The pavement starts at the northwest corner of Charleston Boulevard and Sky Vista Drive. It is 12 feet wide and runs west along the north side of State Route 159 for 0.99 miles. It ends at the "Welcome to Red Rock" sign, which now stands farther west than it used to, with its own parking lot out front so people can pull off the highway for a photo.
That mile is Phase 1 of the Red Rock Legacy Trail. When it opened this spring, KLAS called it "a new way to experience the beauty of Red Rock Canyon." That's accurate. But it's a new way to reach the edge of the canyon, and it stops short of the Scenic Drive gate. For the rest of this timed-entry season, which runs through May 31, the parts of Red Rock you can visit on impulse are the stops along SR-159. The 13-mile Scenic Drive still works on a Recreation.gov schedule.
The Mile That Ends at the Sign
Save Red Rock reported that county, state and federal officials gathered on April 28 to celebrate Phase 1's official opening. A couple of weeks later, Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones rode it on his road bike during a live KLAS segment. The segment ended at the relocated sign, where the station noted the new designated parking lot in front of the marker.
The trail was built with a Federal Lands Access Program grant and paved by Las Vegas Paving. Phase 1 also added deceleration lanes at three turns on SR-159: Calico Basin Road, the entrance to the new sign parking lot, and the road into the Scenic Loop and Red Rock Visitor Center. If you drive west from Summerlin, those turn lanes are probably the biggest day-to-day change from this project. They make it easier to slow down and turn off the highway at the three busiest stops.
The trail's endpoint was a budget decision. According to Clark County's project page, Phase 1 was originally designed to run from Charleston and Sky Vista to the entrance of the Visitor Center and Scenic Loop. Funding fell short, so the county built the first 0.99 miles to keep the project moving and to connect with the next phase.
What Stands Between the Sign and the Gate
The rest of the original Phase 1 route is funded. The Regional Transportation Commission approved money for it in December 2024. In RTC's February 2026 capital plan update, the Legacy Trail's Section 1 undercrossing at SR-159 is a $500,000 design project. In the commission's September 2026 plan, it is still listed under open design contracts, not construction.
Phase 2 is the stretch that would take trail users to the Scenic Drive. It covers 6.61 miles from the west end of Phase 1 to the Scenic Loop exit. It passes under SR-159, curves south and west away from the highway, turns back north at Moenkopi Road, and crosses back under the highway near the Scenic Loop entrance. That crossing is where trail users would reach the Visitor Center and the drive. As of the county's design project list dated September 22, 2026, Phase 2 design was 60% complete. Phases 3 and 4 were at 10% each, and Phase 5 was at 30%.
The finished trail will run 19 miles, from the edge of Summerlin to Blue Diamond Road. In May 2026, Commissioner Jones told KLAS he expected the whole project to be done within about two and a half years. For this winter, the paved path ends at the sign, and anyone headed to the Scenic Loop is back on the highway.
The Reservation-Free Stops Along SR-159
Several stops between the trail and the canyon need no ticket at all. The Bureau of Land Management says you don't need a reservation or an entry fee to hike from Red Spring or use its smaller picnic spots. The Red Rock Overlook on SR-159 is also free and needs no reservation. The Southern Nevada Conservancy's fall update lists the Red Spring Boardwalk and Picnic Area, the Calico Basin and Kraft Mountain trailheads, the Red Rock Overlook and the Late Night Trailhead as open, with no current closures.
| Stop | Reservation | Fee | Winter hours, Nov.–Feb. | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Trail, Charleston & Sky Vista to the Red Rock sign | None | None listed | Not posted | Paved 0.99 miles. Parking lot at the relocated sign |
| Red Spring Boardwalk and picnic spots | None | None | 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Limited parking. The group pavilion needs a Recreation.gov booking |
| Calico Basin and Kraft Mountain trailheads | None listed | None listed | Not posted | Gates close when lots fill |
| Red Rock Overlook, SR-159 | None | None | Not posted | Limited parking |
| Scenic Drive and Visitor Center | Yes, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. entries | $20 per car | Drive 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitor Center 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Each ticket adds $2 |
The catch at all of these stops is parking. The Conservancy says you can park only in designated lots, and when the lots fill and the area reaches capacity, the gates close until enough people leave. At Red Spring, BLM also says parking may be limited. If you're from Summerlin, you're close enough to make a quick morning loop on the boardwalk without planning ahead. The trade-off is that a full lot can turn you around.
The Scenic Drive Still Needs a Reservation
From October 1 through May 31, BLM requires a timed-entry reservation to enter the Scenic Drive between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. From November through February, the drive is open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. That means the gate opens two hours before the reservation window starts. The Visitor Center falls under the same reservation and entrance-fee rules during the season. It's open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
Recreation.gov's Red Rock page explains how booking works. Here's how a winter visit goes:
- Book online, on the Recreation.gov app, or by phone at (877) 444-6777. Each car or motorcycle needs its own reservation for one arrival hour.
- Reservations open on a rolling basis up to 30 days ahead at 7 a.m. Pacific time. A second batch is released two days ahead, also at 7 a.m. Pacific.
- Your ticket is good for a one-hour arrival window, and you can arrive up to 30 minutes early. Once you're in, you can stay until the drive closes. If you leave and want to come back, you need a new reservation.
- A reservation doesn't guarantee a parking spot. Lots can close when they fill, and they're busiest on weekends, holidays and fee-free days.
The fees haven't changed since January 1, 2023, when private vehicles went from $15 to $20 and the Red Rock annual pass went from $30 to $50. Motorcycles cost $10, and every ticket adds a $2 nonrefundable reservation fee. An annual or lifetime pass covers the entrance fee, but you still pay the $2 reservation fee. Recreation.gov also lists military, veteran and Gold Star status as an entrance-fee exemption with proof at the gate. The federal America the Beautiful annual pass costs $80 for U.S. residents in 2026. Recreation.gov says it covers entrance and day-use fees at federal recreation areas. Before you head out with a pass, check BLM's current rules on whether you need to show it in person at Red Rock.
Bikes and Walk-Ins Skip the Booking but Pay the Fee
Recreation.gov says walk-in visitors, cyclists, e-bike riders and one-wheel riders don't need a timed-entry reservation. They still pay the entrance fee or show a pass at the kiosk. According to the Southern Nevada Conservancy's fee page, that's $8 on a bike and $5 on foot.
This is where the Legacy Trail matters. Riding from Summerlin to the Scenic Drive already lets you skip the reservation. For now, though, the paved, separated part of that ride covers only the first mile, up to the sign. There's no shuttle on the Scenic Drive and no public transit from Las Vegas to Red Rock, according to the Conservancy's FAQ. That leaves a bike, your feet or a car with a reservation.
The Two Holiday Mornings With a Noon Close
Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year. That day and on Christmas, the Scenic Drive is open from 6 a.m. to noon, and the Visitor Center is open from 8 a.m. to noon. Because reservations open 30 days out, Thanksgiving tickets are already on sale, and Christmas morning tickets go on sale in late November. BLM's schedule doesn't list a noon close for Red Spring. Its winter hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and its group pavilion takes Recreation.gov reservations for holiday gatherings.
Veterans Day, the last fee-free day on Red Rock's 2026 calendar, was November 11. If you're planning a visit for later this season, plan on paying the regular fees.
Living near the Legacy Trail means your Red Rock morning can start at your front door, and the next phases will extend that path toward the Scenic Drive. If you own a home in Summerlin and want to know how being close to Red Rock shows up in your home's value, The Richardson Group will give you a straight answer. Get your free selling strategy call.
