Red Rock Canyon

Where: Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, Nevada
Trail: Calico Tanks Trail
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Distance: 2.5 miles round trip
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash

We paid the entrance fee and started the drive back (it's a one-way loop). As we drove past all the beautiful red rock that gives the park its name, I began to wonder if I had selected the right trail for us. And then we parked in the Sandstone Quarry lot and I just knew I had picked the wrong trail. The area was flatter and there was far less rock. Certainly not the mountainous boulders we'd just passed. Thankfully we decided to try it anyway. I am so glad we did. The hike was awesome!

The beginning of the trail is well-marked, but once you get into the rocks, it's harder to find, which makes it more fun. And anyway, there came a point when we quit the trail altogether and just climbed from boulder to boulder. Even though dogs are allowed on the trail, we didn't encounter very many, probably due to the amount of climbing we had to do. Our little dogs loved it. They are adventurous as we are. At the end of the trail, there is a view of the mountains and Las Vegas. If I'm ever in Vegas again, I am definitely hiking Red Rock again.