Calico Basin Scenic Loop

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Features Views

On this loop you'll get a scenic tour of Calico Basin and the heart of Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area.

This is not a very popular riding area, the trails are not signed but area easy to follow. We usually see more burros than people.

Bicycling in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area can be an enjoyable way to see the local flora and fauna. Bicycles are allowed on the one-way Scenic Drive, paved spur roads, and designated mountain bike trails. Bikes are not allowed on designated hiking trails. Motor vehicle regulations for bicycles apply while in the Conservation Area.

On or off the pavement, beware of rocks falling off the cutbacks around switchbacks, debris where the road or trail crosses washes and loose gravel on the road surface. No water is available and no air or other repair facilities are available in the Red Rock Canyon Area.

Park in the dirt lot which is just inside Red Rock Conservation Area. You'll start by riding under Charleston Blvd and heading north to the neighborhood trail system and beginning of this counter clockwise loop. You'll be heading west after a short climb and the views will get better and better as you get closer to Calico Basin. Once you cross Calico Basin Rd you'll have another sustained climb as you head west toward Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area and amazing views at the top of the hill.

After taking in the views start looking for an unmarked trail which is called Santeria. Enjoy the chunky flow as you head down toward Charleston Pkwy and cross under again. After crossing under you make your way across the dry river bed and finally you'll hop on Brokeback Mountain trail for a quick 2+ mile ride back to the parking area.

Red Rock Canyon is just 15 miles west of Las Vegas and you can actually see it from the Strip. It occupies 195,819 acres of the Mojave Desert, and hosts over 2 million visitors each year. The Canyon is part of the Bureau of Land Management's National Landscape Conservation System, and was designated as a National Conservation Area in 1990.

600 species of plants are native to the area. Joshua trees, creosote, and blackbrush proliferate on the valley floor, while agave flourish in the red rock niches and Utah juniper and Ponderosa pines thrive at the top of the valley where it connects to the Spring Mountains.

As for animal life, wild burros, rabbits, and squirrels are the most common creatures, but desert bighorn sheep can sometimes be spotted at higher altitudes.