Corridor Maps

Mount Charleston

Mount Charleston is Southern Nevada's mountain refuge. Temperatures are about 20 degrees cooler on the mountain than in Las Vegas, making Mount Charleston a cool getaway in summer and a snowy retreat in winter.

By way of U.S. 95, Mount Charleston is 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas. It's possible to make a loop on the Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon roads. Driving up the mountain from U.S. 95, one passes through several climate and plant-life zones, beginning with the Joshua trees of the Mojave Desert to pine forests in the higher elevations.

Charleston Peak, the highest point in the Spring range, is 11,918 feet above sea level - and nearly 10,000 feet above the Las Vegas Valley. Ancient bristlecone pines, the earth's oldest living thing, live on the upper slopes.

Mount Charleston's restaurants, lodges, picnic areas, and hiking trails are in Kyle Canyon between 5,000 and 8,000 feet in elevation. The Mt. Charleston Hotel has a restaurant and 63 rooms. At the end of the Kyle Canyon Road is the Mt. Charleston Lodge and Resort, which has a restaurant and log cabins for overnighters.

Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon, in the southern section of the Spring Mountains, is the second most visited scenic area in Southern Nevada after Hoover Dam. The area has geological formations such as red sandstone cliffs and the world-famous Keystone Thrust, in which older formations have been thrust on top of younger sediments along a lengthy escarpment.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - or Red Rock, as it is commonly called - is 18 miles west of Las Vegas by way of West Charleston Boulevard (State Route 159). The first attractions one encounters are the Red Rock Visitor Center, operated by the Bureau of Land Management, and a 13-mile scenic, one-way loop drive through colorful formations of Aztec sandstone.

Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, the next stop, is a 520-acre oasis at the base of the Wilson Cliffs. The ranch was once owned by Vera Krupp, the German munitions heiress, and Howard Hughes. The main ranch house is the visitor center, and tours of it and other ranch buildings can be arranged. In summer, outdoor concerts and musicals are performed at the park.

Bonnie Springs/Old Nevada is a mile farther on State Route 159. Bonnie Springs Ranch has a motel, restaurant, and stables for horseback riding. Old Nevada is a replica of a Western town with shops, a saloon, and gunfights staged in the street. Group activities can be arranged.

The road also passes Blue Diamond, a tiny gypsum-mill town. State Route 159 swings south and east, connecting with State Route 160 and I-15 for a loop drive back to Las Vegas.  Seek adventure and one of our members will direct you to the tour for you.

Special Note: Visitors often will see wild burros along the Red Rock road. The animals are the descendants of burros released by early-day prospectors. Visitors are urged not to stop and feed the burros for several reasons: to maintain the burros' health and natural instincts, to avoid traffic accidents, and to avoid personal injury ‚ the burros do bite and kick. Photographers should take pictures from a safe distance.