With its fiery red sandstone formations, the area is similar to Valley of Fire but offers much more solitude.
hiking
Visitors to the Rings Trail in California’s Mojave National Preserve descend a narrow, steep slot canyon by using metal rings bolted into the rock along two sections.
Over the next couple of months, Southern Nevadans will experience some of the best temperatures of the year, perfect for enjoying the outdoors.
One of the largest oases in the Mojave Desert, this national wildlife refuge is located about 25 miles northwest of Pahrump.
Greenery and wildlife abound at this Lincoln County park.
Reaching these two stunning slot canyons does not require a long trek.
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area isn’t among the most famous outdoor destinations, but perhaps it should be. Certainly, if you plan a northern trip to Wyoming’s Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks, consider a side trip to Flaming Gorge. Located in a remote area of northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming, this is an outdoorsman’s paradise. The most popular activities are fishing, boating, rafting, hiking and camping.
Sequoia National Park is a bucket-list destination, famed as home to the world’s largest trees. You get to see two national parks on the same trip, for Kings Canyon National Park is adjacent and jointly managed.
Summer travel is in full swing in the warm Southwest, so we need to turn our thoughts to higher elevations in search of agreeably lower temperatures.
If you plan on a spring outing to Southern Utah, especially along Scenic Byway 12 to Bryce Canyon National Park or the Escalante area, an easy yet rewarding side trip is Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Keyhole Canyon is a great short trip for the entire family. The area is best visited in cooler months, and it’s near Las Vegas, so you can enjoy it and be home by dark, even in February.
Darwin Falls in Death Valley National Park is one of my favorite places to go when I need to clear my head. It affords me a full-day scenic trip, during which I can take a short yet adventuresome hike and immerse myself in nature.
The very best outdoor adventures for midwinter pack a lot of experience into a few hours of daylight. China Ranch does this just about perfectly, offering hiking, history, birding, shopping and a unique treat for the taste buds.
While many of us in Southern Nevada want to travel this time of year, many of the go-to places are too cold or covered too deeply with snow. But you won’t have that problem if you head down into the Sonoran Desert and Tucson, Arizona. Almost as far south as you can go in Arizona, winter weather is luxuriously pleasant.
The Bridge Spring Trail makes a great winter hike to a rare natural bridge in the Eldorado Mountains, south of Boulder City and near the small town of Nelson.