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Calico Tanks Trail
Category: Active Life Hiking Hiking [Edit]
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation AreaLas Vegas, NV
(702) 515-5000
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
9 reviews for Calico Tanks Trail
9 reviews in English
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Review from Claudia G.
Chicago, IL
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am completely out of shape but embraced my friend's challenge to take this moderate trail and loved it! Beautiful, beautiful experience with one exciting wall clinging moment and a few butt skootching ones as well.
When all was done, I wanted to do it again!
I consider the massage I sought out the next day well-earned. -
Review from Shae H.
7/18/2011
If you're a beginning in hiking at Red Rock, this is the first turnoff on the road out to there, and one amongst many that are easy for beginners. There is a wooden trail you can walk to take pictures and know a little of the history of the area (which is very cool, I suggest you stop here first to look at the pictographs on the rocks and learn about the ranch that used to be there!) There's also the other trail that leads out North to the landscape of the Calico Tanks.
This is a trail where kids and dogs can easily do. Not only can you venture through the trails and rocks, there is an abundance of wildlife of Nevada's desert you can see here (lizards, jackrabbits, frogs, etc.) By the parking lot there is a recreational area for picnics, bathrooms, and waste disposals.
This has been one of my all time favorite easy places to hike besides First Creek Waterfall, since this is easily accessible from the city (merely 5 minutes out from Summerlin), and is a calming place to come to escape civilization for a couple hours. The best times to come are during sunrise and sunset, and weekdays are usually prime to get some space away from the crowds.Listed in: The Great Outdoors
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Review from Brian R.
Lynn, MA
7/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
My favorite stop in the Red Rock Canyon.
It's such a beautiful hike and it's quite easy. Everytime I've done it, it has been 95 or above. (Last trip a few weeks back it was 106).
Definitely worth a stop in if you're driving through anyways. -
Review from Ken M.
Las Vegas, NV
5/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I hiked here this morning with three other people. Instead of coming in through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, we hiked from the Calico Basin trail head in the back of the mountain, and hiked straight up and over, through a well-defined crevice in the rock.
Being one of the busiest times of the year, this Memorial Day weekend, we completely circumvented the crowd. Our hike to and from the the tanks took us exactly 3 hours, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. We had no hassle with traffic or parking. There is also no fee to access this side of Red Rock Canyon, via Calico Basin.
I've hiked all over Calico Basin and Red Rock Canyon for the past 12 years now. If you're a Las Vegas resident or frequent visitor, your experience is not complete if you're not getting out into this splendor of nature. Don't limit yourself to only the man-made parts of Vegas (restaurants, entertainment, shopping, places of worship, etc.).
You're doing yourself a disservice if you're not connecting with the unique natural environment of Las Vegas, contained largely in the scenic mountains which form the perimeter of the valley. Take advantage of the weather when it's not too hot, or beat the heat by going very early in the morning.
Some people go indoors to church on Sundays, regardless of how beautiful the weather may be outside. However, no temple could be more sacred to me than these magnificent mountains which rise from Mother Earth and ascend to the heavens. No form of worship inside a man-made building could be holier than hiking through that which nature has already built for us, and has endured for billions of years. -
Review from Norm K.
Calico Tanks is a moderate 2.5 mile out and back hike at Red Rock Canyon. To get to the trailhead, take the Scenic Drive to the 3rd parking area, Sandstone Quarry, and hike the trail that goes out from the west end of the parking lot by the wooden fence posts.
There is about 500 foot elevation gain/loss. Some of the trail is packed gravel, some is soft sand, some is made up of large rocks that make you watch your footing carefully, and some of the hike is going over sandstone. In short, this hike has a little something of every kind of terrain. And, if you're lucky, you'll see some water in the tanks (natural depressions or erosion of the sandstone) that hold water until it evaporates.
After you start hiking, you'll pass an historically significant area where there once was a quarrying operation in the early 1900s. Stop and look at the blocks abandoned there around 1913 and read the interpretive marker about "The Big Devil." From here the hike crosses a double wash and then continues until you reach a fork in the trail and Calico Tanks goes off to the right. You'll come around the back of the sandstone you see in the parking lot and you enter a canyon with sandstone walls on both sides.
The trail is fairly evident most of the way. There are a few places that people have placed cairns to help guide you. As long as you're going up the canyon, you'll be OK. The worst that can happen is you get yourself in an area where you're stuck on a ledge. You may have to retrace your steps and go the other side of the sandy area,
The payoff is reaching the large tank at the end of the trail. Today, January 1, 2011, there was a large amount of water in the tank from our recent rains. The top had a good coating of ice. Enjoy the tank which is dry most of the year. Then head a little more east and you'll get to an overlook where you can see the Las Vegas Valley. There are two routes to accomplish this: 1) go along the base of the tank and climb the rocks up the small chute on the opposite side; or, 2) when you reach the tank, stay high on the hill on the right and boulder scramble along a path that leads you to the same area. Take what you find easiest. This is a good place to have a snack and to do some exploring.
Retrace your steps to the parking area. Before you get back to the trail junction with the Turtlehead Peak trail, you'll see and interpretive marker on your right hand side. This is for an Indian roasting pit. It's a mound beyond the marker where they cooked their food using the agave plant which is common in Red Rock. Make sure you see this historical spot, too!
TIP: This is one of the most popular trails at Red Rock Canyon, so if you go on a weekend, get there early as the parking lot fills up quickly.
I have put the GPS tracks on EveryTrail at this link: http://www.everytrail....
Here is a link to some photos I posted on my website: http://gallery.me.com/...
Happy hiking! -
Review from Paolo D.
5/30/2011
This is one of my favorite hikes in Red Rock. It's fairly easy to moderate, so it's a great hike to bring along beginners. At the same time, the trail takes you up and over a lot of fun rock formations, so even experienced hikers will stay interested. Finally, it has a great payoff at the end in the form of a nice view of the Vegas valley. Some people hike to get away from the city, so this payoff is more of a detractor for certain people. However, for my money, you can't get much better than Calico Tanks. It boils down to the highly scientific formula where we measure the ratio of the quality of the payoff to the difficulty in getting there. For a nice and somewhat easy hike to have such a great view at the end - that's a win in my book.
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Review from Sarah Jane W.
Las Vegas, NV
5/27/2011
I like this hike...it's not too long or hardcore, but it's enough uphill scrambling and climbing to make it a worthwhile after-work jaunt. The scenery is amazing (red and golden rocks and sand with a fair amount of trees and other vegetation), and the reward at the end is spectacular: a panoramic view of all of Las Vegas, from downtown to the M Resort. There is also a good-size picturesque pond nestled in the rocks at the end, which is a nice thing on a hot day!
Listed in: Hiking Around Vegas
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Review from Katie L.
La Habra, CA
5/31/2011
Go past the water and you will see an amazing view of vegas. It was a pretty tough hike. You will get dirty and get dirt in your finger nails. There isnt a real path, you make your own. So beginners i would stay away from this one.
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Review from Catherine B.
Las Vegas, NV
5/20/2011
This is an awesome and easy hike. It is almost all natural steps with some scrambling. Good for all ages. Bring a camera!
