5 Unique Hiking Spots Near Las Vegas, NV

Despite popular belief, Las Vegas is a fairly small city. Surrounded by a dry desert landscape, it can be easy for hikers that are new to the area to feel like there aren’t many places for them to visit and explore. This, however, couldn’t be further from the truth. As a Las Vegas local and avid hiker/adventurer, I’ve quickly learned that the Las Vegas area is home to many different landscapes with many different hiking trails. Some of these are fairly popular and well-known, but some are not as frequently talked about amongst the hiking community.

Just North of Vegas lives Southern Nevada’s biggest secrets: wildlife refuges. A lot of social media surrounding hiking focuses primarily on National Parks, State Parks, and National Monuments. What not a lot of people talk about, however, are the hundreds of wildlife refuges in the United States. These are some of my favorite places to visit. They are usually quieter than the more talked-about parks as they don’t see as much foot traffic. Plus, they’re completely free to visit. It’s a win-win across the board.

Besides the wildlife refuges, there are some worth-wile spots within Southern Nevada’s more popular hiking destinations that do not get enough credit. This includes the many different state parks and recreational areas in or around Las Vegas that regular hikers may not know about yet.

This list will go over the different trails in these places and help you pick a unique place to visit for your next weekend adventure.

5. Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Now, while Lake Mead in and of itself is not an uncommon place for people to visit, people aren’t usually visiting Lake Mead to hike. Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers plenty to do for the whole family from swimming to boating to biking. With all of this happening, hiking is sometimes the last thing to cross people’s minds when considering visiting the Lake Mead area.

Just about a 40 minute drive West of Vegas, Lake Mead is home to some pretty cool trails.

White Owl Canyon Trail

White Owl Canyon is a roughly 3.6 mile loop trail on the outskirts of Lake Mead and is one of my favorite trails in the Lake Mead area.

The biggest feature of this trail is the slot canyon that makes up a good portion of the hike. If you look closely while inside the canyon, you can see signs of the white barn owls that nest in the canyon during the spring time. These owls and the scat/pellets that are left behind by them are what gives the canyon its name.

The trail itself is fairly easy with only just over 300 feet of elevation gain throughout the entire 3.6 miles.

There are a couple of spots within the canyon where you will have to climb down or up (depending on which direction you do the trail in). They may seem difficult as first, but for the most part, these spots are still easy to do for the average person. I would recommend using some sort of GPS if you are planning to do the entire loop as some of the spots after the canyon can become difficult to navigate due to a lack of clear trail.

Sunset View Trail

Sunset view is an easy 1 mile out-and-back trail located on the bank of Lake Mead. As the name suggests, this trail is a great spot to take in the views. With an abundance of different footpaths, you can really choose any way from the parking lot to the lake.

It’s best to do this trail as a sunrise or sunset hike. This is when you’ll get the best views of the lake as the light reflects perfectly off its surface. This spot is a great place to relax and reflect. While it does get a lot of attention during these popular times of day, this trail has a lot of hidden nooks and crannies that you can tuck yourself away in to enjoy the stunning views alone.

4. Calico Basin

While this is definitely one of the more well-known spots on this list, I still feel like it does not get nearly as much love as it should.

Calico Basin sits just outside of Red Rock National Conservation Area scenic loop to the west. At only a 25 minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip, Calico Basin is the perfect spot to visit if you’re looking for the gorgeous hikes that Red Rock has to offer without the price. That’s right, since Calico Basin is outside of the Red Rock scenic loop, you don’t have to worry about the entrance fee or reservation system that comes along with visiting Red Rock.

Calico Basin is home of many different trails ranging from easy boardwalk strolls to more difficult scrambling adventures.

Kraft Mountain Loop Trail

One of the most popular trails in this area is the Kraft Mountain Loop Trail. This is one of my favorites because it’s the perfect length and terrain to make for a moderately challenging, yet very doable, hike. This trail clocks in at about 3.5 miles and offers stunning views of the boulder-filled landscape hidden behind the mountain.

3. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

This location, compared to the others, is a bit further away from the Las Vegas Strip. The 1.5 hour drive is definitely worth it though. This Wildlife Refuge is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to escape the busy city — or even the busier trails in more popular hiking locations. It is fairly secluded, and I’ve noticed there are not a lot of people who know about it. It’s a hidden gem in the harsh desert climate.

The trails in this area are all short, boardwalk trails. This is a wildlife refuge that is working to re-establish, preserve, and protect the natural vegetation in the area. Because of this, they ask that visitors stay on the main trails and avoid leaving the boardwalks. All of the boardwalk trails are very easy and quick, so you can either do this as a short add-on to a trip, or take some time to enjoy all the different aspects of this place in a whole day. There is no place to camp here though, so just keep that in mind.

Crystal Marsh Loop

My favorite trail here was hands-down the Crystal Marsh Loop trail. This is a 0.9 mile boardwalk loop trail that takes you past its main attraction: Crystal Spring. Crystal Spring is one of the most crystal-clear, bright blue bodies of water I have seen anywhere near Las Vegas. This breathtaking aquifer is also home to the Ash Meadows Amargosa Pupfish. These pupfish are endangered, so you will only ever see them here where there are conservation efforts in place to protect their populations.

Most of the trails at this refuge are going to be easy and worth the visit, so don’t forget to add Ash Meadows to the itinerary next time you are passing by or planning a day trip for you and the family.

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