Calico Tanks Trail

This hike was the highlight of my LV girls trip.  
The trail started on gravel, then changed to sand, then changed to boulders.  I love climbing and jumping on boulders; so much fun.  There was a sketchy section right at the lake but on the way back, we found a bypass to that section by going on a higher route.  The great thing about this trail is that you can tackle the paths via various routes.

The high temp for mid Oct day was 90.  We started on the trail at 8:30 and returned at 11:00.  But my friend lost her Ray Ban prescription sunglasses so we spent an extra hour asking people if they had seen it on the trail and two of us even hiked back up to the end of the gravel section to look for it.  We called it quits by noon, it was hot, about 85.

Summary - The trail had great signages, short distance of 2 miles total, incline only 400 ft, challenging and technical to scrambling on boulders, rewarding views at the top, most importantly, we got some great photos on this hike.

This place is a conservatory and not a park. It is still open like a park for hiking, rock climbing, and camping. The people at the visitor center are super nice and helpful. The trails are beautiful and vary in difficulty. Most of the visitors to this location are friendly.

Just make sure u make a reservation online before going. They were booked on our visit and were turning ppl away who did not have reservations at the entrance gate.

Be sure to bring water if hiking. Most if the trails have outhouses at the parking lot/trail head. The toilets at the visitor center are superior and especially the one outside the center as opposed to the lot.

We have been on 4 trails here. The more challenging ones can be pretty difficult for inexperienced hikers like us. The easier and moderate ones are not bad. Overall this is a wonderful place to visit for quiet and natural beauty. We highly recommend it and will likely be back. We have only been in Nov and if u go in the morning and leave by noon, the temperature is wonderful at this time of year. Other months may be very hot or cold in this region depending on the season.

What a killer side adventure, away from the strip. We rented a car directly at Resorts World- SO easy. A super decked out Prius. Navigated a smooth drive Monday morning. Took about 25 minutes. Made a reservation online, paid $20.
Watched the solar eclipse, brought a sandwich and water.
It was gorgeous.
Try it. You'll get as far as you will go and be happy for the sunshine and fresh air.

The trail is medium hard. You need to be able to do bouldering and scrambling. There are some areas of the trail that are not well marked. Some of the trail heads are hard to find. It is all worth it if you love exploring and hiking.

This hike is short (2.7 miles) but packs a mighty punch. It combines all the elements of hiking that I love. The trail begins with a walk through a wash. You slowly climb over flat rock surfaces that surround a small stream and pools of water. As the climb continues there are some stairs made from local rock followed by a climb over some bolder rocks. Most of the elevation gain is near the end of the trail. The view at the top is breath taking and exceeds a typical 500 ft elevation gain climb.

When traveling to Red Rock please check on whether timed entry passes are required or if they are waived. Once inside it's a relatively short driving distance to the Calico Tanks Trail. I'd suggest to go there at a time there a fewer cars in the lot. The hike itself is awesome. It's a medium level hike in Red Rock. Such a great experience. Keep it mind that it's not an easy hike. But don't give up. It's wonderful at the end.

One of the best hikes in Red Rock Canyon!

"What?! Hiking in 104 degree temperature in Vegas? Are you crazy?!", you might ask. Well, no, you do not have to do the hike when it is 104 degrees out there! Find what time of the year is the most suitable for you (temperature wise) and then give it a try, and make sure you start earlier in the day when it is considerably cooler.

With that out of the way, if you are interested in hiking, geology, prehistory and history, this is a hike for you! The scenery is amazing! You get to hike by or over red, orange, and yellow sandstone formations and there are mountains towering above you all along the way. The Calico Tank, which is really a watering hole, is located at the end of the trail and has views of Las Vegas. The trail challenging but not too hard and manageable for all skill levels.

If you are visiting Vegas and need a change of pace from the strip, visiting Red Rock Canyon and hiking this trail is a wonderful option.

Great hike to see the various color changes in Red Rock. It's located very closely to the entrance so start off slow so you don't miss the stop! Once you park, make sure you follow the signs to Calico Tanks, otherwise you might mistake it for the other Calico trails (which is also a nice stroll).

This hike is mostly all trailed so an easy hike to do and stop at some large rock ridges for some epic photos!

This hike was the highlight of my second time visiting Red Rock National Park. The hike was very colorful and at this time of year, the weather and temperature were just right to complete the hike in just around 2 hours.

The trail is well defined and there are trail markers every so often that let you know you're on the path to the summit. As long as you're keeping an eye out for them, you can't miss them!

The rock formations are really something else, and I was taking pictures the whole time. Just prior to the summit, you'll find the tanks, which depending on the time of year, may or may not have water. There wasn't much water when I went, but it's still neat to see even if it is low. My hiking partner and I reached the summit in about 40 mins, as we stopped many times to take pictures along the way up. We spent a good time at the summit taking in the views of the valley and Vegas in the distance.

Just a word of caution; while this isn't a very technically challenging hike, there is some climbing required here and there. It is mostly a moderate incline as you make your way to the summit, but it's a nice downhill hike when you go back to the trailhead. There are plenty of spots to rest along the way and drink water, which I highly recommend you bring as well. Don't forget your trail snacks too!

Really enjoyed this hike and would recommend it to anyone that has a few hours on their hands and is looking to touch some rocks.

It's a must go,see, and explore. This was out second time and it didn't disappoint. The distance back and forth is relatively short. But the route is very unique and for an average tourist, not an avid hiker, I consider it challenging. You have to have good shoes as ankle and side wall support is very important to ensure proper balance and control.

Anyway, be prepared to crawl on fours a few times ascending or descending as the height changes require you to do so. A very few can leap or jump! At the end of the trail you are rewarded with spectacular views of the Vegas Valley, the City-Strip, and the nearby Red Rock mountains. I love the trail. Round trip is ~2 hours.