The many National Parks and recreation areas within a day's drive of Las Vegas can offer anyone an added spectacular adventure to their vacation. Enjoy the Grand Canyon, Zion National Parks, and Death Valley National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is 275 miles to the South Rim across Hoover Dam.
To the North Rim it is nearly the same distance by way of Utah. Make a long weekend of it and enjoy the complete loop.
The Grand Canyon is a dominant and stimulating landscape, which can overwhelm our senses through its enormous size. The Grand Canyon is roughly 277 miles long by way of the Colorado River.
There are places at the Canyon about 18 miles wide, and some areas are a mile deep.
To get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas take US 93 South across the Hoover Dam to Kingman Arizona. Here you will want to take I-40 east for about 115 miles to Williams Arizona.
This is a good place to take a break, stretch your legs and maybe get a bite to eat. When you get back on the road you will now want to make sure you are on AZ State route 64 heading North to Grand Canyon Village. Non-stop travel From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon Village should be less then 5 hours.
Enjoy this Grand Canyon view and all the Village has to offer.
If you have a couple of extra days to spare and want to continue around the loop, make sure you are on AZ State route 64 heading East, which turns into US route 89A North. About 165 miles from Grand Canyon Village you will find AZ State route 67, you will want to take this road south about 42 miles to the North Rim.
The North Rim is almost directly across from Grand Canyon Village but they are more then 10 miles apart. Enjoy your day here, it is as spectacular as any other part of this spectacular grandeur of Mother Natures efforts.
To get back to Las Vegas, take AZ State route 67 North 42 miles and get back on US route 89A headed west.
Stay on this route crossing into Utah and until you reach I-15. You can then relax while heading south with the cruise control set for about two hours and you will be back in Las Vegas.
Zion National Park
Zion National Park can be reached in about three hours from Las Vegas.
Zion was designated as a National Park in 1919 and is Utah's oldest.
Zion is known for its incredible canyon walls, which ascend skyward into the heavens. A true Zion experience is to be able to get out and walk amongst the soaring cliffs or see how much courage you have to wandering through the narrow canyons, known as “The Narrows”. The hiking the narrows possibilities are truly endless in Zion. The unique colors of these sandstone castles of the desert range from almost white to pink and red.
To get to Zion National Park from Las Vegas you would simply get on I-15 north for about 131 miles before exiting onto Utah State Hwy 9 and again onto Utah State Hwy 9 E.
You should be at Zion National Park in about 30 mile from your I-15 exit.
Death Valley National Park
There are many destination points when visiting Death Valley National Park, Death Valley Junction can be reached in a nearly two hours, and Scotty's Castle is less then four.
A straight through drive to Furnace Creek can be had in about two and a half hours.
Death Valley National Park is three million acres of wilderness, a land of extremes. Among the extreme records it holds are, the hottest, the driest and the lowest of all areas in the United States.
An unmatchable desert of wandering sand dunes, mountains with snow in July, layers of rock in multi colors and water fluted canyons. This is truly a unique place, home to plants and animals only found in the harshest of deserts. Though summer temperatures have been recorded over 130 degrees, the fall and winter is an ideal time to visit this vast wonderland.
For a nice day trip out of Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park and back, the following may help you with a rather enjoyable time.
Head North West out of Las Vegas on NV state route 160 for about 80 mile at which time you will come upon US-95, Veterans Memorial Hwy, where you will want to continue North West, or go left here.
On US-95 you will continue to Beatty, Nevada. Here you may want to get a bite to eat, stretch and take a short side trip west of town to the ghost town of Rhyolite.
When you are done here continue back on US -95 North West about 35 mile to Scotty's Castle Rd.
Follow the narrow, winding road for about 25 miles to Scotty's Castle. This is a must see for anyone visiting Death Valley National Park.
When you are done visiting the grounds and touring the castle, you will want to head south on Scotty's Castle Rd towards Furnace Creek on a slow 54-mile journey.
You should be able to get to Furnace Creek in about 1 and a half hours from Scotty's castle.
Furnace creek is a great place to take a break, enjoy the Visitors center and have a picnic. When you have had your fill, get back on the road, CA-190 East out of town and turn onto Badwater rd, which turns into CA-178, the Jubilee Pass Rd.
If you are pressed for time you can get to Baker in about 3 and a half hours from Furnace Creek, if not, there are plenty of interesting stops along the way.
At Baker you will hit I-15 North and should be back in Las Vegas in less the two hours.
