Living in Las Vegas means having some incredible outdoor destinations within a few hours of home. From camping in the mountains to fishing, hiking, and exploring the desert, here are seven outdoor adventures I’m planning to finally make happen.
One of the things I’ve started realizing lately is that I don’t need to travel halfway around the world to have an adventure.
Don’t get me wrong. I love traveling, and I’ll take just about any opportunity to visit somewhere new. But between work, family responsibilities, and everything else that comes with everyday life, it’s not like I can jump on a plane every other weekend.
What I can do is get in my truck and drive an hour or two.
And considering I live in Las Vegas, that’s something I should have been taking advantage of a long time ago.
Southern Nevada is surrounded by some pretty incredible places. We’ve got mountains, lakes, deserts, national parks, and enough public land to keep someone busy for years.
The problem isn’t finding somewhere to go. It’s actually making the time to go.
As I mentioned in my previous article about finally putting my outdoor equipment to use, I’ve spent far too much time researching adventures and buying equipment instead of actually getting outside and doing something.
I’m trying to change that.
So I’ve put together seven outdoor adventures near Las Vegas that I’d like to start checking off my list.
Some are simple day trips. Others will require a little more planning. But they’re all realistic things I can do without taking a week off work or spending a fortune.
1. Spend a Night Camping at Mount Charleston
Location: Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Nevada
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 45–60 minutes
Best time to visit: Late spring through early fall, depending on elevation and weather
Mount Charleston seems like the obvious place to start.
It’s close to home, significantly cooler than Las Vegas during the warmer months, and offers a completely different environment from what we’re used to in the valley.
Instead of dirt, rocks, and Joshua trees, you’ve got pine forests, mountain trails, and actual shade.
And that’s exactly the kind of place I picture when I think about camping.
I’m not looking to disappear into the wilderness for a week. At least not yet.
For my first trip, I’d be perfectly happy finding a campground, setting up my tent, making dinner outside, and spending a quiet night in the mountains.
Maybe take a short hike in the afternoon, cook something good for dinner, and wake up early enough to enjoy the morning before heading home.
Nothing complicated.
There are several established campgrounds in the Spring Mountains, including McWilliams Campground in Lee Canyon and Fletcher View Campground in Kyle Canyon. Both are worth looking into, although availability, seasonal conditions, and fire restrictions need to be checked before heading up. Recreation.gov
The biggest advantage is that if I forget something important, I’m not stranded three hours from home.
That seems like a pretty good way to ease into camping.
My goal: Spend one night camping at Mount Charleston using the equipment I already own, without buying another $500 worth of stuff I probably don’t need.
2. Get Back Into Fishing at Lake Mead
Location: Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 30–60 minutes
Best time to visit: Fall through spring for more comfortable weather
I’ve been fishing since I was a kid.
You’d think that after all these years I’d actually be pretty good at it.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened.
But I’ve always enjoyed fishing, even when I don’t catch anything. There’s something nice about sitting next to the water, getting away from everything, and having absolutely nothing important to do for a few hours.
Lake Mead seems like the perfect place to start doing that again.
It’s close to home, there are plenty of places to explore, and I don’t need a boat or a bunch of expensive equipment to get started.
The National Park Service allows fishing from shore and boats throughout designated areas of Lake Mead. A valid Nevada or Arizona fishing license is required, and anglers need to follow the applicable fishing regulations. National Park Service
I’d like to start with a few simple morning trips.
Get up early, pack a small cooler, grab my fishing equipment, and find somewhere to spend a few hours.
I’m not particularly concerned about catching the biggest fish in the lake.
At this point, I’d be happy just getting out there regularly and figuring out what I’m doing again.
And if I manage to catch something along the way, even better.
Eventually, I’d like to start exploring some of the other fishing locations around Southern Nevada and Southern Utah.
But Lake Mead is close enough that I really have no excuse for not going.
My goal: Start fishing at least once a month, learn more about fishing Lake Mead, and hopefully improve my embarrassingly inconsistent fishing skills.
3. Actually Start Hiking at Red Rock Canyon
Location: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 30–45 minutes
Best time to visit: October through April
This is probably the easiest adventure on my list.
Red Rock Canyon is practically in my backyard, and it’s one of the most recognizable outdoor destinations in Southern Nevada.
Yet I haven’t spent nearly enough time taking advantage of the hiking opportunities there.
Red Rock has a 13-mile scenic drive and numerous hiking trails ranging from relatively easy walks to much more challenging routes.
You can spend an entire day exploring the area or just head out for a couple of hours.
The scenic drive also provides access to several trailheads, making it a convenient place to start exploring.
What appeals to me most is that hiking doesn’t require much preparation.
I don’t need to load up a bunch of camping equipment, plan meals, or figure out where I’m sleeping.
I just need a decent pair of shoes, some water, and enough motivation to leave the house.
That’s it.
I’d like to start with some shorter trails and gradually work my way toward longer hikes.
I’m not trying to set any records or climb the most difficult mountain I can find.
I just want to get outside, exercise a little, and explore some places I haven’t taken the time to see.
One thing worth knowing is that Red Rock Canyon requires timed-entry reservations for the Scenic Drive between October 1 and May 31 during designated daytime hours. Reservations can be made through Recreation.gov.
My goal: Start doing regular morning hikes at Red Rock Canyon and eventually work my way up to some of the more challenging trails.
4. Explore Valley of Fire State Park
Location: Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 60–90 minutes
Best time to visit: Fall, winter, and early spring
Valley of Fire is one of those places that looks like it belongs in another country.
The bright red sandstone formations, winding roads, and unusual rock formations make it look completely different from the typical desert landscape surrounding Las Vegas.
It’s also close enough for an easy day trip.
What interests me about Valley of Fire is the combination of hiking, photography, and exploring.
I enjoy filming and taking pictures, so a place like this seems perfect for bringing along my cameras and spending a morning wandering around.
I’d like to explore some of the park’s better-known locations, including the Fire Wave, White Domes, and the areas around the scenic roads.
I also wouldn’t mind eventually spending a night camping there.
The park has two established campgrounds, so that could be another relatively easy overnight adventure.
One important consideration is the weather.
Valley of Fire gets extremely hot during the summer, and several popular hiking trails close annually from May 15 through September 30 because of dangerous conditions. The park also has an annual maintenance closure from December 1 through December 14. It’s worth checking the Nevada State Parks website before planning a visit.
For me, this seems like an ideal trip for a cool fall or winter morning.
Leave early, spend a few hours exploring, get some good footage, and head home.
My goal: Spend a full morning exploring Valley of Fire, hike a few trails, and capture enough footage to put together a video about the experience.
5. Take the Ram Truck Camping at Gold Butte
Location: Gold Butte National Monument, Nevada
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 1.5–2.5 hours to the more accessible areas
Best time to visit: Fall through spring
This is one of the adventures I’m most interested in trying.
I have a Ram Rebel, and I’d love to start using it for something more interesting than driving around town.
Truck camping is something I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time watching on YouTube.
There’s something appealing about packing everything into the truck, driving somewhere remote, and setting up camp for the night.
No hotel reservations, no complicated itinerary, and no real schedule.
Just find somewhere you’re legally allowed to camp, make dinner, enjoy the evening, and head home the following day.
Gold Butte National Monument looks like an interesting place to eventually give this a shot.
Located northeast of Las Vegas, near Mesquite, the area offers rugged desert landscapes, sandstone formations, primitive camping, and miles of backcountry roads.
Whitney Pocket is one of the better-known locations and offers primitive camping opportunities. However, there are no developed camping facilities, and many roads farther into Gold Butte can require high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles. Bureau of Land Management
This probably wouldn’t be my very first camping trip.
I’d rather get comfortable with my equipment somewhere a little easier before heading into a more remote part of the desert.
I’d also want to make sure I had the right supplies, reliable navigation, and a good understanding of the road conditions before attempting anything too adventurous.
Owning a capable truck doesn’t automatically mean I know what I’m doing.
And I have no interest in finding out the hard way.
But eventually, I’d love to spend a night somewhere like Gold Butte.
Especially if I can find a quiet spot with some incredible views and nobody around.
My goal: Work my way up to an overnight truck camping trip at Gold Butte, starting with one of the more accessible camping areas.
6. Go Camping and Fishing Near Brian Head, Utah
Location: Brian Head and Dixie National Forest, Utah
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 3 hours
Best time to visit: Late spring through early fall
Brian Head is already a familiar destination for our family.
We’ve spent time there enjoying the mountains, particularly during snowboard season.
But I’d like to start experiencing more of what the surrounding area has to offer when there isn’t snow covering everything.
Southern Utah has some incredible scenery, and the area around Brian Head offers plenty of opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, and exploring.
Places like Panguitch Lake and Navajo Lake are particularly interesting to me.
Both are surrounded by beautiful mountain landscapes, and there are established camping opportunities in the surrounding Dixie National Forest. U.S. Forest Service
I could see this becoming one of my favorite weekend trips.
Drive up on Friday afternoon, spend Saturday fishing or hiking, and head back to Las Vegas on Sunday.
It’s far enough away that it feels like a proper getaway but close enough that I don’t need to take vacation time.
And since we’re already familiar with Brian Head, it seems like a natural place to start spending more time outdoors.
I’d also love to eventually combine camping and fishing into the same trip.
Wake up early, make some coffee, head down to the lake, and see if I can manage to catch something.
Although, based on my fishing history, I probably shouldn’t make dinner plans that depend on catching fish.
My goal: Plan a weekend camping trip near Brian Head that includes at least one day of fishing and exploring.
7. Try Kayaking at Willow Beach
Location: Willow Beach, Arizona
Distance from Las Vegas: Approximately 1–1.5 hours
Best time to visit: Spring and fall, with weather and river conditions checked before going
This one would be a little different from the other adventures on my list.
Willow Beach is located along the Colorado River, downstream from Hoover Dam, and is known for its clear water and impressive canyon scenery.
It’s also a popular place for kayaking.
One of the things that makes it particularly interesting is the opportunity to paddle through Black Canyon.
There are towering rock walls, small coves, and places like Emerald Cave that can be reached from the water.
According to the National Park Service, Emerald Cave is approximately two miles upriver from Willow Beach. Kayak rentals are available in the area, and the water trail offers opportunities to explore the canyon without needing your own boat. National Park Service
I’ve watched videos of people kayaking through this area, and it looks like an incredible experience.
It’s also something I’d like to try with the family.
I don’t own a kayak, and I’m not planning to rush out and buy one.
For once, I think renting equipment before purchasing it might actually be the smarter decision.
I’d probably start with a relatively short outing, get comfortable on the water, and see how everyone enjoys it.
If it turns into something we want to do regularly, then maybe I’ll start looking into buying kayaks.
But I’m getting ahead of myself again.
That’s exactly how I ended up with a garage full of equipment in the first place.
One thing I’d want to take seriously is the water itself. The Colorado River below Hoover Dam can be cold, and conditions can change with wind and dam releases. This is definitely an activity where I’d check the forecast, wear a life jacket, and consider a guided trip for the first outing.
My goal: Rent kayaks at Willow Beach and spend a morning exploring part of Black Canyon, preferably with the family.
The Hardest Part Is Actually Getting Started
Looking at this list, there’s really nothing stopping me from doing most of these activities.
Some require more planning than others, but several could easily be done on a Saturday morning.
That’s what makes the whole thing a little frustrating.
I’ve lived in Las Vegas for years, and there are still so many places around here that I haven’t properly explored.
Meanwhile, I’ll spend weeks planning an international vacation and researching every little detail.
Apparently, flying across the Pacific Ocean is easier for me to commit to than driving 45 minutes to go hiking.
That probably needs to change.
I don’t expect to complete all seven of these adventures immediately.
The idea isn’t to turn every weekend into some exhausting expedition. I still have a job, a family, and all the responsibilities that come with everyday life.
I just want to start making room for more of the things I’ve always wanted to do.
Maybe that means camping one weekend, fishing the next, or getting up early on a Saturday to explore somewhere new.
And sometimes, maybe it means doing absolutely nothing.
That’s fine too.
But I don’t want doing nothing to continue being the default.
Following Along With My Outdoor Adventures
One of the reasons I’m expanding the Outdoors Life section of Board in the World is to document the process of getting outside more often.
I’m not an experienced camper, an expert fisherman, or someone who’s spent every weekend exploring the wilderness.
I’m just a guy in his forties who enjoys traveling, has accumulated a bunch of outdoor equipment, and is finally making an effort to use it.
I’ll be sharing these trips here on the website and over on my Board in the World YouTube channel.
Some adventures will probably turn out great.
Others might involve getting lost, forgetting equipment, catching absolutely no fish, or realizing that something looked a whole lot easier when somebody else was doing it on YouTube.
Either way, I think it’ll be fun documenting everything along the way.
And hopefully, it’ll encourage a few other people to get out and explore the places they’ve been putting off visiting.
Seven adventures. All within a few hours of Las Vegas.
Now I just need to stop writing about them and actually go.