Three scenic day trips from Las Vegas
Three options for day trips from Las Vegas to get out in nature are:
- Valley of Fire State Park
- Zion National Park
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Maybe, like me, you’d never heard of Valley of Fire State Park. But of the three, it’s my top choice. Read on to see why!
Why we love days trips from Las Vegas
Day trips from Las Vegas let us briefly escape the hustle and bustle of the Strip and enjoy the scenic southwest. And since we’re just doing day trips from Las Vegas and not staying overnight, we don’t have to worry about finding a hotel – at night we’re back on the Strip in the comfort of our casino resort.
Will Covid Impact Day Trips from Las Vegas?
If you are considering day trips from Las Vegas during the Covid pandemic, it is especially important to check each destination’s website for details before you hit the road. Not all sites are running normal operations.
Transportation for Day Trips from Las Vegas
If you are flying into Vegas for a vacation on the Strip, you can often rent a car for the day from inside your own casino resort or one nearby. This works for us – we find that other than our day trip out of Vegas, we don’t need a car for an on-Strip vacation.
Day Trip from Las Vegas to Valley of Fire State Park
Valley of Fire State Park is approximately one hour northeast of Vegas. It is well worth the drive – we easily spent half a day enjoying the beauty of the park and doing easy strolls and short hikes.
We’re from Pittsburgh, where the state parks are full of green trees and rolling hills. So Valley of Fire was such a treat! It’s so different from what we see at home, and the park even has petroglyphs over 2,000 years old! Just be prepared for limited shade – you’ll definitely be out in the full sun most of your visit.
We were fascinated by the petroglyphs that can be found throughout Valley of Fire State Park.
When you arrive, you will pay a $10 per car entrance fee. I recommend that you stop at the Visitor Center first to get a map and learn about the park. (Check the park’s website for hours.)
Compared to the congestion in Zion and the new procedures at Red Rock Canyon (see below), visiting Valley of Fire State Park is a breeze. We especially enjoyed how during our visit (a weekday in January 2020) we had most areas to ourselves. We encountered maybe only 20 other people inside the park. Is Valley of Fire a hidden gem? Or is it maybe more busy on weekends? At any rate, we loved it.
The landscape seemed other-worldly at Valley of Fire State Park. It was such a memorable visit!
Day Trip from Las Vegas to Zion National Park
Visiting Zion National Park is a big deal. Over 500,000 people per month visit during the spring and summer. You won’t find the solitary conditions that we enjoyed at Valley of Fire State Park.
A visit to Zion National Park from Las Vegas requires advance planning. (Especially now – during Covid – when the must-ride Park Shuttle is by advance reservation only!)
So plan on making Zion National Park’s website your new best friend. No joke. You need to visit the park’s website for updates:
- as you plan from home
- before you plunk down your credit card in Vegas for the car rental
- again before you hit the road for the 2.5 hour drive from Vegas to Zion National Park
The year we visited Zion we were in Vegas in June. So many of the cautions on the park website impacted us – difficult parking, extreme heat, etc.
How difficult is the parking in Zion National Park?
If the parking lots at Zion National Park are full, you will have to pay to park in the nearby town of Springdale. From there you will take the free town shuttle to get to Zion National Park. You’ll pay admission to enter Zion National Park ($35 per vehicle, good for one week). Then once in the park, you will find that you need to plan on riding a second shuttle – called the Park Shuttle – throughout the park to see the sights. (And it’s that Park Shuttle that is by-advance-reservation-only as of now.)
Riding the Park Shuttle in Zion National Park is required if you want to reach some areas of the park.
How difficult is the heat in Zion National Park?
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It is not unusual for temps in the summer to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more. So taking water bottles is key! We refilled ours at the Visitor’s Center; the park’s website lists the location of other refill stations. (Heads up: the park doesn’t sell bottled water but does sell refillable water bottles.)
And oddly, one of my fondest memories of Zion is how clean the air smelled. After an allergy-filled spring here in my hometown of Pittsburgh, I felt like once I got to Springdale, I could get a big lung-full of air for the first time in weeks. Maybe it was the lack of humidity and wide-open spaces?
During our visit to Zion National Park, we enjoyed bright blue skies that showed off the beautiful red of the landscape.
We didn’t do any actual hiking – just some leisurely strolls to see what we could see after exiting the Park Shuttle at various stops. With the extreme heat, we were happy to focus more on enjoying the sights than getting strenuous exercise!
We stuck to the walking paths and enjoyed views of the canyon walls.
And don’t forget to bring your “Passport to Your National Parks” booklet to get it stamped! I love keeping track of which national parks I’ve visited – and in my passport booklet I can see at a glance how many more there are to see!
What if we’re not visiting Zion during the summer?
In looking at the park’s “Operating Hours and Seasons” webpage, you’ll see that visiting in the spring, fall, and winter comes with its own challenges. Yes, you’ll have less extreme heat and fewer fellow visitors. But be sure to visit this webpage to be aware of extreme weather conditions, limited or non-existent Park Shuttle operations, areas closed due to flooding, etc. Mother Nature is extreme in Zion!
Day Trip from Las Vegas to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
This is the day trip from Vegas that I didn’t get to do personally, but my husband and his sister loved it.
(I was home, instead of in Vegas, taking care of my beloved, elderly yellow lab, Ned Devine. We were blessed to have him with us through the beginning of 2019. I love to travel, but I was happy to stay home for that sweet guy!)
This rocky trail at Red Rock Canyon is a good reason to pack sturdy walking shoes.
They enjoyed the scenery and some easy walks when they visited in early 2019. But there have been some changes since then. Read on for an important (non-Covid) update about visiting Red Rock Canyon in 2020 and beyond.
Red Rock Canyon is similar to Valley of Fire State Park in that it is closer to Vegas than Zion National Park. Red Rock Canyon is located approximately 35 minutes west of the Strip. Be aware that the entrance fee is $15 per vehicle.
Like Valley of Fire and Zion, if you plan on visiting Red Rock Canyon during these days of Covid, you must check the website first. For example, as of this writing, the Visitor’s Center is closed, but the 13-mile Scenic Drive and trails are open.
About that pesky Timed Entry Permit to enter Red Rock Canyon
There’s a super big update that seems unrelated to Covid and more about congestion inside Red Rock Canyon. As of November 2020, Red Rock Canyon is now requiring Timed Entry permits. This means that you must make a reservation in advance to enter the park, and the reservation gives you a one-hour arrival window. This seems pretty restrictive to me.
The park website reports their rationale: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area “is the most visited National Conservation Area in the country with over 3.5 million visitors last year. Visitors experience a high level of congestion in many areas of the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive area from October through May.” You can see more details about this on their FAQs page.
Plus, to make the reservation you have to create an online account and pay a $2 processing fee. Here in Pittsburgh, there are no reservations needed to enter parks, so this feels like a hassle to me. The Timed Entry Permit at Red Rock seems like a hoop that I’m not sure I’d jump through when I can visit Valley of Fire State Park without a reservation.
Considering your Options for Day Trips from Las Vegas
If you’re considering day trips from Las Vegas and are willing to plan in advance, Zion National Park or Red Rock Canyon are options. But if you’re looking for more of a spur-of-the-moment day trip from Vegas, I’d recommend Valley of Fire State Park.
Why I recommend visiting Valley of Fire State Park
Out of the three options for day trips from Las Vegas, here’s why I recommend Valley of Fire State Park:
- Cost – less than Zion and Red Rock Canyon
- Distance – a little farther than Red Rock Canyon but closer than Zion
- Hassle-free – no worries about parking, shuttles, or reserving tickets
At Valley of Fire State Park, you get all of the scenic beauty without all the hassles.
What to bring on your day trip from Las Vegas
Regardless of which site you choose, you will often be in remote areas, both during the drive and in the park itself. Before you drive away from the Strip, be sure to have with you:
- filled water bottles
- a hat
- sunscreen (I use this brand because it is cruelty-free and has no parabens or phthalates)
- sunglasses
- sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes (these are also good for walking up and down the Strip)
- a fully-charged cell phone and your charger
- credit card or cash to pay the admittance fee
And if you’re visiting Zion, don’t forget your “Passport to Your National Parks” booklet.
All three sites – Valley of Fire, Zion, or Red Rock Canyon – will give you a beautiful view of the scenic southwest. It’s up to you how much planning you want to do in advance. Safe travels!
