Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area is one of my favorite places to visit since I have been living in Las Vegas. I truly think it is one of The Best Place To Enjoy The Mojave Desert.

I have taken family and friends to Red Rock when they come to visit me and it never fails to impress. There are so many activities you can do and hiking is one of my favorites. I will be sharing with you Calico Tanks Trail.

This trail is popular amongst visitors. It cuts through a canyon made up of yellow and red sandstone giving is some sensational vibrant views.

GETTING TO CALICO TANKS TRAIL AT RED ROCK CANYON

Calico Tanks is accessible by entering Red Rock’s Scenic route. As you drive past the entrance to the park you will follow the signs to Scenic Loop Drive. You’ll drive past the Calico I and Calico Hills North Parking Areas. The trailhead is near the Sandstone Quarry Overlook stop.

After parking, head towards the end of the parking lot and you will see the start of the trail.

PREPARATION

I have done this trail several times and I always look forward to doing again. These are some of my recommendations for preparing for the hike.

• Clothing – I recommend hiking pants on hikes. During the summer this trail can get very hot and it wouldn’t hurt to have a long sleeve shirt to protect from the sun. I have seen people in shorts and short sleeve shirts. Most importantly wear sunscreen!
• Footwear – Definitely recommend some hiking shoes/boots. But this trail isn’t very difficult and some regular walking shoes will do.
• Water – Bring at least 3 liters. A CamelBak or backpack with a hydration system would be enough. In the summer there is no shade. Hydrating will keep you cool and safe.
• Food/Snacks – Ok… I brought beer and a protein bar. Its a short hike, but the ending is definitely nice for a refreshing adult beverage and maybe a picnic if you want to be romantic.

Check the weather forecast as well. Make sure the visibility is clear. I have gone on this trail where the visibility wasn’t great, due to some fog, and almost ruined the viewpoint. The days after it rains can be very clear.

Also, this trail is kid-friendly. It is not difficult as long as they can make it there and back. Phone reception is intermittent. At the end of the trail, the phone service isn’t that bad.

HIKING RED ROCK CANYON’S CALICO TANKS TRAIL

Once you walk past the parking lot it will lead you towards the trail. You will come across a wash and it confused me the first time I did this trail. The wash can be mistaken for the trail, but just keep walking across and it would put you back on track. About 60 meters in you will encounter a fork on the road.

Go right and follow the signs for Calico Tanks Trail. This part of the path is mostly made up of gravel. As you continue you will be led into the sandy bottom of the canyon. If you ever think you are getting lost just follow the markers.

Past the sandy part of the trail, you will come up to a narrow path where previous hikers have balanced rocks on top of each other. This art form is called rock cairns.

As you continue past “Cairn Alley” you will see a great view of what the trail is about. From here you can see where the trail comes to an end. It is at the top where the canyon narrows.

At this point, you probably didn’t realize it, but there is a sudden transition from yellow to red. No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. This is one of the marvelous features of this trail. As you continue the path it tends to go back and forth between these two colors. If you are wondering why it is red, it is due to iron minerals in the sandstone that has oxidized. In other words, rust.

Don’t forget to look back. You will see the beauty of the canyon and the landscape on the background.

As you proceed through the canyon the elevation gain will start increasing and it will become a little bit more rugged. It might seem intimidating, but just follow the markers to keep you on the trail. You will also find stone staircases to make some of the elevation gains easy.

As you near the end of the hike the trail becomes easy to follow. You will take series of steps that will eventually take you to the “tank”. It is a bowl-like area that captures water, creating a pond. I have yet to witness it with water, but I could only imagine how pretty it would be.

There are two ways to move forward. You can climb down into the tank and go straight across, or you could go the high route (shown above) and stay on the right sandstone wall. This last area can be a little challenging due to the piles of boulders.

Once you make it past the tank you will get a beautiful view of the Las Vegas Valley. This is a perfect place to explore take photos, and have a beer.

---

Hike Summary

• Distance | 2.2 miles (3.5 km)
• Elevation Gain | 406 ft (124 m)
• Average Time | 2 hrs
• Difficulty | Moderate

---

Some of my favorite photos.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

CONCLUSION

When I am in the mood for a short hike this is my go-to trail. Its moderate difficulty level makes the hike enjoyable during all times of the year and always ends with a beautiful view of the city below.

I am looking forward to sharing more of the hiking opportunities at Red Rock Canyon.

Would you take this hike? Leave comments and questions below and I’ll answer them.

• adventure
• calicotanks
• HIKE
• Las Vegas
• lasvegas
• outdoors
• Red Rock National Conservation Area
• Redrock
• trail
• vegas