The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada is an area managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of its National Landscape Conservation System, and protected as a National Conservation Area.
Map of Scenic Drive Overview of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA) near Las Vegas in Nevada. Published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Map of White Rock - Willow Spring Trail at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA) in Nevada. Published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Map of Lost Creek Children's Discovery Trail at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA) in Nevada. Published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Map of the Spring Mountain Youth Camp SMYC Trail at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA) in Nevada. Published by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trails Map of Cold Creek to Indian Springs Trails in Clark County in Nevada. Published by Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program.
Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trails Map of Jean and Roach Dry Lake Beds Dispersed OHV Recreation Area in Nevada. Published by Nevada Off-Highway Vehicles Program.
Red Rock Canyon NCA
https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/red-rock-canyon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rock_Canyon_National_Conservation_Area
The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada is an area managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of its National Landscape Conservation System, and protected as a National Conservation Area.
RED ROCK CANYON
KEYSTONE
VISITOR GUIDE
A NATIONAL
CONSERVATION AREA
ADMINISTERED BY
THE BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT
Proudly presented by Southern Nevada Conservancy in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
FIRST STOPVISITOR CENTER
Be sure to stop by the Red Rock
Canyon Visitor Center before you
start your day. The Scenic Drive will
not return you to that area so you
don’t want to miss it! The Visitor
Center is an informational hub
for visitors filled with indoor and
outdoor exhibits, plant specimens
from throughout the canyon, and
a desert tortoise habitat. Check
out the Information Desk for hike
recommendations, participate in a
program, and pick up something at
the gift shop to remember your trip.
WELCOME
Welcome to one of America’s most beautiful landscapes! In addition to
fantastic scenery, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area offers
some of the best hiking, rock climbing, biking, and outdoor recreation
activities in the region. The 13-mile Scenic Drive offers several scenic
overlooks, parking areas, picnic areas, and access to dozens of day
hikes and trails. Red Rock Canyon’s spectacular sandstone escarpment,
the iconic desert tortoise, and the thickets of Joshua trees herald the
natural world of geology, animals, and plants to be experienced in the
over 200,000 acre National Conservation Area, managed by the Bureau
of Land Management.
If you are looking for more information, please stop by the visitor center to
view exhibits, pick up informational handouts and talk with staff about how
you can make your visit more special. Once you get home, take a peek at our
website redrockcanyonlv.org or blm.gov/site-page/rrcnca
GET READY TO SAFELY EXPLORE
Search and rescue incidents are unfortunate but do occur in Red Rock National Conservation Area. The Mojave Desert is an extreme environment subject to
intense heat in the summer and very cold temperatures in the winter, especially during windy conditions or at higher altitudes. Let friends or family members
know where you are going and what time you expect to be back. Don’t rely on mobile phones during your visit as coverage in the area can be unreliable or
non-existent, especially within canyons. Never leave valuables in plain sight where they may tempt someone to break into your vehicle. Your safety is your
responsibility. Please read the important safety tips below:
BRING SUFFICIENT WATER
WATCH FOR LIGHTNING
PREPARE FOR EXTREME HEAT
PLAN AHEAD
BEWARE OF STEEP CLIFFS
DON’T RELY ON CELL SERVICE
Drink at least one gallon (four liters) per day if you are hiking, the day is hot or
the trail is exposed to direct sunlight. The Visitor Center is the only area with
refill stations and safe drinking water.
Temperatures in Red Rock Canyon can average more than 100° F (38° C)
during the summer months. The best protection against heat is drinking plenty
of water and limiting exposure to the sun. We recommend arriving early during
the summer months.
Falls from cliffs have resulted in death. Loose sand or pebbles on stone are
slippery. Never throw rocks; there may be hikers or climbers below you.
WATCH FOR DESERT DWELLERS
Watch where you put your hands and feet. Rattlesnakes, scorpions or
venomous spiders may be sheltered behind boulders or under rocks and
shrubs. Do not touch, collect, feed or harass these animals.
WEAR APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE GEAR
For hiking, select shoes that will provide a comfortable fit, ankle stability and
protection against cactus spines. Wear a hat, dress in layers and apply suncreen!
BEWARE OF FLASH FLOODS
Flash flooding is a greater risk at Red Rock Canyon due to the smooth
sandstone – even a relatively small amount of rain can result in a flash flood.
Lightning storms frequently occur in the afternoon during the summer
months. To prevent lightning from striking you, avoid high places and seek
cover in buildings or in vehicles with the windows rolled up.
Hikes sometimes take longer than expected. Remember to carefully plan your
hike, being aware of sunset times and weather forecasts. Be sure to read all
trail descriptions carefully and do not hike above your skill level. Always bring
extra water.
There is currently little to no cell service available in Red Rock Canyon. While
it may seem like we are very close to Las Vegas, it may be impossible to reach
911 or call for help in case of an emergency. Consider carrying an emergency
GPS locator. In addition, this means that you will not be able to use popular
rideshare apps on your return trip to Las Vegas. Make sure to arrange a taxi
ahead of time.
DON’T CLIMB ON WET SANDSTONE
Sandstone becomes very brittle when wet and climbing wet sandstone poses
an increased risk to climbers from dangerous breakoffs and injury from
rockfalls. It is best practice to wait 24-72 hours after rain before climbing. If
rain is in the forecast, consider the limestone sport crags instead.
SCENIC DRIVE. ONE WAY ROAD, 13 MI (20.9 KM)
8
La Madre
Spring
10
White Rock
Rocky
Gap
Road
Red Rock Canyon
NAT U RA L WOR L D
NATIONAL conservation area
The Natural World
Red Rock Canyon’s spectacular sandstone escarpment, the desert tortoise
at the visitor center, and the thickets of Joshua trees herald the natural world
of geology, animals and plants to be experienced in the nearly 200,000-acre
national conservation area. Spend some time here and you’ll see plants that
put on spectacular flowering shows in the springtime and provide lasting
sources of water, food and shelter to the birds, reptiles and mammals that
make the southern Mojave Desert their home. This guide will also introduce
you to the cultural and historic uses of Red Rock Canyon before its special
designation as a Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Area.
Geology of Red Rock
The passage of millions of years is written on the sandstone cliffs and limestone outcrops of Red Rock
Canyon. The geological record reveals an area that was at the bottom of an ocean basin and its emergence
from the sea when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
Limestone Outcrops
More than 500 million years ago, this area was underwater and for more than 250 million years limestone sediment accumulated
which contained the fossils of sea life that flourished during that time. Early- to mid-Paleozoic Era limestone is exposed on the
escarpment on the west and north sides of the national conservation area. Later Paleozoic Era Permian limestone outcrops can
be seen on the east side; especially on Blue Diamond Hill and its extension to the north, Fossil Ridge.
Photo: Red Rock Escarpment
by Mark Rekshynskyj
What’s Inside
[1] Geology of Red Rock
Aztec Sandstone Escarpment
[2] Explorers at Red Rock
About 250 million years ago, during the Mesozoic Era of geological time – the Triassic Age of Reptiles and the Jurassic Age of
[3] Native People at Red Rock
Dinosaurs – Southern Nevada emerged from the sea and millions of years of continental deposition began, culminating in the
[4] Birds
formation of the Jurassic period Aztec sandstone. The great sandstone cliffs at Red Rock, thousands of feet high, are made up
[5] Plants and Insects
of Aztec sandstone. This formation, about 180 million years old, represents lithified sand dunes that formed in a vast desert
[6] Carnivores and Herbivores
that covered a large part of the southwestern United States during Jurassic time. The sand slowly changed into sandstone as
[7] Small Mammals and Wild Horses
and Burros
subsurface water percolated through the sediments and deposited cements of iron oxide and calcium carbonate in the pore
[8] Insectivores and Reptiles
spaces between the grains. These sandstone rocks were slowly uplifted thousands of feet to their present elevation, and exposed
to weathering and erosion.
Photo: Up a Hill
by Jeff Yost
a public land administered by the
Page
[2]
Colorful Sandstone
The red color of many exposures of the Aztec sandstone is from
the presence of iron oxide. Exposure to the elements caused some
of the iron minerals to oxidize or “rust,” resulting in colorful red,
orange and brown rocks. Areas where the sandstone is buff colored
may be places where the iron has been leached out by subsurface
water, or where the iron oxide was never deposited. Red spots are
iron concentrations that are more resistant to erosion than the
surrounding sandstone. They eventually erode out of the sandstone
as little balls or “desert marbles.”
Photo: Grallator track
by Brent Breithaupt
Did Dinos Roam Red Rock?
Paleontologists have confirmed fossilized tracks (footprints) made 180 to 190 million years ago in sandstone within Red Rock
Canyon National Conservation Area. This is the first documented dinosaur tracksite in Nevada.
Dubbed the Red Rock Tracksite, dozens of tracks from the Early Jurassic period have currently been documented.
At this point, two types of tracks and trackways are recognized from the site:
• Grallator tracks are footprints made by small theropod dinosaurs (two-legged, three-toed, meat-eating dinosaurs)
• Octopodichnus tracks are footprints made by arthropods (possibly similar to modern spiders and scorpions)
Keystone Thrust Fault
A cap of older gray Paleozoic limestone resting on top of the younger Jurassic period sandstone can be seen on the escarpment
to the west. Normally younger rock overlies older rock. The occurrence of older rock on top of younger rock is a result of the
Keystone Thrust Fault. About 65 million years ago, compressional forces in the Earth’s crust were dominant in this region. The
older rock was thrust up over the younger rock over a period of thousands, if not millions, of years. The limestone cap covering
the sandstone has protected the weaker sandstone from erosion for millions of years. The compressional thrust faulting at the
end of the Mesozoic Era can be traced all the way up into Canada. But the best exposure of the thrust faulting along the entire
thrust belt is considered to be here in Red Rock Canyon.
Explorers at Red Rock
A Spanish scou
BLM/NV/LV/GI/12-13+1800
Welcome!
Mt. Charleston
BLM’s Junior Explorer program helps introduce young explorers
like you to the lands and resources that the BLM manages.
This discovery book will introduce you to plants, animals, and
history of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Red
Rock Canyon is one of many public land locations you can enjoy.
the appropriate number of pages for your age
1 Complete
group. Feel free to have a Ranger or adult help you. It's
also okay to do more activities if you wish.
Ages 6 and under: 4 pages
Ages 7-9: 5 pages
Ages 10-12: 6 pages
Ages 13 and above: 8 or more pages
Rainbow Mountain
Mt. Wilson
this book to the visitor center information desk after
2 Take
you finish your pages so that a BLM Ranger or volunteer
can check your work.
someone has checked your answers, you will be sworn
3 Once
in and the certificate at the back of this book will be
filled out.
Spring Mountain
Ranch State Park
Plant Zones
How would you like to travel from Mexico to the Arctic and
not leave Red Rock Canyon? As you drive around the 13-Mile
Scenic Drive, you will change elevation (the height above sea
level). The temperature will be about three to five degrees
cooler for each 1,000 feet you climb. You may not think of
these changes as much, but it is for plants and animals. Each
type of plant and animal can only tolerate a certain amount of
coolness and dryness. This means that the higher you climb
and the cooler it gets, you, too, will get to experience the
different plant zones.
Joshua Tree
2000-6000ft
Utah Juniper
5000-7000ft
Beavertail Cactus
Sea level-4000ft
Many-Headed Barrel
Cactus 3500-4800ft
2
Ponderosa Pine
6000ft and up
Bonnie Springs
Old Nevada
Turtlehead Peak
Bridge Mountain
Calico Hills
Scenic Drive
Calico Basin
Visitor
Center
Red Spring Picnic Area
State Route 159/Charleston Boulevard
Blue Diamond Hill
Hey kids!
My name is Sandy and I’m a Junior Explorer here at Red
Rock Canyon National Conservation Area! That means it
is my responsibility to help keep Red Rock Canyon
clean, tell others about Red Rock, and do my part to
protect and preserve Red Rock. Now it is your turn to
become a Junior Explorer too! I will guide you through
the book to make sure you are ready to be an official
Red Rock Canyon Junior Explorer!
Let’s have fun!
State
Route
159/C
harles
ton B
oulev
ard
3
Four Major North American Deserts
OR
Mojave Desert
ID
(Hint: the smallest desert
entirely in the US)
WY
Sonoran Desert
(Hint: crosses the US and the
Mexican border)
NV
Great Basin Desert
UT
(Hint: the largest desert
entirely in the US)
CO
Chihuahuan Desert
CA
(Hint: the only desert that
has area in Texas)
AZ
NM
TX
Come and discover a part
of the Mojave Desert at
Red Rock Canyon National
Conservation Area.
Fill in the four desert areas
with the correct pattern.
What is a desert?
A desert is an area that gets less than 10 inches of rain per year. It can be very hot and sometimes quite cold (below
freezing). Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is within the Mojave Desert, which gets most of its rain
during winter storms and occasional scattered summer thunderstorms. Other places in the Mojave Desert can reach
temperatures up to 130 degrees F (about 55 degrees C). That’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk! Red Rock
Canyon National Conservation Area is also part of the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System.
4
Public Lands Belong To You!
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal government agency that takes care of more than 245 million acres
of land. Most of these lands are in the western part of the United States. These lands are America’s public lands, and
they belong to all Americans.
The BLM manages public lands for many uses. The lands supply natural resources, such as coal, oil, natural gas, and
other minerals. The lands provide habitats for plants and animals. People enjoy the big open spaces on the lands. The
lands also contain evidence of our country’s past, ranging from fossils to Indian artifacts to ghost towns.
National Landscape Conservation System
The Bureau of Land Management’s National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) contains some of the West’s
most spectacular landscapes. It includes over 887 federally recognized areas and approximately 27 million acres of
National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers,
National Scenic and Historic Trails, and Conservation Lands of the California Desert.
National Landscape
Conservation System
Alaska
Upper Missouri
River Breaks NM
Steese NCA
Pompeys
Pillar NM
Yaquina Head
Outstanding
Natural Area
CascadeSiskiyou NM
Steens Mountain
Cooperative
Management
and Protection
Area
Mortley Nelson
Snake River Birds
of Prey NCA
Headwaters
Forest Reserve
Craters of the
Moon NM
Maryland
Black Rock DesertHigh Rock Canyon
Emigrant Trails NCA
King Range
NCA
McInnis
Canyon NCA
California
Coastal NM
Fort Ord
NM
Piedras B
