You think you know everything you need to know about Las Vegas, so when you're flying above the Mojave Desert at night and the miles of blackness below you suddenly give way to a shocking amoeba of glowing luminosity, you're not even close to surprised. It's Vegas, man.
But maybe you don't know everything about Vegas, after all. Block out the city for a moment and focus on all those lightless miles of wilderness. From the stunning escarpment of Red Rock Canyon, 40 minutes west of town, to the Colorado River, the same distance east, Vegas's real extravagance lies in its vast natural setting.
Ride Lonesome Singletrack
Thirty-five million people will visit Las Vegas this year, but none of them can be found in the cottony air of a summer evening on the cholla-lined singletrack known as the Three-Mile Smile. You have it to yourself, you and Jared Fisher, the director of the bike outfit Escape Adventures ([U.S.] $108 for a full-day tour, including lunch and equipment; +1 800 596 2953 [in the U.S. and Canada]; www.escapeadventures.com), and so you fly down the narrow, red-hued draw with more regard for the cactus spines along the trail than for any potential passersby.
There are 80 miles [129 kilometers] of singletrack running through Cottonwood Valley and many more miles of trail in the surrounding purlieus, but this little arroyo is among the most interesting sections. Straight paths lead to heart-stopping hairpins, which lead to rolly triptychs of whoop-de-dos. And in your wake hangs a crimson dust so fine it may never filter back to the ground.
Camp Under the Stars
It is late at night in the Bird Spring mountains, south of Nevada Highway 160. Your campfire has burned down, and the wind that was ruffling your sleeping bag has stilled. Suddenly, there's a snuffle and a clip-clop, and you sit halfway up—as a dozen wild horses glide through your camp like shades and disappear over a ledge. Twenty miles [32 kilometers] away, on the Strip, crowds watch an artificial volcano spew synthetic lava.
Return to Civilization
Lodging abounds—120,000 rooms—but make reservations anyway: The city's occupancy rate is 88 percent (Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; +1 800 332 5333 [U.S. and Canada only]). For inexpensive lodging near Red Rock, try the first-come, first-served 13-Mile Campground ([U.S.] $10; +1 702 363 1921).
There are many good Mexican restaurants in Vegas. And you'd do well to sample Thai Spice (+1 702 362 5308) and Noodle 2000 (+1 702 368 4000).
Paddle to Petroglyphs
Hoover Dam serves as a kind of DMZ between the whining personal watercraft on Lake Mead and the kayaks and rafts that drift 11.5 miles [18.5 kilometers] through the Black Canyon to Willow Beach. Guide Donny Harden of Downriver Outfitters will lead you through the Black Canyon ([U.S.] $149 for a full-day tour that includes lunch; +1 877 486 8758 [U.S. and Canada only]; www.adventurelasvegas.com).
The river is flat, so you're here not for an adrenaline rush but for the beautiful contrast between the rugged canyon walls and the crystal green Colorado. You make stops at Sauna Cave (110°F [43°C], dark, humid) and Arizona Hot Springs (hot-tub-size, with canyon views), enjoying glimpses of red-tailed hawks and bighorn sheep. At Petroglyph Wash, you take a short hike to see ancient markings.
Climb Aztec Sandstone
The climbing is world-class. In the winter, 197,000-acre [79,722-hectare] Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area comes alive; more than 1,200 named routes cover every ability level (+1 702 363 1921; www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov).
The Aztec sandstone is firmer than most, holds abound, and the escarpment towers 2,000 feet [610 meters]. Big-wall routes, such as the classic 5.9 Epinephrine, can run 18 pitches. While trad routes predominate, there are hundreds of sport lines, too. For guiding, call Sky's the Limit (+1 800 733 7597 [U.S. and Canada only]; www.skysthelimit.com), based near the visitors center.
In summer, climb (or hike) at Mount Charleston, where it's up to 25 degrees [Fahrenheit] cooler. You'll find nearly 500 named routes, most of them rated 5.10 to 5.14c, plus sport climbing at Robber's Roost. Finally, Mecca is a fledgling bouldering area two hours north of the city. Contact Desert Rock Sports (+1 702 254 1143; www.desertrocksports.com) or PowerHouse climbing gym (+1 702 254 5604).
