Are you planning a tremendous journey to Nevada, and need to go to the most effective National Parks close to Las Vegas? While Vegas is most well-known for its leisure, playing, and even hockey, it additionally occurs to be completely located amongst a number of stunning nationwide parks!
Las Vegas is a strategic hub for vacationers and adventurers who’re making ready to discover the southwestern United States. It is strategically positioned near many breathtaking places in not solely Nevada, however California, Utah, and Arizona as effectively.
National Parks Near Las Vegas
There are a number of nice nationwide parks situated inside straightforward driving distance of Las Vegas, however in case you actually need to get the complete expertise of this superb space, there are additionally loads of National Recreational Areas, National Conservation Areas, and National Preserves, and State Parks. If you add these to your listing of locations to go to, your choices change into virtually limitless!
1. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NV)
Distance: 21 miles, Driving time: 0.5 hours
Red Rock Canyon is without doubt one of the closest parks to Las Vegas and one of the crucial stunning. With big cliffs, big rock formations, and crimson boulders in all places, it’s a hotspot for individuals like photographers and rock climbers.
Even if mountain climbing or climbing isn’t your factor, a one-way 13-mile lengthy highway loops by the park and showcases a few of its finest sights.
If time is of the essence, however you continue to need to get out and discover, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a good place to start out and is only a brief drive from the town lifetime of Vegas!
2. Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NV)
Distance: 21 miles, Driving time: 0.5 hours
Another location discovered extraordinarily near Las Vegas, Lake Mead, is just a brief half-hour drive from the town and is the most important freshwater reservoir within the space. This artifical lake was created by the well-known Hoover Dam and is so huge that it extends from Nevada into Arizona.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area may be very giant, and inside it, you could find two big lakes, canyons, valleys, cliffs, and mountains. There are additionally loads of wilderness areas to discover as effectively.
Some of the extra standard actions at Lake Mead embody fishing, swimming, and wakeboarding, and there’s by no means a scarcity of boats out on the water. This lake is the proper place to chill off from the desert warmth and benefit from the pure environment.
3. Valley of Fire State Park (NV)
Distance: 60 miles, Driving time: 1 hour
If you’re planning a visit to go to Lake Mead, you then received’t need to miss Valley of Fire State Park as effectively. In reality, it is perhaps a good suggestion to mix a go to to each of those superb places.
This park will get its identify from the crimson sandstone cliffs and rock formations, they usually shine as if on hearth throughout dawn and sundown. There are quite a lot of mountain climbing trails by Valley of Fire, in addition to loads of campsites for park guests to make the most of.
Valley of Fire State Park is each panorama and outside photographer’s dream location, and the attractive surroundings is second to none. Don’t overlook your digicam whenever you go to go to!
4. Death Valley National Park (CA)
Distance: 110 miles, Driving time: 2 hours
Death Valley is definitely the closest nationwide park to Las Vegas. It can be well-known for a lot of issues, like being the largest nationwide park within the decrease 48 states. It additionally holds the information for the bottom level in elevation in North America and the most well liked and driest location in North America.
So why would anybody need to go to a spot like this? Luckily there are a lot of causes, and there’s way more than simply desert as its identify and repute would have you ever imagine!
Death Valley has big sand dunes, mountains coated in snow, giant canyons, mosaic badlands, and even a number of waterfalls, relying on the time of yr.
5. Snow Canyon State Park (UT)
Distance: 170 miles, Driving time: 2 hours 25 minutes
The first location on our listing present in Utah, Snow Canyon State Park, is known for its giant canyons which are carved out of white and crimson sandstone. The surroundings is breathtaking right here, and due to the gentle climate, it’s open year-round.
Popular actions that may be discovered at Snow Canyon State Park embody mountain climbing, biking, horseback driving, tenting, and images.
Located just some hours exterior of Las Vegas, Snow Canyon is one place you have to go to to really respect. Many individuals argue that if this park was present in every other state, it might simply be a nationwide park. You could even end up by no means wanting to depart!
6. Zion National Park
Distance: 170 miles, Driving time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Zion National Park is without doubt one of the nation’s hottest and most visited nationwide parks, and for an excellent purpose. This park is totally beautiful. From the canyon partitions to the white, yellow, and orange cliffsides, in all places you flip right here is breathtaking.
One of the most effective views in all the park is of Zion Canyon, carved from the Virgin River. The cliffs and mountains on this space are world-class and attract guests from all world wide.
There is loads to do in Zion National Park, and the preferred actions embody mountain climbing and mountaineering. If you ever get the prospect to go to Zion, you’ll little question have an expertise you’ll keep in mind endlessly.
7. Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
Distance: 185 miles, Driving time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Found in Southern California, Joshua Tree National Park is a desert wonderland that’s chock-full of attention-grabbing and exquisite issues to see. While the Joshua timber are clearly the primary attraction and the place the park bought its identify, there are many different desert sights to discover.
One of the preferred actions at Joshua Tree is tenting, and there are quite a few campsites out there for anybody visiting the park.
Somewhat over a 3-hour drive from Vegas, Joshua Tree National Park is a good place for some stunning desert surroundings and exploration. You may even stumble into some previous homesteads and goldmines as effectively!
8. Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (UT)
Distance: 190 miles, Driving time: 3 hours
Utah has some superb parks; fortunately, Las Vegas sits proper subsequent to the Nevada and Utah border. Coral Pink Sand Dunes is one among these and is commonly missed by guests due to the opposite bigger and extra well-known nationwide parks within the space.
Just because the identify implies, there are crimson and pink sand dunes on this park which are the primary sights. These have been fashioned by the erosion of Navajo sandstone cliffs.
One of the preferred actions at this park is driving ATV’s all through the dunes, however different guests additionally get pleasure from tenting, mountain climbing, and images. If any of those sound like enjoyable to you, then Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park must be in your listing!
9. Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
Distance: 270 miles, Driving time: 4 hours
Bryce Canyon National Park is discovered simply east of Zion National Park and is most frequently visited by people who find themselves there to see each parks. In reality, these two parks are sometimes mixed in a single journey for many guests, and you may’t get pleasure from one with out the opposite!
Bryce Canyon is known for its rock spires in addition to its cliffs, canyon partitions, and different rock formations that type a pure amphitheater.
Plenty of trails assist you to drop down into Bryce Canyon and discover these rock formations and surroundings up shut, and that is positively the most effective issues to do whereas visiting this iconic nationwide park.
10. Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim (AZ)
Distance: 275 miles, Driving time: 4 hours quarter-hour
The Grand Canyon may simply be probably the most well-known pure attraction within the nation, and possibly even the world. More than 6 million guests journey right here every year to witness this breathtaking surroundings, and Las Vegas is without doubt one of the finest beginning factors on this journey.
Everything from the mountain climbing trails to witnessing dawn or sundown over the canyon will depart you speechless, and there’s no scarcity of actions for guests and explorers.
Visiting the Grand Canyon ranks excessive on many individuals’s listing of journey locations, and fortunately Las Vegas is shut sufficient to this spectacular landmark constructed by nature.
11. Kodachrome State Park (UT)
Distance: 285 miles, Driving time: 4 hours half-hour
Found southeast of Bryce Canyon National Park, Kodachrome State Park is filled with colourful sandstone spires, crimson rock boulders and mountains, and clear blue skies. This park is the proper spot to get out and luxuriate in nature at its best.
There is loads of mountain climbing, horseback driving, and mountain biking trails all through this park and quite a few tenting alternatives scattered in and across the park.
Kodachrome State Park gives a few of the most vivid and vibrant pure colours of anyplace round, all whereas providing loads of locations to get out and discover. While it might be final on our listing, it definitely isn’t the least!
National Parks Near Las Vegas | Conclusion
Las Vegas is a good metropolis with loads of sights and issues to do for the common individual. But if you’re like me and love the outside, it may be the proper place to begin to get out and go to a few of the finest parks and landscapes within the nation. With such shut proximity to some superb pure wonders, Las Vegas is actually the most effective locations to start out your journey!