stuff to visit outside of Red Rocks

I am going to Red Rocks for the 2nd time with my friend in December.  I am going to fly out a week early and rent a car and visit some other sites.  Any recommendations?  Stuff for hiking and camping.  Ive gambled plenty in the city so I am past doing that. 

I am thinking Zion National Park.  Grand Canyon.  Any other ideas? Specific places to see or visit within these parks.  I dont mind driving a couple hundred miles.  I will have about a week.

Mt Charleston is close by.
For further jaunts try Flagstaff AZ or Sedona.  Both cool places.
In town, the Mob Museum is interesting as is the Springs Preserve.

North Rim of Grand Canyon if it's still open. Zion is always good and close to LV. Snow Canyon near St. George is cool. Valley of Fire State Park is worth visiting just outside Vegas. 

Joshua Tree is 180 miles. Mojave National Preserve is on the way. If you want solitude for camping, drive 200 miles north with some spare gas.

Honestly, you can damn near pick a direction and drive to incredible desolate lands that are probably government owned. Just depends on your commitment level.

Death Valley NP is 2 hours away. 

You don't have to travel far to find things to hike, places to stay.  There's a lot of hikes and scrambles within Red Rock too.

Fwiw, early December weather can be anything.  I wouldn't expect to head too far north in an average weather year before things get fairly cold, quick.  Weather will be the biggest factor in where you can go.  Zion probably isn't in the cards though.  If it rains, climbing on sandstone gets impacted (need to wait a bit after a rain for the rock to dry).

Death Valley has some hiking and is an interesting landscape to visit, but again I think if you're just looking for some desert adventure you can find it close to LV.  

We like to take trips to the Sierras and expect to be taking even more in the future.  Someplace like Alabama Hills could still be warm enough and snow free in December.  It's granite so even if wet you can still climb it.  Free camping on BLM.  You could start the drive early and add some time in Death Valley on your way to Alabama Hills.  The hiking starts closing up (at least casual hiking) once the snow flies in the Sierras, so when it's warm it's spectacular and the hikes themselves straightforward and fun, but once winter returns it's serious business (even things done very casually during the summer).  Most of the best hiking is at elevation in the Sierra, so this suggestion is more as a potential climbing and touristing idea than a source of hikes.

For hiking ideas closer to Vegas:

https://www.birdandhike.com/

If You are looking to do some climbing outside of Red Rock, there is a place about 103 miles NE of Vegas called Rainbow Canyon.
A Creek runs thru the canyon and there are some good Basalt/tuft Cracks and Faces on both sides of the canyon. The approaches to the climbs on the W side are about 25 ft from the road.

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105849658/rainbow-canyon

Kanab area for the slot canyons. 

Adrienne DiRosario wrote: Kanab area for the slot canyons. 

yes, i always wanted to do this and it skipped my mind.  Thanks for mentioning it again

Feast Buffet Red Rocks Casino

NegativeK wrote: Joshua Tree is 180 miles. 

Yep, and the approaches there are in minutes. Dr. Kodos once drove a friend to JT from Vegas, vowing that they would put hand to rock in shorter time than would they had they done the multi-hour hike to the route the visitor wanted to do in Red Rocks. Of course, this came to pass as predicted. 

Chris Miller wrote:

yes, i always wanted to do this and it skipped my mind.  Thanks for mentioning it again

december in a slot? things that make you go ...hmmmm

Cpn Dunsel wrote:

The crux move here is maintaining a steady 102 across the dips in the road through the Mojave.  

Granite Mountains loom in the distance.

First time I did that drive, I cried as the sun rose over the mountains.

Big B wrote:

december in a slot? things that make you go ...hmmmm

Well, if it's a dry one why not?

David Ebel wrote: Feast Buffet Red Rocks Casino

...is terrible compared to the better LV buffets.

Señor Arroz wrote: North Rim of Grand Canyon if it's still open.

From Friday, November 1, through Saturday, November 30, 2019 the North Rim will remain open from dawn to dusk, for day-use only. All North Rim operations will close for the season at 8 am on Sunday, December 1, or earlier, if snow closes State Highway 67. Hikers and cross country skiers will be able to enter the North Rim through the winter months with valid backcountry permits.

Marc801 C wrote:

...is terrible compared to the better LV buffets.

I’ve never understood why visiting climbers love it.

What's the best buffet in vegas that's not on the strip?

Chris Miller wrote:

yes, i always wanted to do this and it skipped my mind.  Thanks for mentioning it again

I was out there a few weeks ago. Buckskin Gulch far exceeded my expectations, and no permits to day hike it. Usually dry. the Wave is right there too. You could get lucky with a Wave permit; we did not. Lots of dispersed camping along House Rock Valley Rd, pit toilet and camping at Wire Pass. We took a spot at BLM State-Line campground, which is a beautiful location, and the start of the Arizona Trail. We also spent time at Zion NP, which is just not that far from LV. 50% of all the backcountry camping permits, at Zion, are held for walkups, available the day before, and many go unfilled because most people won't travel there without reserved permits. The backcountry office opens at 0800, we showed up at 0730, the door was open, second group served, and we could have done anything in the park. We chose an overnight Narrows permit. 

Check out the Pinball Hall of Fame, if you're into that kind of carrying on.

Returned from Red Rock a few days ago.  Waiting on my climbing buddy to show up I was able to pull off a short, desolate, beautiful hike that has been on my list for a few years an hour south of Vegas in Searchlight, NV on BLM land called Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness.  Don't expect anything other than wilderness and lots of Joshua Trees, yucca and cacti.  Follow an old wagon trail 3 miles across the 6500 acre expanse.  Didn't see anybody else.  That was the day after I made the trek up to Death Valley and hiked to the middle (2.5 miles away from parking lot) of Badwater Basin.  Nearly an out of body experience to be standing out there.  Death Valley has so much more that I wasn't expecting but didn't have time. If you are up there near sunset, try to catch it at Zobrinski (sp?) Point.