I didn’t really consider Vegas an outdoor adventure hub until recently. We flew into Sin City in mid-February and promptly skipped the Strip and the gambling scene in favor of picking up our rental camper van for nine days of mountain biking and hiking.
Las Vegas is indeed an adventure hub with close borders to Arizona, Utah, and California. Plus, it’s a short drive to a bunch of national parks and great mountain bike riding destinations!
-Red Rock Conservation Area (30 – 40 minutes)
-Grand Canyon National Park (2 hours to the west gate, but didn’t visit on this trip)
-Zion National Park (2.5 hours)
-Hurricane, Utah (amazing mesa mountain biking) 2.5 hours
-Kanab and The Wave (3 hours)
The Red Rock Canyon put us in the midst of spectacular desert formations and a diverse network of trails. Our adventure crew, Steve and Kim, and new pals Janet and Greg were waiting for us. They warmed up the scene and guided us around the desert trails. Plus, we tapped into their knowledge of van life. After a crash course in a Solis/Winnebago van tutorial, I felt mostly confident we could figure out all the controls for driving, taking showers, turning on the heat, and using the propane burners.
Ride Red Rock with Southwest Bikes
We landed at Red Rock Campground to begin the Vegas adventure hub equipped with rental bikes from our friends at Southwest Bikes. Located in northwest Vegas, the friendly crew fitted us with two premier full-suspension bikes (Knolly Chilcotin and a Kona Process), plus plenty of trail and route suggestions. We took their advice and began our riding at the Late Night Trailhead, with plenty of great trails from chill to some climbing routes. If you need a bike rack, they will rent that to you as well.
Our six-pack of riders pedaled the Mustang Loop to the Cactus Slalom, stopping often to gawk at the red rock canyon vistas and Joshua trees. I mostly kept up, searching for air as I worked on my bike legs and lungs. After a snack break, we managed a two-a-day with an exuberant Steve at the helm. “There’s a climb, but you’ll be rewarded with a ripper of descent,” he promised. We churned up, climbing just over two miles on Badger Pass, then, as promised, we whooped our way down a rollicking romp on 3 Mile Smile. A perfectly named trail, I thought as we dismounted and racked the bikes, ready for dinner.
Ride Hurricane, Utah
Our RV and van train moved north toward the Hurricane area in Utah (pronounced Hur-a-kun). We spent three glorious days riding mesas and slick rock at Wire Mesa, Gooseberry Mesa, and the Jem Trail system. Like Moab, there’s plenty of exposure to cliffs and edgy rock riding. In the distance to the north are Zion’s rock formations and canyon views; it had us spellbound on every pedal stroke. We had a diverse group of riders from intermediate to expert; the trails served up just the right amount of tech and challenge with ride-arounds and easier sections. My biggest challenge was focusing on the trail ahead and not gawking at the expansive views into the Virgin River valley.
Wire Mesa was a short 7-mile loop with epic views literally at every corner. For more miles and more difficult terrain, park at the White Trailhead and ride the Goose. Start on Practice, head to the edge on the North Rim, and remember to follow the white dots on the rock slab sections. Feeling frisky and want to flare up your vertigo, connect to South Rim for an exposed cliff out and back section. I stashed my bike for this section and played photographer instead. Kim and I skipped the remainder of South Rim and took the easier two-track back to the vans where cold beers were waiting.
On our third day, we added Scott to our ride group (also visiting from Michigan) and rode the milder Jem Trails, which are more flowy and approachable. Take Dead Ringer for a climb, then fly down Goosebumps, an absolute rolling ribbon of downhill fun. Add in More Cowbell, which is an easy return, and climb back to the trailhead parking lot. This was a nice change of pace to the butt-puckering sections on Wire and Gooseberry Mesas.
Van Life Tips
Josh and I learned a lot about van life in nine days and that maintenance issues are inevitable. Still, it really is a marvel of engineering on wheels. There’s a full-size bed in the back that folds up when driving, an ingenious shower/toilet combo, a mini-fridge, two propane burners, and plenty of storage. On day two, I considered wearing my bike helmet when milling around in the van after bumping my head on cupboards or the A/C unit. It’s a compact space, so get used to intimate encounters with your travel partner. Josh and I made an important decision out of the gate: we pinky swore, no #2’s in the van toilet. Because we were staying in campgrounds on this trip, we had plenty of pit toilets or bathhouses to take care of nature’s bowel calls. Also, I will need a more comfortable mattress if more “vamping” is in our future. After developing a hip-pointer on the very firm bedding, I became a back-only sleeper.
Water conservation is also important when dealing with a 20-gallon tank. I set a new, shortest-shower-ever record. An essential tip for tall people: sit down on the toilet, wet yourself quickly, then soap/shampoo up. After a good lathering and scrub, turn the water back on and rinse quickly. Conditioner, leg shaving…. Nope, not enough room and not enough water for these luxuries.
Food preparation is also necessary to keep it simple. There’s no microwave to heat up leftovers. We cooked easy things on the stove, like eggs, and made sandwiches or PBJs for lunches. Our rented kitchen tub had pans, utensils, and my favorite item: a mini-French press for coffee. We also took full advantage of Steve and Kim’s much larger, well-equipped rig for group dinner prep. And Janet and Greg, seasoned van-lifers were an absolute whiz with gourmet meals in an Insta-pot.
There’s a Hiker in Every Biker (Zion National Park)
We stashed the bikes at the Watchman Campground for a hike day inside the impressive canyon walls of Zion. Steve and Josh had signed up for the Angel’s Landing hike. Kim, Scott, and I started with them up the West Rim, on the Wiggles switchbacks to Scout’s Landing, where we branched off into two groups. Steve and Josh headed up another 1500 feet of craggy and exposed ridge, using chains and metal railings in spots to scramble up steep sections. It’s known as one of the hardest National Park hikes in the US. I happily rambled up further without the “fall-to-my-death” possibility on the West Rim’s less treacherous path. We reunited an hour or so later for lunch and group shots looking back to the valley. Zion was worth several more days, but we headed out the east gate toward Kanab the next day.
Dark Sky RV in Kanab, Utah
Vamping, glamping, luxury camping—all of the above—was on display at Dark Sky RV Campground. We chose it for its long list of amenities and its close proximity to our guided Wave hike. It’s a great place to look up and around, and it is known for spectacular star-gazing and stunning geological rock wave formations nearby. Happy campers: this mantra lives and breathes in Dark Sky!
Van life is better with a private patio and lounge chairs looking out at the Red Cliffs and local Vermillion formations. Better yet, melt into the views, the hot shower rooms with heated floors, or the community lounge area. Dark Sky has all the creature comforts, including a stocked outdoor kitchen with a gas grill, pizza oven, microwave, and several impressive propane fire displays. There are plenty of snacks to purchase in their market, including beer/wine, coffee, and ice cream. Clea, the cat, will monitor your time and let you know if she needs a refill on her water or cat food.
We gathered (furry friends are welcome) each evening for meals around the fires on chilly February nights, sharing inspirations from the day’s adventure. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to rent an e-bike for a roll to the reservoir with plenty of waterfowl or eagle spotting. The e-power was a nice change of pace for my tired legs, plus you can cover a lot more territory. Next time, we want to try a jeep rental and explore on four wheels vs. two.
The Wave in Coyote Buttes
For sure, a highlight was a full day of hiking to explore the Wave with a guide from Coral Cliffs Tours. A permit and a little luck (thanks Kim) are required to win a spot for a group of six. Only 64 people are allowed in the permit area daily to protect this amazing slice of earth. Promptly at 7 AM, Sherwin arrived at Dark’s Sky’s glowing gate in the morning sunrise. The golden light spread quickly as we piled in the SUV for a 45-minute drive to our starting point. After a stint on bumpy dirt roads, we took turns in the pit toilets before embarking on a 7-mile round-trip hike.
It started with many layers, hats/gloves with temps just above the freezing mark. We warmed quickly, and the views improved as we hiked from the trailhead. The main Wave is about 90 minutes in, but another hour will fly by as you admire the sandstone layers and wave formations. Nature, wind, and water are powerful elements! We gawked, we snapped 100s of photos, and Sherwin finally lured us away for Wave 2, Wave 3, and other awe-inspiring formations. After a switchbacky scramble further up, we arrived at Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch (one looked remarkably like the trunk of an elephant), then the Grotto and an amazing sand dune cove that sits next to Danny’s Window. We took turns posing in the window and eventually began to loop back.
Layers came off, and it warmed to mid 60’s in the afternoon. Sherwin led us on a return through Fatali’s Boneyard, an area littered with porous rocks as if thrown from dinosaurs in a wild and ancient past flurry. The landscape changed in the afternoon light but remained eye-popping cool as we crossed through a gate and finished our loop. Everyone was a happy tired and we plotted dinner plans on the drive back. The Wave hiked marked the end of our Southern Utah adventure with a final travel day back to Las Vegas to return our rentals to Southwest Bikes. Check out the slideshow for a few of my fave image captures.
We spent one last night under the stars in the comfy confines of our vans and Dark Sky’s campground. I rolled to my back and reminisced about rides, rambles, and rocks…. It wasn’t long until the Wave of sleep washed over me.
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