Get wild: Guide to public lands in and around Las Vegas

For a few months each year, time slows down in Las Vegas. Temperatures swelter into the triple digits. Migrating birds are settled in cooler parts of the globe, visitation to Nevada’s wildlands dwindles and even desert reptiles carefully adjust their schedules to make the most of the day. We humans, too, find respite in spots of shade and air-conditioned buildings, avoiding the sun as we go. But as reliable as a glorious Great Basin sunset, seasons change.

Fall is here, which means the birds are back, heading south for winter, and many of us are spending our days lacing up hiking boots, dusting off the kayaks and unpacking the camping and climbing gear.

Hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, birding, off-roading, rock climbing, camping, exploring. The list of ways to enjoy Nevada is as endless as our desert horizon.

Outside of Alaska, Nevada has more public land than any other state, with nearly 85 percent of the land owned and operated by the government. While some of the land is off-limits for military use, millions of acres remain open for residents and visitors to enjoy. That includes Nevada’s only national park, state parks, wildlife areas, forests, recreation areas, trails and wildernesses.

Saturday, Sept. 27, is National Public Lands Day, celebrating this side of Nevada. The date has been marked by nationwide volunteer efforts since 1994 — not to mention it’s a fee-free day in the national park system. According to the National Park Service, 130 national parks held events last year with thousands of volunteers and 41,500 hours of service. (The next fee-free day is Veterans Day, on Nov. 11.)

While the day is filled with clean-ups and community service, it’s also an opportunity for residents to explore the outdoors that make Southern Nevada so unique. The common goal? “Stewarding America’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy.”

Most national parks have an entrance fee of around $30 per car, or visitors can buy an annual pass with access to all parks and park system areas for $80.

That said, our wild areas extend well beyond the national park system.

Here are some areas to check out in and around Las Vegas:

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Nevada’s only national park

Great Basin National Park

Of the nation’s 63 parks, Great Basin is the 10th-least visited, with 150,000 visitors in 2024. The park, about a 4½-hour drive northeast of Las Vegas, stands nearly alone in the vast desert, home to the 13,000-foot Wheeler Peak and historic Lehman Caves. With dozens of trails, there is a great deal of biodiversity to witness, along with some of the darkest skies in the world. Plus? It’s free to visit.

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Nearby national parks

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley, aptly named for being the hottest, lowest and driest point in the Lower 48, is also the largest park outside of Alaska. A short two-hour drive from Las Vegas can get you there, passing through the Mojave and Great Basin deserts. A little closer to home, 110,000 acres of the park exist as an annex in Southern Nevada, in Amargosa Valley. With rich history, intriguing geology and surprising diversity in landscapes, flora and experiences, both sections are worth a visit. Temperatures in the summer soar to torturous levels, so aim for a late fall or winter visit.

Zion National Park

A stark contrast to Great Basin’s visitation, Zion is one of the most popular parks in the country. About three hours from Las Vegas, the stunning canyon makes way for unforgettable hikes for all levels. For the daring hiker, a permit is required for the palm-sweat-inducing Angels Landing. For those seeking adventure at a slower pace, arrive early for the Narrows hike, an out-and-back adventure through the Virgin River and unforgettable slot canyons. Keep your eyes to the skies in search of a soaring California condor, a reintroduced species of vulture with a now-wild population in the hundreds.

Grand Canyon National Park

Where the river flows, people go. The Grand Canyon area has been inhabited for 12,000 years, and visited by millions since its official park designation in 1919. Enjoy hikes, adventures along the Colorado River and awe-inspiring views of one of Earth’s greatest carvings. If you’re not up for a rim-to-rim-to-rim hike (about 45 miles with 21,000 feet of elevation gain), a few companies in Las Vegas offer helicopter tours. One glance and you’ll understand why legendary naturalist John Muir once wrote, “It is a vast wilderness of rocks in a sea of light, colored and glowing like oak and maple woods in autumn, when the sun gold is richest.”

The North Rim is closed for the 2025 season because of the Dragon Bravo Wildfire. The West Rim in northwestern Arizona is accessible via a two-hour drive from Las Vegas.

Joshua Tree National Park

Three and a half hours southwest of Las Vegas lies the namesake of U2’s hit 1987 album. The vast sea of Joshua trees, spanning an area larger than Rhode Island, is home to the meeting place of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Explore this park with hikes, sightseeing, stargazing, rock climbing, camping, wildflower viewing, backpacking, horseback riding and off-roading.

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National areas

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

In 2021, Lake Mead was the fifth-most-visited national park area in the nation. The man-made reservoir along the Colorado River is the closest thing to a beach near Las Vegas, but visitors also enjoy hikes, boating, fishing, birding and much more. If you plan to take a boat out, be sure to check park alerts ahead of time. Lowering lake levels in our extended drought have meant a pattern shift for recreation, but don’t let that hold you back from enjoying the still-vast lake or its canyons.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Just outside of Las Vegas lies one of the West’s most stunning geological features. Red Rock (not “Rocks”) was formed from millions of years of shifting Aztec sandstone, iron concretions and limestone. What we see today originated during the Jurassic period, creating the masterpiece now visited by 3 million-plus people per year. Explore the loop for its scenic drive and bike riding, or go beyond the fee area for more stunning hikes into the towering red stones.

Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area

Sloan Canyon is one of the lesser-known parks near Las Vegas, but it is notable in its own right. Near Henderson, nearly 50,000 acres are part of this protected area, with a visitor center expected to open next year. The location is known for its petroglyphs, which have been protected since 1978. The site is home to more than 300 rock writing panels, according to the Bureau of Land Management, with nearly 1,700 designs representing several native cultures, including Puebloan, Patayan and Southern Paiute. While Petroglyph Canyon is open as a day-use area, contact BLM for group access to the more sensitive areas.

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area

Many residents are aware of Mount Charleston’s 50 miles of trails through the “sky island” northwest of Las Vegas. The full recreation area spans 317,000 acres, ranging from 3,000 feet to nearly 12,000 feet at the peak of the mountain. First-time hikers are typically surprised by the variety of life zones in the area, which provide habitat for at least 28 endemic species of insects, plants and animals. For fall leaves and winter scenes, head here.

But before venturing out to hike, Kassidy Merritt, a dispersed recreation officer with the U.S. Forest Service, said to stop by the Spring Mountains visitor center on Kyle Canyon Road.

The center is full of exhibits explaining what makes the area a sky island and what to expect to see while exploring the trails. This includes eight butterfly species found nowhere else in the world. With more visitors expected through fall, Merritt said visitors should respect wildlife, including the mountain’s wild horses.

“Visitors should never engage with wild horses, or any other species,” Merritt said.

Mojave National Preserve

Just an hour southwest of Las Vegas, near the California border, sits this often-overlooked park, the first national preserve. Hop off Interstate 15 after Mountain Pass and you’ll find yourself in a Joshua tree forest rivaling the sights of the namesake national park. For backcountry lovers, this is the place to be for stunning rock formations, dunes and otherwise undisturbed land. Watch out for endangered desert tortoises and heed any fire warnings: More than a million acres at Cima Dome are still growing back from a devastating 2020 fire.

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National wildlife refuges

National wildlife refuges are created for a purpose, typically to protect an at-risk species. In Southern Nevada, our four wildlife refuges are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and are free to visit.

Pahranagat

This roadside wetland along U.S. Highway 93 is often a drive-by for folks heading to Ely, but it’s worth the stop, especially for birders. Springs feed this lush riparian area full of marshes and cottonwood trees, acting as a stopover for migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway. In winter, expect to find a bald eagle or two.

Ash Meadows

Did you know there’s a spot in Nevada thought to be home to more endemic species than just about anywhere else in the nation? This season, expect to see the flora change to fields of gold, migrating birds, herds of bighorn sheep, and bobcats — and keep your eyes peeled for one of the area’s 26 endemic species, ranging from flowers to fish to snails. Flowers bloom all year here.

Moapa Valley

Another oasis in the desert, Moapa was created in 1979 to protect the Moapa dace, a small fish endemic to the Muddy River, and the thermal springs in which it lives. Sixty miles north of Las Vegas, visit the refuge Fridays through Sundays between September and May.

Desert

The largest wildlife refuge in the contiguous U.S., spanning 1.6 million acres, protects a variety of species, mainly the Nevada state mammal: desert bighorn sheep. The area is home to 320 bird species, 53 mammals and 35 reptiles, along with 500 plant species, some of which are endemic to the area. While Desert National Wildlife Refuge’s backcountry roads are a big draw, casual visitors can enjoy the Corn Creek visitors center and nearby nature trails.

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National monuments

Tule Springs Fossil Beds

At the northern edge of Las Vegas, find this land established in 2014, protecting Ice Age fossils of mammoths, camels, ground sloths, dire wolves and more. Hikers and walkers can access the area at the end of North Durango Drive.

Avi Kwa Ame

The state’s newest monument, also known as Spirit Mountain, is considered sacred by many Indigenous peoples. At Avi Kwa Ame, which spans more than 500,000 acres in Nevada’s southern tip, visitors can respectfully enjoy hiking, camping, hunting and more.

Gold Butte

Near the Virgin Mountains on the way to Utah, find this rugged monument with a human history going back thousands of years. Public access allows visitors to experience 300 miles of primitive, designated routes to see a variety of prehistoric, geological and biological features.

Brian Hires, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management, said this national monument saw about 88,000 visitors last year and is a critical habitat for the desert tortoise. The land is crucial for the species’ stability and recovery.

“When you visit, a must-see is the Navajo sandstone outcroppings that jut out near the Mud Wash area,” he said. “If you are lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the elusive desert tortoise meandering from its den in an attempt to forage for food and water.”

Basin and Range

Head straight north from Las Vegas for a few hours and you’ll find one of Nevada’s most remote — and not to mention stunning — landscapes. The area of 700,000 acres, proposed by late Sen. Harry Reid and made official by President Barack Obama in 2015, is also home to the privately held “City” land art by Michael Heizer.

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State parks

Nevada currently operates 27 state parks, with a handful near Las Vegas. Many require a small fee to enter, typically $5 to $10, but there is another way to see them for free. The Library Park Pass program launched in 2023, with a pass available to check out at local libraries. The pass covers day-use entry fees for one vehicle up to eight people, as well as museum fees. Passes can be checked out for a week at a time, but they do not cover camping or boating fees.

Clark County

Valley of Fire

Bright, swirling sandstone, petrified trees and petroglyphs dating back 2,000 years can be found in this photogenic park northeast of Las Vegas that is ripe for cool-weather hiking.

Ice Age Fossils

Adjacent to Tule Springs, this state park provides educational resources for prehistoric finds around the Las Vegas Valley.

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort

The first non-native settlement in the Las Vegas Valley can be found preserved in downtown. Beyond the fort, visitors can take in history and additional artifacts of early Las Vegas.

Spring Mountain Ranch

“Sprawling and splendid” is how the state describes this park, and they’re right. Right around the corner from Red Rock, find this historic (and very green) park with a colorful history, picturesque picnic opportunities and lovely trails.

While there are plenty of places to camp in the surrounding area, this park is for day-use only because of its delicate landscape, said Tyler Kerver, education and information officer for the Nevada Division of State Parks.

“For at least 8,000 years before the first homesteaders arrived, the land was home to the Nuwuvi bands — nomadic Indigenous people who saw this area as a land of abundance that met their every need. Later, the ranch itself was established and thriving nearly 40 years before Las Vegas even held its famous railroad land auction, a reminder that Southern Nevada’s story stretches far beyond the city lights,” Kerver said of the park’s history.

Today, visitors can see the ranch, which is the second-oldest building in Nevada, surrounded by red cliffs. Four well-known figures from L.A. once owned the ranch during what they call the ranch’s “Hollywood era.”

Kerver encouraged visitors to follow park rules and Leave No Trace principles, especially “respect other visitors.”

“Guests help preserve both the quiet beauty of the landscape and the sense of community it inspires.”

Big Bend of the Colorado

When in Laughlin, stop by this park along the Colorado River for hiking, birding, camping, watersports and beachgoing. Enjoy views of towering mountain ranges and clear water courtesy of Davis Dam.

Lincoln County

Beaver Dam

An underrated camping, fishing, and hiking spot, Beaver Dam features streams, waterfalls and forests near the Utah border.

Cathedral Gorge

Over tens of millions of years, the elements have carved this otherworldly field of formations made of silt, clay and volcanic ash. Camp out, stop for a picnic, hike and don’t forget the camera.

Echo Canyon

Boat, swim, fish and bird at this remote and peaceful 65-acre reservoir. The waters are filled with trout, bass and crappie while eagles, hawks, vultures and songbirds soar overhead.

Kershaw-Ryan

This lush mini oasis tucked into a small canyon features trails, picnic spots and camping.

Spring Valley

Home to the Eagle Valley Reservoir, this near-secret swimming and fishing hole is well known to the folks in Pioche. The park is part of the extensive Colorado River watershed with Great Basin riparian and desert life zones.

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Recreate responsibly

Leave no trace means leave no trace. Leave wild spaces better than you found them by packing out what you pack in and taking any trash you see along the way. No cairns, either. Stacking rocks disturbs the habitat of critters underneath.

Protect yourself. Make sure you are fully equipped to be in the wildland you choose. Around Las Vegas, that means more water than you think and safety tools in case you get lost in a remote area.

Remember, wild animals are not pets. That means no feeding, touching, disturbing or harassing. Keep a safe distance. No photo is worth an injury to yourself or an animal.

Watch your step! Stay on trails whenever marked, and make sure not to disturb critical habitat for wildlife. We know wildflower patches may be tempting for an Instagram shot, but crushing a flower is crushing a food source for birds and insects.

Know when to bail. Know your limits and don’t be afraid to call it quits, even if you’ve looked forward to the hike or trip. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself, especially if the elements are working against you.

Most importantly, have fun. The outdoors are for everyone to enjoy at their own pace.

Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Follow @kristendesilva on X.