Outdoor Recreation
Get outside in the Las Vegas Valley
The desert setting is more varied than it looks from the Strip — canyons, an alpine mountain, a lake, and a genuine wetlands, all within an hour’s drive.
Natural Areas & Preserves
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
A 13-mile scenic drive loops through dramatic red sandstone formations just west of Summerlin, with trailheads for everything from short overlooks to serious multi-hour hikes.
West of Summerlin
Natural Areas & Preserves
Mount Charleston
A genuinely alpine escape less than an hour from the Strip — pine forests, snow in winter, and temperatures often 20-30 degrees cooler than the valley floor in summer.
Spring Mountains, northwest of the valley
Natural Areas & Preserves
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
The valley's main large-water recreation area, offering boating, fishing, and swimming inside a dramatic desert canyon setting, with several marinas and beaches to choose from.
Southeast of Henderson
Natural Areas & Preserves
Springs Preserve
A cultural and botanical site built around the valley's original natural springs, with museums, walking trails, and desert-adapted gardens — a good introduction to the region's actual ecology.
Central Las Vegas
Natural Areas & Preserves
Clark County Wetlands Park
An unexpected wetlands ecosystem in the middle of the desert, formed by the valley's urban runoff — a genuinely good spot for birdwatching and a quiet walk away from the Strip's crowds.
East Las Vegas / Henderson border
Trails
River Mountains Loop Trail
A paved, 34-mile multi-use trail connecting Henderson, Boulder City, and Lake Mead — a serious option for road cyclists and a scenic one for casual walkers doing shorter sections.
Henderson to Boulder City
Golf
Bali Hai Golf Club
A tropical-themed public course with the Strip's skyline as a backdrop — one of the more distinctive rounds of golf in the valley, and genuinely walkable from several Strip resorts.
South Las Vegas Boulevard
Dog Parks
Desert Breeze Dog Park
A well-maintained, separately fenced large- and small-dog park inside the broader Desert Breeze Park complex, a longtime favorite for west-valley dog owners.
West Las Vegas / near The Lakes
Family Parks
Sunset Park
One of the valley's largest and most-used community parks, with a lake, playgrounds, sports fields, and picnic ramadas — a genuine gathering spot rather than just a patch of grass.
East Las Vegas / Henderson border