Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center Rocks! Amazing & the Best! (Las Vegas, NV)

If you‘ve been to Las Vegas for the man-made casinos and Las Vegas Strip but never experienced the natural side of Las Vegas at Red Rock Canyon, you are missing out on something special!

Red Rock National Conservation Area is a hidden treasure near Las Vegas, and it is true oasis-like relief especially if you turned into gambling zombies (or something close. ;)) from the noise and smoking pollution of the casinos. The well-preserved area is located 20 miles (32 km.) west of Las Vegas, portraying a completely different atmosphere from the Las Vegas Strip.

It is a hidden treasure because it is often overlooked or considered to be of less significance to visit. Out of the 10 million people who visit Las Vegas each year, a mere 10% (1 million people) visit Red Rock Canyon.

Since I was totally surprised by how amazing Red Rock National Conservation Area is, instead of introducing it in one posting I decided to break it up into several. This time I will focus on the visitor center. 

The 13-mile (21 km.) Scenic Loop Drive is an easy way to see Red Rock National Conservation Area all at once. Once you pay a flat fee (entrance is free for holders of National Parks passes), the drive will take you to the Visitor Center. 

Especially if you are the first-time visitor to Red Rock Canyon, the visitor center is strongly recommended to spend some time looking around. Unlike the visitor centers at many national or state parks that are only worth a 10-20 minute visit, this center is quite large with many amenities. The center is like a natural history museum. For the elderly or the disabled, just visiting this center will suffice.

Red Rock Canyon's visitor center differs from traditional visitor centers by emphasizing the specific attributes of Red Rock Canyon. Visitors get introduced to relevant science, art, and culture that can enhance their experience in, and understanding of, Red Rock Canyon.

Many accommodations for the sweltering heat were made throughout the center, such as drinking fountains and pockets of shaded areas. The center is divided into 4 themes- earth, air, fire, and water. It can take over 2 hours to see the history, plants, and animals, and the life of the Native American Indians in depth. The art and artifacts along with the petroglyphs of the Native American Indians reveal a very impressive history that goes back 10,000 years.

If you are traveling with kids or elderly family members, the Red Rock Canyon visitor center itself will be great destination when you are tired of business as usual in Las Vegas. The center as simply impressive and it was the best visitor center I’ve ever been to in the U.S. so far!