Erin and I headed to the incredible Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to get a view of ancient petroglyphs on the Petroglyph Wall Trail. You see, we both love going to Las Vegas, as there’s always so much to see and do. However, there are tons of fun and adventurous things to do off-the-Las Vegas Strip. We drove the short 16-mile trip from the Golden Nugget Resort to the Red Rock Canyon to explore the area.
Join us as we explore the Petroglyph Wall Trail in the Red Rock Canyon just minutes outside of Las Vegas.
Table of contents
What is the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area?
The Red Rock Canyon area spans about 195,000 acres of incredible natural features in the Mojave Desert. The Red Rock Canyon has several trails and overlooks just 20 minutes outside of Las Vegas.
At the park, you will see a combination of all different colors including black, gray, white, tan, and red rocks in various beautiful sandstone formations across rolling hills visible through several trails and different hikes including the Calico Tanks trail, the Lost Creek Trail (with a waterfall), Children’s Discovery Trail, among many more trails, rock formations, wilderness areas, and overlooks.
What is the Petroglyph Wall Trail?
The Petroglyph Wall Trail is a short trail that takes you across a wash with loose gravel. You keep walking towards the cliffside or rock wall straight in front of you. These hand paintings are located straight against the cliff face, beyond a wooden fence. That rock face features historical rock art estimated to be at least 800 years old.
The Red Rock Canyon area including this trail is located in the ancestral homelands of several indigenous peoples including the Southern Paiute, the Chemehuevi, and the Western Shoshone peoples.
What is left of the petroglyphs is set back to the right of the wooden fence on the face of the cliff.
What to Expect at the Petroglyph Wall Trail?
The Petroglyph Wall Trail is a short trail and an easy hike at a 0.2-mile round-trip trail. The trail is considered to be an easy trail with an elevation gain of only 16 feet. The trail should not take any longer than 15 to 30 minutes to complete. It’s a short distance so it won’t take very long to complete the trail.
Just a short walk to the base of the cliffs directly ahead of you as you enter the trail from the trailhead. The petroglyphs are a reminder of the native peoples who once lived and thrived in this area.
Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash.
Where is the Red Rock Canyon’s Petroglyph Wall Trail located?
The Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area is only about 16 miles away from the Town Center. You want to get to W. Charleston Blvd westbound W. Charleston Blvd will turn into Red Rock Canyon Road as you get to the edge of town (which is Hwy 159). You follow this for 4 or 5 miles and you will see signs for the Red Rock Canyon turn-off. You will proceed up to the Red Rock Canyon park entrance and fee station.
Please note there is an entrance fee of $20 per vehicle for a day pass. Motorcycles cost $10 per day, and bicycles are $8 per day.
Note: Between October through May, you are required to purchase tickets online with a time entry reservation as you will not be able to just show up and hope you can get in during this time period.
Once you leave the entrance, you will be entering a 13-mile one-way scenic loop road. You’ll proceed about 7.9 miles on the scenic drive to the Willow Springs Picnic Area pull-off. This turn will take you onto Rocky Gap Road. Proceed down Rocky Gap Road and park in the Willow Spring Parking Lot and proceed to the Willow Springs Trailhead sign that indicates Petroglyph Wall Trail.
Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center
It is worth mentioning that the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center is a great location to stop and learn in-depth about the geography, trails, overlooks, native animals, and indigenous communities that have lived and thrived in this area.
Southern Nevada Conservancy
Did you know that the Southern Nevada Conservancy, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, has been helping out Red Rock Canyon for over 28 years? They have a formal agreement with the Bureau of Land Management to make sure this special place stays awesome and enjoyable for years to come.
Inside the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center, there’s a cool gift store where you can find books, gifts, and clothes that will help you learn more about and remember your visit to Red Rock Canyon. The money they make from selling stuff goes towards fun activities like guided hikes, exhibits, and school field trips. They also help out at the entry station where you get your visitor guide and pay your fee to enter. Plus, they can accept donations and grants to keep Red Rock Canyon looking great.
Conclusion
Las Vegas offers a great variety of fun that’s not just on the Strip. The Red Rock National Conservation Area and the Valley of the Fire State Park are two examples of attractions that offer tons of fun and adventure just right outside of Las Vegas. And look, if you like this content, you’ll want to check out our other posts in Red Rock Canyon including the Calico Tanks Trail for a view of the Las Vegas Valley.
Also, check out all our other posts covering attractions near Las Vegas, like the Fremont Street Experience in old Vegas, the Valley of the Fire State Park, the Historic Hoover Dam Railroad Tunnel Trail, Wild West Sunset Horseback Adventures, Grand Canyon West, and all the other posts we have on other travel destinations.
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