Red Rock Canyon in one unhurried morning
A thirteen-mile scenic loop, six pull-offs worth stopping for, and the light window that makes it sing.
The road deskAugust 24, 20266 min read
Photo: BLM Nevada · Public domain · resized and converted to WebP
Red Rock is the closest thing Las Vegas has to a guaranteed good morning. Thirty-something minutes from the Strip, the city disappears and the sandstone takes over.
Leave before eight. The loop road is one-way, timed-entry reservations apply in the busy season, and the first two hours have the cleanest light and the emptiest pull-offs.
Calico Hills I and II are the postcard stops. High Point Overlook gives you the whole valley. Willow Springs is where you park the car and actually walk a little.
Any car can do the loop. What matters more is water, a full tank before you enter, and the discipline to pull fully into a marked bay before you take the photo.
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