Vegas camping, with views of the city?

November 24, 2008 4:25 PM

I am approaching Las Vegas Nevada from the east via car. Is there any car camping or backpacking in the mountains that ring Las Vegas where one can see the lights of the city, without setting foot in it?

Secluded areas would be better! Has anyone done this? I've always thought it would be a cool way to 'experience' Vegas.

posted by kuatto to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 answers total)

Gass Peak sounds like it might fit the bill, though there are no facilities and i can't find confirmation that camping is explicitly allowed. Here's a night panorama someone shot from there.
posted by contraption at 4:42 PM on November 24, 2008

You cant see the lights from the lake but Lake Mead is really close. I've camped there before .


http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&q=las+vegas+map&ll=36.124565,-114.957504&spn=0.288961,0.4422&z=11
posted by itsamonkeytree at 4:44 PM on November 24, 2008

There's the 13-Mile campground just outside of the city, near Red Rocks, but it's a fairly unscenic dirt lot. I think that it's to the west of the city; I'm not sure if you can get there from the east side without going through at least the outskirts of Vegas.

I stay there whenever I climb at Red Rocks. Somehow the campground manages to be really close to the beautiful scenery of Red Rocks, yet it's incredibly flat and boring.
posted by strangecargo at 4:46 PM on November 24, 2008

Seconding 13-mile campground. I had to hop onto my bike (w. bike light) to ride to a spot where I could see the bright lights, big city. But that was in 2001. The city's probably expanded since then.
posted by doncoyote at 5:51 PM on November 24, 2008

but it's a fairly unscenic dirt lot.

We stayed at 13-mile a year ago -also climbing the rocks- and i gotta say i disagree with strangecargo, we were impressed with the beauty of the place! we thought it offered a stunning desert panorama. we LOVED it. guess its a matter of taste.

you def cant see the lights from there though, but thats what makes it so cool, its ten mins from the city but its like you are in the middle of nowhere. have a great time, nevada is beautiful.
posted by beccyjoe at 9:50 PM on November 24, 2008

If you are willing to take a trail at night you can see the lights from Red Rock - trail to the watertank if I recall right.
posted by A189Nut at 2:12 AM on November 25, 2008

Valley of Fire offers camping about an hour northeast of the city - it's spectacular scenery, but you won't be able to see the city lights. You might see some fireworks from the Moapa Paiute reservation fireworks launch pad, though.
posted by zepheria at 9:06 AM on November 25, 2008