Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon is a favourite among Northerners looking to climb outdoors during the winter months. Red Rocks offers something for everyone with world class boulders, sport climbs, trad climbs, and multi pitch routes across the grades. The climbs are a short drive away but approaches can vary from 5 minutes to over 2 hours depending on what you are looking to climb.
The climbing is generally on positive edges of various sizes, although it can be slopey at times. There are enough cracks that jamming skills will help and the slippery varnished rock will demand your attention to footwork. Due to the soft and porous nature of Aztec sandstone, rain will shut down climbing in the canyons until the rock is completely dry.
There is a lifetime of climbing to be had at Red Rocks. On your trip, you should at least climb one multi-pitch classic that finishes on top of the many features. The view over the Canyon and Las Vegas is well worth it and walk-offs guarantee there will be no stuck ropes while rappelling as it goes dark.
Access
Best time to visit is late October to April.
Day passes costs $15 per car and an annual pass into the park is $30 per person. Although there are climbing options outside of the canyon, your options become limited without a pass. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass gives you access to all National Parks and Conservation Areas for $80 and admits the pass holder along with 3 adults in one vehicle. Depending on the length of your stay and travel plans for the next 12 months, the $80 pass potentially offers the best value.
Gates open at 6:00 AM every day and closes at 5:00 PM, 7:00 PM, or 8:00 PM depending on the time of the year. You’ll need to be aware of this is you have plans on getting an early start to climb one of the long classics or if there is a chance you will be late returning to your car. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has an easy to use late exit system that you’ll need to use to avoid a potential $125 parking ticket.
Camping
The most convenient location to camp is Red Rock Canyon Campground located just 5km from the entrance gate. Sites are available on a first come first serve system at $15/night with a maximum of 9 people per site.
Group campsites can be reserved in advance, $40/night for groups of up to 20 people.
If the campground is full you can always try your luck with making friends and crashing a site for the night with offers of beers and/or splitting the fee. Failing that, Lovell Canyon, 16km north-west of the gates, has free sites but no facilities.
If you are sleeping in your vehicle, there are plenty of pullouts and parking lots nearby that will do for an evening in a pinch.
Nearby Amenities
For groceries, the nearest option is Albertson’s. Close enough to the campground that a daily shop for fresh food would not be too inconvenient. Slightly further on the same road you can find Target and Whole Foods.
Desert Rock Sports is the place for your climbing needs. Staff is friendly and will happily give you local recommendations. REI is nearby if you can’t find what you need at Desert Rock Sports.
After a few days of climbing you may want to clean up a bit. Red Rock Climbing Centre (same plaza as Desert Rock Sports) will let you use their shower facilities for $4. The shower is nice and hot.
For cheap eats, our recommendation would be Roberto’s for delicious tacos and burritos. Closer to camp is China One, good portions that won’t break the bank. If you are really hungry, consider making a short drive and visit Hash House A Go Go for portions larger than any human should eat in one sitting.
Attractions
Grand Canyon National Park is 450km away. This UNESCO World Heritage site is at that distance that makes you hesitate if you should plan a visit. I’ll make the decision for you, go! Spend a full day to visit this incredible landscape, stay longer if your schedule allows. Make the drive from Las Vegas after your climbing session, wake up to a sunset over the Grand Canyon, stay until sunset, then drive back to Vegas. It will be a long day, but I doubt you’ll regret it. The scale of this natural wonder is overwhelming and one simply has to experience its magnitude to really appreciate its beauty.
If you’re not up for such a long drive, head to the hottest, driest, and lowest place in North America. Death Valley National Park is only 200km away. Expect a full of day of driving through changing terrain, stopping at multiple scenic viewpoints, and hiking trails of varying lengths. At the end of the day you’ll be rewarded with one of the darkest skies in the United States – have your star gazing App ready.
Both Grand Canyon and Death Valley will be effectively “free” attractions if you already purchased your America the Beautiful Pass for your Red Rocks climbing.
Just outside of Las Vegas is the Hoover Dam. Constructed in art deco style during the Great Depression, it continues to provide power to three states. The views of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are worthwhile. Avoid going on weekends or public holidays because parking spaces cannot handle the volume of visitors. Parking is $10 but if you drive up to the last lot, you can park for free and just walk down. Hoover Dam would be a perfect excursion for the first or last day of your trip or after a climbing session that gets cut short for whatever reason.
No visit to Las Vegas would be complete without at least a night or two in town. Spend an evening walking The Strip and people watching. Walk by blackjack tables and get staggered by people losing/winning your entire trip budget in one hand. Take in the dancing fountain and exploding volcano shows in front of the Bellagio and Mirage Casinos.
Spoil yourself and see a Cirque de Soleil production, a burlesque show, or the latest winner of America’s Got Talent. For a slight change in scenery, head to the neon lights of Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. The five block stretch was once the “main street” of Las Vegas. Walk under a 1500 foot long and 90 foot wide TV screen suspended as a canopy above four blocks of Fremont and enjoy the light show. Sensory overload is the most likely outcome of any evening in town. Have fun.
Guidebooks
SuperTopo sells Red Rocks Climbing, a collection of the classic climbs
The consensus best guidebook for the area is Jerry Handren’s definitive RED ROCKS A Climbers Guide 2nd Edition
For bouldering there is Tom Moulin’s Southern Nevada Bouldering II