Red Rock Canyon NCA, Nevada (2)

We bid adieu to Lake Mead, but Richard got in one last hurrah ride along the bike trail on our way out. We set a pin at the Las Vegas Bay picnic area and the plan was for me to blog while he rode. Because it was a short shot from Boulder Beach to Red Rock Canyon, we didn’t want to arrive too early. The plan worked well, with the exception that cell service wasn’t awesome at the picnic area. It was better just a little bit higher at an overlook, so we moved the meet up spot. That has nice views of the west side of the lake and we could see the Las Vegas Bay Campground down below. That would be another option to try in the future.

There were a couple of unknowns as we headed over to Red Rock. The purpose of this stay was to have a Do Over from out last try. When we came before, we got hit by a giant storm system. It was really pretty intense, and the lead up to the storm ruined Richard’s attempt to ride the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive because he was getting blown over by wind. Because of the brain’s negativity bias, Richard was pretty sure it would be crazy windy there again and he wanted to make sure he got in some kind of a ride. There was also the fact that the campground website said check in was not until 3, and sometimes it’s fine to get there early, while other times, it’s not. One last factor was that you need to make online reservations for a timed entry on the scenic drive and we had a hard time finding out whether that applied to bicycles as well as cars. 

For all of those reasons, we were taking our time getting to the campground. This worked very well in my favor because Richard had researched a viral TikTok doughnut shop, as well as a hip ice cream place that just so happened to be on the way. The Doughnut place is called Saint Honoré and I have never had such a fancy, and expensive, doughnut in my life. They have all kinds of unusual flavors, but the ones that are reviewed the best are the Creme Brûlée and the Boston Cream Pie. We split the former and it was really good. The sugar coating on top was so crystalized, it had to be cracked before we could cut it. The place was crowded and conspicuously chic, with gold flecks on raspberries, and unnecessarily sturdy custom boxes given with every order, even if you just got one to eat on the spot. Richard felt the doughnut part was on the dry side, but he’s a tough customer. I thought it was fabulous.

We followed that with a walk a few doors down to Sorry, Not Sorry. The vibe here is much more laid back and the ice cream is out of this world. I had Mint Chocolate Chunk and Richard had Triple Chocolate Fudge. Wow. They say the name has to do with the unapologetic number of calories contained in each scoop. This is business naming at its finest. This place is worth a side trip if you are going through Las Vegas.

We drove the short distance to the campground, getting there around 1pm. There was no one at the kiosk to check us in, let alone care if we had arrived early. It was lovely weather with no wind. And it turned out bicycles do not need a timed entry reservation. All concerns were for naught, as they often are. We got our bikes set up and rode the 2 miles from the campground to the scenic drive entry point. We had no trouble just rolling in. We showed our annual National Parks Pass, which covered the entry fee, and we pedaled past a long line of cars, some having to exit the park because they didn’t have a reservation. We felt like the smart party for sure.

The scenic drive is 13 miles total. It is one way and only open to vehicles with timed reservations, so there is very little traffic. The first five miles are all about climbing. I didn’t particularly notice, cause e-bike, but Richard got in a very good workout. We didn’t stop at the parking areas or trail heads much, because the plan was to spend the whole next day in the park.

Once you reach the parking area at “The High Point,” you are in for some coasting. The sun was starting to go down and we didn’t bring enough clothes. That was a very chilly 8 miles. You come out on the main public road two miles west of the entrance, so we had to ride it back, plus two miles back to the campground. Richard completed his Do Over ride and got to do it all again the next day.

We had ambitious plans, so we got up really early. We were dressed (with ALL the clothes), lunches packed, and riding by 8:30. Again we secretly gloated as we flew past the line of cars for free. The first part of our biathlon was complete when we got to the Sandstone Quarry parking area. Here we dismounted and changed around some clothes and shoes for a three mile hike on the Calico Tanks Trail.

This trail lets you explore the distinctive sandstone rock formation from the back side. There is a fair bit of rock scrambling, with lots of stone stairs to make most of the climbing easier. You do have to be careful because all of the rock surfaces are covered with fine sand, making it slippery. The views are other worldly and the colors of the rocks are Instagram ready the entirety of the trail. The “tanks” are bowls in the sandstone that collect water. The largest of the tanks was empty, but we saw a couple of smaller ones. It is worth it to climb to the end of the trail where you can get a view down into the valley, even as far as Las Vegas. 

The hike took us about two hours and we continued to the next leg of the biathlon. This was the Keystone Thrust Trail. To get to the trailhead, you can go up a rocky unpaved road, or park a half mile lower and walk up. It was too rough for road biking, so we locked our bikes at the lower parking lot and hoofed it. This trail was a lot less scrambly. It was uphill the first half, and then it descends into an area that has exposed red rock poking out of the surrounding limestone. They say it is geologically interesting, and though I don’t understand all the reasons why, I can still appreciate that there are a lot of different kinds of rocks in one place. Again, it was worth it to do the descents and climbs to get to the end of the trail, so that you can look back on the formation and see how it all stands out. All told, this trail was about three and a half miles out and back.

You might be wondering from the pictures, “Did Richard hike wearing his bicycle helmet?” Yes. Yes he did. And he will again, the next time we ride to a trailhead. You can argue with him about it, but he doesn’t care and won’t change his mind, even if you tell him he looks silly. He doesn’t want to leave it sitting around with the bike, and he insists it is easier to carry this way.

Finally, we were ready to commence the final leg of the day’s events. I regret none of the clothes I put on for the ride back. In addition to regular clothes, I had a fleece, down jacket, wind breaker jacket, fleece lined pants, rain pants, and a wool hat under my bike helmet. I could have put on gloves too and should have. The day’s tally was around 22 miles of biking, plus 6 miles of hiking. Around 3,200 feet were climbed, by wheel or by foot.

We arrived back at Dory by 3 pm, triumphant and tired. What do biathletes deserve? More ice cream! We put away all the biking and hiking stuff, hopped in the car, and drove to Sorry, Not Sorry. I got Bumble Berry Cheesecake with Crumbles on a waffle cone. OMG. Richard got Double Stuff Oreo Cookies and Cream, also on a waffle cone. Quick stop at a nearby Trader Joe’s, fill the car with gas, and that’s a wrap on a big, big, day.

Could not have had a better Do Over. Richard conquered that ride not once, but twice. We really loved biking to the trailheads, especially when we get to avoid entry tickets and fees. The campground is extremely convenient if you are wanting to see Red Rock Canyon. It helped to have just a little cell service too. Fun stay!

Total miles from Boulder Beach: 53.0, 14.3 mpg, 4 hours 2 min (with stops at rest area and snacks). Site 43. No hookups. Actually got pretty decent cell service for ATT. They must have put up a tower somewhere. Still not great for Verizon. No dump.