Southern Nevada Outdoor Climate and Lifestyle
All too often people overlook Southern Nevada’s scenic outdoor recreational activities. Skiing, climbing, hiking, boating and mountain biking are just a few of the things that you can do outside of the city. Red Rock National Conservation Area is located a few miles west of Las Vegas. About 65 million years ago, two of the earth’s tectonic plates collided with enough force to thrust one plate on top of the other. The magnificent contrast of red sandstone and grey limestone can be seen throughout the area. The Keystone Thrust Fault in Red Rock Canyon is a rare and beautiful geologic attraction and makes the canyon a beautiful place to go hiking. You can get to a variety of hiking trails by driving the 13-mile loop. Each trail has a sign at the trailhead that tells you its length and difficulty level.
Pine Creek Canyon is one of the easier hikes with a rewarding destination. The trail leads you to an aging homestead that lies alongside a creek that’s shaded by large pine trees and a wide variety of other plants. The old ruins and lush vegetation make Pine Creek Canyon a popular hike. One of the more challenging hikes is Ice Box Canyon. Large boulders block the mouth of the trail so you have to do a little rock scrambling before you’re able to enter the actual canyon. Rock scrambling combines a bit of climbing and hiking. It is one of the most popular activities in Red Rock because of the massive boulders that cover the mountainside.
