Tour Red Rock Canyon on an electric bike — VIDEO
When Las Vegas native Allison Messmore and her husband, John, saw their friends in Catalina renting out electric bikes several years ago, they thought it was something that would be perfect for tours of Red Rock Canyon.
In October 2013, they opened Red E Bike and have been riding the canyon’s Scenic Loop ever since.
“It was never our intent to exploit Red Rock by sending around as many riders as we could. Our heart has always been to get people back on bikes,” Allison Messmore said. “Our second intent is to create in people a love for the outdoors.
“We are so fortunate in the U.S. to have amazing public lands. It has always been our goal at Red E Bike to help people realize we need to conserve and preserve these lands so that we can share it with generations to come.”
The tour starts at the visitors center, and after a brief orientation of the bikes and safety tips, the tour is off on a three-hour, 17-mile ride. (If you’re visiting, Messmore will pick you up from your hotel.)
There are four stops along the way, where Messmore will teach riders about the wildlife in the canyon, but also about the history of the area.
Red E Bike recently made TripAdvisor’s 2019 top 10 experiences in the U.S. coming in at number 2. They also won in the “Top 5 Experiences — World” category.
“I was caught between laughing and crying that our little tour business got that honor,” Messmore said.
The Messmores are checking out some other places to take their ebikes, but for now, she said she was perfectly content with Red Rock Canyon.
“I wake up everyday for the last six years so thankful that I get to be a part in sharing this beautiful desert, where I grew up, in such a unique and environmentally friendly way,” Allison Messmore said. “God willing, we get to continue for years to come!”
Find out more about E Red Bike tours and ticket prices on their website, redebike.com.
Contact Mat Luschek at mluschek@reviewjournal.com. Follow @matluschek on Twitter.