Red rocks by morning at a national park just outside Las Vegas, Nevada.
Just a few miles outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, just past the beautifully developed homes and shopping centers of Summerlin, stands Red Rock Canyon, a national conservation area. I drove out very early, coffee in hand, to see if I could catch a good sunrise over the landscape. I hadn’t found much information on whether this scenic spot was mostly hiking trails or drive-able roads – I was hoping for roads, because even in the cool of the early morning, solo hiking in the desert didn’t strike me as a good idea.
It was the 4th of July, and there were plenty of tourists up early and driving out with me to explore the canyon. The roads were busy with cyclists, too. We all passed through the park gates and began the 13-mile one-way loop through amazing desert territory. Yes, thankfully, there were roads as well as hiking trails, and plenty of parking at scenic overlook spots!
Signs warned visitors of a $500 fine for feeding the burros and wild horses, but on this trip, I didn’t see any. There were also “tortoise crossing” signs, but those probably blended in with the landscape and I missed seeing those as well. I did spot two shy kangaroo rats bounding around in the bushes.
I overheard a cyclist telling a tourist he tried to finish his ride by 9:30 a.m. because of the heat, and that sounded like a good rule for me, too. The sun was high and hot overhead by 8:30 a.m. when I drove back to Las Vegas to enjoy the rest of the 4th of July holiday on the strip. It was one of the best 4th of July holidays I’ve had since starting this travel adventure!
Happy Independence Day 2018!
~ The Dauntless Princess ~