Day Trippin' - Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Each month MRN will feature destination rides if you are new to the area, here is one of the BEST that you won’t want to miss.

Miles from Strip: About 25 miles or 40 minutes. Depends on the route you take.

Visible from the strip, Red Rock is great place that you can experience that doesn’t take long to get to, that’ll make you feel like you’re a world away from the downtown area.

The Conservation area has a large volume of large sandstone rock formations that are colored – you guessed it – red. The area is a big attraction for all kinds of outdoor enthusiast from rock climbers, hikers and cyclists who come to climb and trek the various rock cliffs and hiking trails.

For motorcyclists, the best part is a 13-mile loop through the park with several points that you can stop off and take in the sites and check out the trails.

The loop has a lot of nice twists and turns (just what motorcyclists like!) to help you work on your cornering skills and have fun. You’ll want to watch your speed though, as there are a lot of tourists and traffic in the area as well as law enforcement.

If you’re riding the Red Rock Conservation area on the weekends, plan on it being busy with tons of traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and other motorcyclists.

Things to know when you go:

Visitors center (at the front of the park). Lots of great exhibits to learn the history of the area and wildlife.

Keep your eyes peeled for tribal Indian glyphs on the rocks.

There are no trees – If you get off of the bike to look around, take a hat with you.

Make sure you have plenty of water – it is a desert after all.

The best time of year to visit is from around November to March. If you visit during the summer months it will be scorcher with temps ranging from 107 upwards of 115 degrees or more. Ride smart, don’t get heat exhaustion! To read a great article on riding in hot weather please click here

Watch for Animals – You may get lucky enough to see the native desert tortoise. Other animals in the area include wild burros, sheep, deer, rabbits, squirrels and more. It’s the occasional large wandering animals (burros and deer) you’ll want to keep an eye for.

We have posted the most recent price list for entry into the park or you can click here.