The next time your job takes you to Las Vegas, or your loved ones want you to go with them, consider exploring the quiet side of the strip.
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What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, sure . . . But why would an introvert come here? Maybe you’re being dragged here by work, friends, or family. Vegas may be your worst nightmare or simply not your cup of tea; the gambling, shows, night clubs, shopping, and dining Vegas offers don’t excite you as they do the extroverts who vacation here. The tourism bureau may cringe to hear me say so, but Vegas is not for everyone. I’m an introvert who has lived in Vegas on and off for a good chunk of my life; I know.
Fortunately, we are in the West and there are big attractions nearby: The Grand Canyon, Zion, and Death Valley are worth the visit if you have the time. But if you don’t have the extra time to visit those sites, you don’t want to spend a whole day in your hotel room watching T.V. or doing nothing.
As an introvert myself, some of my favorite pastimes besides art viewing, meditation, and reading are walking and hiking. Art museums are not our strong point. We do have some, but nothing like the Getty museum in Los Angeles, or the Art Institute in Chicago where you can easily spend a whole day. Instead, we have a few galleries where you can kill ten minutes and First Friday in the downtown area, our monthly carnival. There are few options for loners in Vegas–at least the Vegas of the public imagination.
Hiking is a healthy and inexpensive way to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery. Here is a list of hikes safe enough for solo hiking, but challenging enough to give visitors as a taste of the natural habitat of the LasVegas area.
- The neighborhood parks. Sunset Park and Lorenzi Park, now known as Springs Preserve, are just a few minutes from the strip by car.
- Red Rock Canyon. The 13-mile loop provides a wide variety of hikes from easy to advanced. On a weekday, you can avoid the crowds and La Madre Springs can give you a good two-hour workout. Sometimes it’s so quiet you wouldn’t know you are less than four miles from the nearest casino. Take Charleston Blvd off of I-15 west twenty miles and you will continue past the Red Rock Resort and before you know it you will be surrounded by beautiful red sandstone cliffs and desert scenery.
- Mt Charleston. This hike provides a good escape from the intense heat of the valley from June through October, only 45 minutes northwest of town. It offers beautiful mountain views, a couple of lodges, and trails for different hikers of different experience levels to satisfy the John Muir in all of us. I’m partial to Fletcher Canyon just past the visitors center. Bristlecone Pine trail right by the Lee Canyon Ski area also is great if you have a few hours.
- Railroad Tunnels at Lake Mead. Pass through Boulder City and then take the Lake Mead entrance, before the dam. This trail was built as a railroad for the construction of Hoover Dam and now serves as one of the coolest hikes in the area. The trail is flat but provides scenic views of Lake Mead and ancient volcanic hills. Then, if you wish, you can continue after five tunnels or two miles to the Hoover Dam where you can go down to he dam or cross the highway to the spectacular O’Callahan-Tillman Bridge, which affords pedestrians an amazing view of the dam from several hundred feet up.
- Las Vegas Wetlands. Believe it or not, Las Vegas–a desert city–has a swamp. Okay, if your schedule is bogged down and you can only allow an hour or two for hiking, the paved trails in the southeast corner of town by Sam Boyd Stadium provide a nice contrast with views of the surrounding desert mountains and the reeds of the marshy areas. Even though we are a desert, it does rain every now and then, and the water has to go somewhere. This is a nice walk and is also wheelchair accessible.
- White Rock Canyon. In northern Arizona, 4 miles south of Hoover Dam, this trail is a bit more treacherous in that it involves a bit of rock scrambling and is isolated, so it is best to do with a partner or at least on a weekend when other people are out and about. This is also the trailhead for Arizona Hot Springs and Liberty Bell Arch. I like to take the trail down to the river and back and with a few stops for rest, it takes me four hours round trip.
Safety Tips
Take plenty of water (two gallons per person), food, and bags to carry out your own trash. Don’t hike in the summer except Mt Charleston. Bring a walking stick and a first aid kit. Double up on socks and wear good shoes or boots, a hat, and sunscreen. Always tell someone where you are going.
The next time your job takes you to Vegas or your loved ones want you to go with them, consider exploring the quiet scenery, hiking away from the strip.
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Photo Credit: Flickr/Glen3095