canyon because it is neither too easy nor too difficult and it leads to a spectacular vista ending.
Here are our choices for top hike in various categories:
- Easy Hike – Pine Creek Canyon
- Moderate Hike – Calico Tanks
- Hard Hike – Turtlehead Peak
- Family Hike – Lost Creek + Petroglyph Wall
- Adventure Hike – Ice Box Canyon
- Busiest Hike – Calico Hills
- Hidden Gem Hike – Kraft Boulders
- Our Favorite Hike – Ice Box Canyon
Our favorite hikes in Red Rock Canyon were Calico Tanks and Ice Box Canyon. Both feature adventure elements with some scrambling over uneven surfaces or hopping between boulders.
The busiest hiking trails in Red Rock Canyon are Calico Hills and Calico Tanks, which are the first and second stops after entering the one way scenic loop drive.
Our Red Rock Canyon Hiking Experience
We love to hike as much as possible when traveling the world (here’s our popular guide to the 50 best hikes in the US) and we couldn’t miss the chance to hike both Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire during our first US southwest road trip.
After leaving Death Valley National Park we stayed a night in Pahrump (which has an amazing Neapolitan Pizza place called Farinata in case you are passing through), before spending a full day hiking in Red Rock Canyon and drinking happy hour cocktails on the Las Vegas Strip later in the evening.
Hiking in Red Rock Canyon turned out to be even better than we had expected.
The trails aren’t iconic like Fire Wave in Valley of Fire or The Narrows in Zion. But they are fun, easy to access and far less overcrowded.
We enjoyed the variation in trail type, with a good mix of easy short hikes and longer adventurous hikes at Red Rock Canyon.
Getting To Red Rock Canyon From Las Vegas
Red Rock Canyon is easy to access from Las Vegas, which is perfect whether you are a local trying the park out for the first time or you are visiting Las Vegas and have a rental car.
Personally we think Red Rock Canyon is one of the very best day trips to take from Las Vegas.
It will take around 30 minutes to drive the 17 mile journey from the Las Vegas strip to Red Rock Canyon entrance.
Here’s how to reach Red Rock Canyon from the Bellagio Fountain half way up the Las Vegas Strip:
- Take West Flamingo Road to 215 N (Bruce Woodbury Beltway)
- Turn onto NV-159 (Red Rock Canyon Road) heading West
- Arrive to Red Rock Canyon fee station
We strongly recommend using a GPS or Maps App for navigation on the day you drive from Las Vegas to Red Rock Canyon.
Use “Red Rock Canyon Fee Station” as your destination on Google Maps and allow the app to show you the quickest route based on live traffic conditions right as you are leaving Vegas.
Passes And Fees For Hiking In Red Rock Canyon
Upon arrival at Red Rock Canyon you must pass through a multi-lane fee kiosk, similar to a freeway toll. There are several ways you can pay to enter, so let’s take a quick look at each option.
Day Use Entry
If you only intend on visiting Red Rock Canyon on one occasion and for just one day, you can pay for a single day use entry ticket. This fee is per vehicle, covering the driver and all passengers.
Entry fees for one day use are as follows:
- Car/Truck – $15
- Motorcycle – $10
- Bicycle/Pedestrian – $5
The day use pass for Red Rock Canyon is best for visitors to the Las Vegas area who won’t be revisiting the park any time soon.
Red Rock Annual Pass
Local hikers and rock climbers can purchase a Red Rock Annual Pass which is of course valid for one year.
- Red Rock Annual Pass – $30
Note: It might be worth considering this pass if you are a regular visitor to the Las Vegas area and enjoy hiking in Red Rock Canyon.
Here’s more information on fees.
America The Beautiful Pass
The best, easiest and potentially most cost effective option you have is to buy an America the Beautiful annual pass, which is also known as an Interagency Pass.
We personally buy an annual pass every year because it gives us unlimited access to all US national parks, national monuments and national recreational areas such as Red Rock Canyon.
Read our guide to why it is worth investing in an America the Beautiful Pass if you plan to visit multiple national parks, monuments and more in the next year.
Instead of buying a day use pass or Red Rock pass upon entry to Red Rock Canyon, you can simply show your America the Beautiful Pass with ID to gain entry.
Red Rock Canyon Timed Entry Reservations
Timed reservations are becoming more widespread at popular national park service areas and Red Rock Canyon is among the latest to require a pre-booked time slot for entry during peak times.
You will need to book a timed reservation and pay a $2 “scenic drive one day personal vehicle entry” fee if you plan to visit Red Rock Canyon between:
- October 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023
- 8:00am through 5:00pm
Your total cost for hiking in Red Rock Canyon will be $17 or $2 if you have an America the Beautiful Pass.
We took the following directly from the recreation.gov website on which you have to book your time slot:
Primary Booking Window
Reservations are required October 1 to May 31 and will be available up to 30 days in advance at 7 a.m. PT on a rolling daily window.
Reservations are NOT required from June 1 through September 30. During this period, passes can be purchased at the Entrance Station before entering the Conservation Area.
Secondary Booking Window
Reservations are required October 1 to May 31 and will also be available two days in advance at 7 a.m. PT on a rolling daily window.
Example: On November 1, reservations will be available for November 3; on November 2 reservations will be available for November 4.
Here’s the link to recreation.gov so you can book and pay for a timed reservation within the appropriate time frame.
Note: Red Rock Canyon is open from 6.00am year round, which gives you a 2 hour window to arrive before the timed entry reservations begin each day.
Travel Tip: Arrive at 6.00am – 7.00am if you can’t get a reservation on the day you want to visit.
Driving The Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop
All the major hikes in Red Rock Canyon are access via a 13 mile one-way scenic loop drive from the moment you enter to the moment you leave.
However, there are more hiking trails (including two in this guide) that can be accessed outside of the loop which means you can hike those trails for free if you really don’t want to pay for entry.
The counter-clockwise scenic drive leads hikers to most trailheads in paved roadside parking lots, but there are a handful of dirt roads and 4×4 high clearance roads leading to certain trailheads.
Red Rock Canyon Trailhead Parking
Parking at hiking trailheads in Red Rock Canyon can be challenging during peak times. The busiest periods are between 11.00am and 3.00pm, on weekends and on holidays in particular.
We would advise arriving either earlier in the morning or much later in the afternoon to avoid the rush.
Remember, this is a one way loop road and cars entering around the same time will stop at the same places.
Calico Hills (aka Calico I and Calico II) is the first stopping point after entering Red Rock Canyon, which means almost every car will make this stop.
Later in the loop, not every car will stop at each parking lot.
Best Hikes In Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas
You know how to get to Red Rocks and your options for paying entry, now let’s get into the best hikes in the park.
Important – We will list the best hikes at Red Rock Canyon in order of Easy, Moderate, Hard and finally Outside the Scenic Loop Drive.
1. Pine Creek Canyon
- Trail Difficulty: Easy
- Trail Distance: 3 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 300 ft
- Trailhead: Pine Creek Canyon
- Time Required: 1.5 – 2 hours
Pine Creek Canyon is a great hike for the whole family.
It has creeks, light scrambling, optional bouldering elements to add a bit of fun to the trail, small waterfalls and ponds after rainfall and mountain views on the way out.
The trail has wildflowers in spring but it becomes overgrown later in summer and fall.
Pine Creek Canyon features open desert, an old homestead site and a further optional figure eight loop called Fire Ecology.
This extra 0.75 mile loop cuts through an area of ponderosa pine after a prescribed fire.
2. Lost Creek + Petroglyph Wall
- Trail Difficulty: Easy
- Trail Distance: 1 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 200 ft
- Trailhead: Willow Spring Picnic Area
- Time Required: 1 hour
Lost Creek (also known as Children’s Discovery Trail) and Petroglyph Wall are two of the easiest hikes in Red Rock Canyon.
They follow separate paths but are next to one another in the Willow Spring parking area.
Starting with Petroglyph Wall, you will cross a wash and find a cliff wall filled with rock art partially hidden behind a juniper tree.
Lost Creek is a wonderful hike as it features several plant species and cultural sites. After rainfall there may even be a picturesque waterfall on the trail.
3. Calico Hills (Calico I and Calico II)
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail Distance: 2 – 6 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 400 ft
- Trailhead: Calico I and Calico II
- Time Required: 1 – 3 hours
Calico Hills are a series of red rock cliffs, walls and eroded rock formations which have created a fantastic hiking and rock climbing arena.
You can hike a connecting trail between Calico I and Calico II or you can simply head into the rock pile and see what happens. We prefer the latter.
If you do decide to simply explore the rugged rocky landscape here, just be aware that there are no set paths to follow and there are drops to consider.
You may also have to climb using your hands and feet to advance in certain areas. We would recommend leaving the climbing to the pro climbers!
4. Calico Tanks
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail Distance: 2.5 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 450 ft
- Trailhead: Sandstone Quarry
- Time Required: 2 hours
Calico Tanks is the most popular and best all around hike in Red Rock Canyon.
You will walk through sand and navigate relatively tricky slick rock faces, before ending at a seriously awesome vista from which you can see the entire Las Vegas Strip.
This is a busy hike and parts of the trail are narrow, so you will need to take care especially after rainfall.
But overall this is a must hike trail near Las Vegas and we hope you enjoy the variation among the red rocks of Calico Tanks.
Don’t forget your camera on this one!
5. Keystone Thrust
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail Distance: 2.2 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 400 ft
- Trailhead: Upper White Rock
- Time Required: 1.5 hours
Keystone Thrust is a quiet hike leading to elevated views over many of the red and white rock formations in the canyon. It is all uphill and then all downhill on the way back.
Although it doesn’t seem like the trail is leading anywhere, it eventually splits off and descends into a kind of mini-canyon.
This mini-canyon features what is described as “the most significant geologic features in Red Rock Canyon”.
There are two exposed tectonic plates right here at the Keystone Thrust Fault and you can stand with one foot on each plate, which can seldom be done anywhere else in the world.
6. White Rock / La Madre Spring Loop
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail Distance: 6 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 890 ft
- Trailhead: Upper White Rock / Willow Spring
- Time Required: 2.5 – 3.5 hours
White Rock Canyon can be hiked in several ways.
You can hike a small portion down towards Willow Creek or up to elevated views before turning around. Alternatively, you can hike the entire loop and include La Madre Spring which should have water year round.
This is one of the best areas in the canyon to see bighorn sheep thanks to the year round water source, plus there’s a hidden pinyon and juniper forest that can’t be seen from the scenic loop drive.
The full loop is a challenging 6 miles with almost 900 ft elevation but it’s a great workout.
7. Turtlehead Peak
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Trail Distance: 5 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 2,000 ft
- Trailhead: Sandstone Quarry
- Time Required: 3-4 hours
Turtlehead Peak is the best hard hike in Red Rock Canyon.
This is the hike to do if you are looking for a challenging trail leading to incredible views over the entire region.
However, it is no joke and should only be attempted by seasoned hikers, plus you must take plenty of water.
The trail leads through a wash, sandstone formations, a gulch, a saddle and a summit. Then you return the exact same way.
Expect steep elevation gain and then loss for the entire hike. Loose rocks on the descent can cause issues, but otherwise tie up your laces and enjoy a superb and rewarding hike!
8. Ice Box Canyon
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Trail Distance: 2.6 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 300 ft
- Trailhead: Ice Box Canyon
- Time Required: 2 hours
Ice Box Canyon is our favorite hike in Red Rock Canyon.
The trail leads through open desert and vegetation before entering a very narrow canyon with tall cliff walls.
Once inside the canyon, you are boulder hopping the entire way to a two tiered waterfall climax.
There are elements of scrambling, ducking and weaving through thick tree trunks, climbing over huge rocks and even scaling the waterfall at the end if you feel comfortable.
Wear shoes with good tread and enjoy the exciting hike up Ice Box Canyon. The waterfall is best seen in March and April.
9. First Creek (Outside Scenic Loop)
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail Distance: 3 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 300 ft
- Trailhead: First Creek Canyon
- Time Required: 2 hours
First Creek Canyon is 2.6 miles southwest of the scenic loop drive exit but it is a great hike to tag onto the start or end of your day if you have time.
You will walk a mile towards a red rock cliff wall before turning into the canyon.
Once inside the canyon you have a good chance of seeing a hidden waterfall and “grotto” if you time it right after rainfall or snowmelt.
There is a path leading up to the top but you might have to scramble a little in order to reach the waterfall. This is also another spot to see bighorn sheep, burros and birds.
10. Kraft Boulders and Mountain Loop (Outside Scenic Loop)
- Trail Difficulty: Moderate / Hard
- Trail Distance: 3 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 500 ft
- Trailhead: Kraft Mountain
- Time Required: 2 hours
Kraft Boulders (Monkey Bar Boulder on google maps) is a fun out and back hike leading to a popular rock climbing spot.
However, the full loop version with Kraft Mountain is a much better overall experience and we would say it is the most underrated or “hidden gem” hike in Red Rock Canyon.
Take it clockwise so you climb the steep bank first and drop down into the river bed.
Views are spectacular and the colors are vibrant. The only issue is trail markings aren’t great here, so it’s a good idea to use a hiking app for navigation.
Many of the trails in Red Rock Canyon go out of cell phone service which means you won’t be able to load up real time maps of your location on hikes.
It is a smart move to subscribe to one of the best hiking apps for navigation, not just here but on all hikes that lead into rocky wilderness.
Personally, we use AllTrails to read recent comments about trails and we use Gaia GPS for offline map navigation.
As you can see in the images above, the arrows represent our live location when we had signal and when we didn’t have signal.
You can either download the maps to use offline or you can follow the trail route in real time.
If you are interested in trying out a hiking app, you can use our exclusive 20% discount link to get a great deal on a premium Gaia GPS subscription.
Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas Hiking Trails Map
We created the map above to show you the locations of each of the best hikes in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas in Nevada.
You can click or touch the map to activate, zoom in / out and move around the map to familiarize yourself with the trails.
Key:
- Blue line – Red Rock Canyon scenic drive
- Purple icons – Easy hikes
- Orange icons – Moderate hikes
- Red icons – Hard hikes
- Brown icons – Hikes outside the scenic drive
Looking for hiking inspiration? Don’t miss our popular collection of inspiring hiking quotes for your next outdoor adventure.
Red Rock Canyon Las Vegas One Day Hiking Itinerary
Your Red Rock Canyon hiking itinerary is going to depend on a number of factors including how much time you have and your hiking ability.
We’re going to walk you through an example one day hiking visit to Red Rock Canyon in which you can tick off the major hikes going at an average pace.
It is very similar to how we approached our day in the area but includes what we would have done differently if we were to go back again.
How do you spend a day at Red Rock Canyon?
Well, let’s get into our efficient one day Red Rock Canyon hiking itinerary!
7.00am – Arrive At Red Rock Canyon
Arriving to Red Rock Canyon at 7.00am means you beat the crowds and don’t have to worry about reserving a time slot prior to your visit. Double win!
7.15am – Park At Calico I
Park at the first lot which will be Calico I. Jump out of the car and drop down into the canyon below.
We would suggest not hiking sideways between Calico I and Calico II, but instead just getting lost among the maze of rocks for half an hour or so.
8.00am – Hike Calico Tanks
Calico Tanks is up there with the most fun hiking trails in Red Rock Canyon and we urge you not to miss this one.
Enjoy the adventure elements along the trail and soak up the sweeping crescendo views. This is a very popular hike so starting before the rush arrives is going to be extremely beneficial.
10.00am – Hike Turtlehead Peak
Turtlehead Peak is a short but steep hike with 2,000 feet elevation gain over just 2.5 miles on the way up to the summit. That means 2.5 miles of steep descent on the way down.
However, it is well worth the effort and offers some of the best views in Red Rock Canyon. You can join the trail directly from Calico Tanks but make sure you have plenty of water.
1.00pm – Lunch Break At High Point Overlook
There are no restaurants or any places to buy snacks within Red Rock Canyon, so you will need to stock up on lunch and snacks before leaving Las Vegas.
Drive the switchbacks to High Point Overlook and stop for 30 minutes to refuel, with water and electrolyte drinks a must on those baking hot Nevada days.
1.30pm – Hike White Rock or Keystone Thrust
Take the dirt road to Upper White Rock parking lot and decide how much energy you have in the tank for the afternoon. You need to reserve enough time and leg power for Ice Box Canyon later.
We would recommend hiking a small portion of White Rock instead of Keystone Thrust. It leads higher into the stunning white rocks landscape and is more rewarding.
2.30pm – Hike Lost Creek and Petroglyph Wall
Take the paved Rocky Gap Road to park in Willow Spring Picnic Area, stopping before it turns into a gravel 4×4 high clearance road.
Hike the quick and easy trail to Petroglyph Wall, then park up at Lost Creek Canyon to hike Lost Creek and Children’s Discovery Trail.
3.30pm – Hike Ice Box Canyon
Ice Box Canyon is a thoroughly entertaining hike through a narrow canyon and requiring tricky boulder hopping. This is the most fun hiking trail in Red Rock Canyon and should not be missed.
We don’t recommend beginning this hike much later than 4.00pm because the light will fade more quickly inside the narrow canyon and boulder hopping in the dark isn’t easy!
5.30pm – Head Back To Las Vegas
Experienced or quicker hikers might want to consider including the short Kraft Boulders just outside the loop road, otherwise it’s time to head back to viva Las Vegas after a long day of fun hiking in Red Rock Canyon.
Is It Worth Taking A Tour Of Red Rock Canyon From Las Vegas?
If you’re flying into Las Vegas and don’t want to hire a car but still want to get out and explore Red Rock Canyon, you have options. There are several tours of varying length and price you can take.
You won’t be able to do as many hikes but you can get a taste for the area and you have the benefit of learning about the area as part of a fully guided tour.
Here are the top rated tours from previous visitors:
- Sunset Tour – 5 hour sunset tour of Red Rocks from Las Vegas
- Mojave + 7 Magic Mountains – 6 hour tour of the Mojave, Red Rocks + Seven Magic Mountains
- Jeep Wrangler – 4 hour tour of the canyon with hiking and additional off road 4×4 Jeep trail
Red Rock Canyon Or Valley Of Fire?
Red Rock Canyon offers a bunch of exciting and very different hikes, whereas Valley of Fire is more about the scenery and photogenic topography.
We make a living from hiking and photography so for us both places are unmissable.
If pushed we would say Valley of Fire just about beats Red Rock Canyon because it has a number of spectacular photography opportunities.
But here’s our advice:
Hikers should go to Red Rock Canyon, lovers of landscapes and photography should go to Valley of Fire.
>> Here’s our popular guide covering everything you need to know about visiting Valley of Fire State Park.
FAQ’s For Red Rock Canyon
Let’s finish by taking a quick look at some of the most asked questions about hiking in Red Rock Canyon.
Yes, Red Rock Canyon is the best place to hike near Las Vegas and is most certainly worth visiting. There are various trails suitable for all hiking levels and the scenery is incredibly picturesque. If you are a hiker looking for the perfect day trip from Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is your answer.
Calico Tanks is the most scenic hike in Red Rock Canyon. It has varied terrain, some moderate scrambling and leads to a spectacular vista with clear views of Las Vegas and its surrounding mountains.
No, it is not free to hike in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas. Visitors must pay day use entry fees of $15 per car, $10 per motorcycle and $5 per bicycle or walk in. Once you have paid entry, you can hike any trail in Red Rock Canyon. It is important to note you can use your America the Beautiful Pass for entry. A $2 timed entry reservation time slot must also be purchased before you arrive.
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We hope this comprehensive guide to the best hikes in Red Rock Canyon helps with planning your visit to Las Vegas, Nevada!
Have you been to Red Rocks? Which is your favorite hiking trail?
Please let us know if you have any questions or need help planning your trip by commenting below.
Happy Hiking,
Mark and Kristen
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