Gypsy Wagon Adventures: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a short 25 minute drive west of Las Vegas. This birdandhike.com website is a valuable trip planning resource for this and many other parks.

This was our first chance to use our America the Beautiful pass. This pass is $80/year and provides free entry to many federal parks in the USA. This one included. We will more than pay for this pass by the end of summer. This park has a $15/car entry fee for those without a pass.

Driving west on the approach to the park. When you see a line of cars on the right-hand shoulder queue up because this is your line! Trip advisor warned that this park was busy on weekends. While waiting to get through the fee gate took about 15 minutes there was plenty of parking at the Visitor's Centre and at most pull-outs along this one-way 13 miles scenic drive.

The picture is a little bit dark but this is the sign just before the fee gates.

Lest the previous picture lull you into thinking we are alone .. . . we had to wait for a slow break in the line to get the previous shot.

This is an amazing picture window in the visitor's centre. Alex was not into watching the film. We are professional visitor centre film watchers so it was difficult not to see it. I am sure I can find it online somewhere. Got my magnet though :).

There are a number of informative outdoor displays. The turtles were hiding today.

Alex was great at taking out the window photos along the route. This is a newly repaved one way road with gently rolling hills. There were many road cyclists, joggers and trail runners in the park today. The generous width of the road makes passing safe and easy. Speed limit 35 mph.

We did pull out at the picnic area to enjoy some lunch. The picture provides no clue as to the sheer height of these formations. This is a very popular climbing and bouldering spot. We were entertained trying to pick out the climbers.