Get more steps in at these 6 Las Vegas Valley parks

With January’s mantra of “move more” in mind, Southern Nevadans have an exercise ally in the valley’s network of parks filled with personality and paved walking paths.

Staying active is key for longevity, and parks are a great partner to have in that quest. They are easily found in our metropolitan area of 2.3 million people, but some stand out in the exercise-with-a-view category. They may offer sweeping mountain vistas or close-ups of wintering ducks in centerpiece ponds. Wild plants and landscaped gardens add extra beauty to some. Others share art and information about Las Vegas Valley history. A few are dedicated to protecting within their boundaries wildlife including desert cottontails, Gambel’s quail, greater roadrunners and even beavers.

The parks listed here all have paved trails dedicated to pedestrians.

If you think your exercise routine could benefit from a change of walking venue, driving to parks outside your comfort radius has the added benefit of providing glimpses of the diversity and scale of the greater Las Vegas community.

Aliante Nature Discovery Park, 2627 Nature Park Drive (North Las Vegas)

On the north end of the Las Vegas Valley, this park has stunning views of the Sheep Mountains, a dinosaur-themed playground, a large family of Canada geese and jumbo-sized, illustrated storybook pages that add up to a complete children’s tale for walkers along a man-made lake’s perimeter. Paths pass under mature trees and wind through grassy spaces past picnic sites at the 20-acre park, an oasis in the middle of commercial and residential development.

Craig Ranch Regional Park, 628 W. Craig Road (North Las Vegas)

This busy 170-acre park with a couple of sizable man-made lakes is the site of the former Craig Ranch Golf Course. Stately trees that carry over from golfing days continue to shade walkers who create their own routes from the park’s impressive mix of paths. Park facilities have a pioneer ranching theme that combines with plenty of playground equipment, including climbing webs, slides (even one that spits kids out of the mouth of a rattlesnake), forts and a milder, hardier zip line-like contraption. Sounds of old-school swings may be heard in the background, in addition to honks from Canada geese coming in for water landings.

Cottonwood Canyon, 915 Canyon Bluff Circle (Las Vegas)

Located in the general direction of Downtown Summerlin, this narrow and scenic park has paved trails winding through a flood channel where past waters have sculpted a canyon. After parking on a bluff, walkers take concrete steps down into the canyon, passing mesquite trees, creosote and brittlebush. At the bottom, there’s a choice of walking to the right or left, and I headed left (west) in the direction of Turtlehead Peak, which becomes visible at several points. Along the trail in late December, I spotted cottonwood trees clinging to their golden leaves and plenty of birds — Anna’s hummingbirds, a rock wren and white-crowned sparrows. The trail has two flood control tunnels that pass under Town Center and Pavilion Center drives. Cottonwood Canyon is for peaceful meanderings and the celebration of living in a location where year-round outdoor walking is an option.

Clark County Wetlands Park, 7050 Wetlands Park Lane (Las Vegas)

Near this east Las Vegas park’s visitor center and within its adjacent 210-acre nature preserve are miles of walking trails that wind past stands of tall cottonwoods, placid ponds and dense habitats for animals, including everything from coyotes, raccoons and beavers to American coots and great horned owls. Because of its abundant wildlife, the nature preserve is off-limits to dogs, bicycles and scooters. Walkers frequent the trails, and the park has a free walking club for visitors to track their miles.

A second approach to visiting the massive Wetlands Park involves finding a starting point along Galleria Drive for Pabco, Wells or Terrazza Park trailheads. Those points allow walkers and bicyclists access to a paved path through less developed desert areas that parallel the Las Vegas Wash for 7 miles from the nature preserve on the east end of Tropicana Avenue to within hundreds of yards of Lake Las Vegas. In addition to potential wildlife sightings (even ospreys diving for fish), benefits of taking this path include getting a better understanding of how the Las Vegas Valley’s treated wastewater and urban runoff are returned to Lake Mead via the wash.

Sunset Park, 2601 Sunset Road (Las Vegas)

Situated just southeast of Harry Reid International Airport, this 324-acre public space caters to those playing pickleball, volleyball, disc golf, softball and basketball. A man-made lake attracts walkers gawking at wintering ducks. But there’s a nongrassy area of the park developed just over a decade ago where visitors have been flocking to walk, jog and enjoy an outdoor escape where Gambel’s quail, black-tailed jackrabbits and ground squirrels are commonly seen.

The Dunes Discovery Area on the south end of Sunset Park used to be a giant, mysterious patch of desert into which rabbits regularly darted and people did not. That territory looks like the dusty desert that it is, but paved trails, wildlife encounters and interpretive signs help visitors understand the significance of those last natural sand dunes in an otherwise urban slice of Clark County.

Seven Hills circuit, starting with Allegro Park, 1023 Seven Hills Drive (Henderson)

Henderson has plenty of walking choices, including Cornerstone Park, Pittman Wash and the recently expanded Union Pacific Railroad Trail. Also notable is a network of paved paths and sidewalks branching within and outside a driving loop through Seven Hills neighborhoods. Walkers choose their starting point for this 3½-mile circuit. One option is beginning at Allegro Park, located next to Wolff Elementary School, for a two-hour walk that will take you through four public parks in the Seven Hills area. Desert cottontails are often seen in Allegro’s grassy fields, which lead to a multiuse trail with a tunnel and a fork that when followed to the left continues to Puccini Park.

From there, walk uphill on the sidewalk paralleling Seven Hills Drive, past gated communities and overlooks of the Rio Secco golf course. The next park you’ll encounter is Sonata via another tunnellike flood control structure that opens up to the large park. From there, follow a wide concrete trail leading from Sonata to the finale: Vivaldi Park with its stunning views of Mount Charleston, Potosi Mountain and the Strip. Whether strolling at a leisurely pace or power walking at a cardio-challenging clip, Henderson’s Seven Hills trail system and sidewalks have the uphill challenges and pretty sights that can make exercise enjoyable.