Running In Red Rock Canyon

Last Sunday I took advantage of a drop from the previous days 90+ degree temperatures to run in the desert of Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, Nevada. Red Rock Canyon is located 17 miles west of the adult playground and is in marked contrast to the neon, noise and crowed streets of the concrete jungle known as the Las Vegas strip.  


Arriving in late afternoon I didn't have time for a long run so I took the first trail I saw leaving the Visitors Center.  I decided a short out and back was the best course of action given my unfamiliarity with the area and the time of day.  The weather conditions were a bit unusual for this time of year.  The temperature was in the mid-sixties with strong wind and gusts up to 50 miles per hour.  At times it was sunny, but it was mostly cloudy during my run.  I even felt a few drops of rain but that lasted less than a minute.

This was the first time I ran trails west of the Mississippi and I really enjoyed the experience.  I would love to return here some day when I have more time to explore.  The Red Rock Fat Ass 50K in January would be a good way to start off 2012.  Then again, I need time to decompress after living the 24/7 lifestyle of Vegas if only for a few days.

You can view my photos of my Red Rock Canyon run HERE.

And that, I'm afraid, is all I can share about my trip to Vegas. ;-0