Outdoor adventure awaits residents

Known for its megaresorts, luxurious spas and culinary delights, Las Vegas also has a rugged side to satisfy the active lifestyle of the outdoor connoisseur. There is something for every adventure-seeker in Las Vegas: take an off-road Pink Jeep tour to the Valley of Fire; fly in a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon; bicycle the 13-mile loop at Red Rock Canyon; or experience the adrenaline rush of the Boulder City Flightlines. These outdoor adventures are just a short drive or a day trip from the city.

The Valley of Fire State Park offers intricate red rock formations, petroglyphs from ancient Native American civilizations and picturesque landscapes. It is located 55 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area is just west of the city and offers activities for runners, bikers, hikers and rock climbers with a 3,000-foot escarpment produced by a thrust fault.

Just down the road from Red Rock Canyon, Spring Mountain State Park offers outdoor entertainment through theater and concerts year-round. Hikers and rock climbers will jump at the opportunity to experience all of the canyons close to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a desert surrounded by majestic mountains, including Mount Charleston. Located 35 miles from Las Vegas, Mount Charleston offers the perfect atmosphere and weather for winter sports, hiking, picnicking and horseback riding. Usually 20 to 30 degrees cooler than Las Vegas Valley, Mount Charleston offers the ideal camping location with camp sites available from May through September.

Hoover Dam, 35 miles outside of Las Vegas, is a historic man-made engineering wonder of the world that tamed the Colorado River and created the largest man-made lake, Lake Mead. The dam sits at 726 feet tall and 660 feet thick and helped change the face of the Western United States.

Lake Mead provides a haven for water sports enthusiasts with a place to enjoy boating, swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, camping and fishing.

Mojave National Preserve, located 60 miles outside of Las Vegas, is also a great escape for outdoor thrill-seekers as this 1.6 million-acre preserve is replete with sand dunes, mountainous terrains, cinder cones from volcanoes and forests full of Joshua trees.

Zion National Park is one of the most renowned national parks in the nation and is 158 miles north of Las Vegas. It features colorful sandstone canyons, forested plateaus and the Virgin River running through it.

The Grand Canyon, one mile deep and 277 miles long, is the most infamous canyon formed by the Colorado River and is located 300 miles from Las Vegas. Grand Canyon West opened the Skywalk experience as the first cantilever-shaped glass walkway suspended 4,000 feet above the canyon floor and 70 feet from the canyon's rim.

For even more reasons to enjoy the great outdoors in Las Vegas, go to www.VisitLasVegas.com.