Vegas, Baby? Maybe not

We are not Vegas people. We have no room in our budget for gambling losses and we’re a bit too old for the what-happens-in-Vegas-stays-in-Vegas experiences. Frankly, we’d rather see the spectacular views that nature has to offer than the glitz and glamor of the Las Vegas strip. 

That made Red Rock Canyon a perfect place for us to stay while we were in the area. Just 15 minutes from downtown, the state park offers views the Bellagio just can’t match.

We had some trouble finding the campground, as it’s a mile or two before you reach the entrance to the park. And trust me, making a u-turn on a two-lane highway while towing a trailer is something you want to avoid. But we got settled and then ran into town to stock on supplies and gas. 

The standard way to experience Red Rock Canyon is via a 13-mile scenic loop through the park. We hadn’t realized we needed to secure a $2 permit with timed entry, but we were able to book one online for the following day.

The paved, one-way road travels through the park with numerous stops to pull over for a scenic view or a hike. Of course, once you pass a stop, there’s no way to go back without getting another timed entry permit. 

We decided to hike the Calico Tank Trail, a 2.5 mile one-way hike that is among the most popular trails in the park. The trail runs through a wash and then ascends a canyon over dramatic red and yellow rock. A couple of places required using hands and feet to scramble over the rocks, or traversing on narrow ledges. The payoff is a rock outcropping at the canyon rim, with sweeping views of the Las Vegas skyline, you know, if you are into that kind of thing.

After the hike, we continued along the scenic road to the Willow Springs picnic area where we had lunch amid strong winds. We briefly entertained a second hike, but the winds were strong and cold, and we thought better of it.

We were scheduled to stay another day but we learned there would be a cycling race that Sunday, closing the only road in and out of the park and the only exit from our campground, from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nobody could tell us whether we’d be able to get out of the park between those hours. 

So we opted to leave a day early, finding a campground about two hours to the south, and cutting our drive time to Palm Springs the following day.

My main goal in Palm Springs was to hike the Cactus to Clouds Trail up Mt. San Jacinto. The trail climbs a calf-burning 10,400 feet in 17.5 miles one way. I had plans to hike up to the summit, and then ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tram back down.

It’s a climb I’ve wanted to do for years. Unfortunately, when I called to check on trail conditions, the park rangers told me the trail is still closed due to snow. I could ride the tram up and hike the 5 miles up to the summit, but there was still deep snow and without snowshoes, it would likely be a miserable experience.

Instead, I got up early to hike the South Lykken Trail, which a hillside with a birds-eye view of Palm Springs, you know, if you are into that kind of thing.

The trail runs 4.4 miles one way. Many people climb the mile or so on either end as a quick workout, but few people hike through the middle or do the entire there and back in a single hike.

The trail climbs steeply in sections, over rocky desert terrain. I met one hiker who warned me she ran across a rattlesnake on the trail. It scared her and she scared it. I was hoping to see it as I hadn’t seen a danger noodle in the wild in more than 20 years.

I came close. As I hiked past a rock outcropping I heard the telltale rattle. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see exactly where the snake was among the rocks and didn’t want to spend much time looking for him and agitating him further.

Later than afternoon, Mrs. 123 and I downloaded a tour of celebrity homes in Palm Springs. We were able to see the outsides of a number of famous residences, including those of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Elvis. Most of the homes were built in the classic mid-century modern style that was popular when Palm Springs was the place to be seen. Unfortunately, many of the homes in town are now being torn down and rebuilt.

We topped of the day with a soak in the hot tub at the campground and some hot showers.

We enjoyed both Red Rock and Palm Springs, but felt we weren’t able to do all we had wanted to while we there. We’ll add both to our list of places we need to visit again.

Days: 119

Miles Traveled: 14,986

Next stop: Los Angeles and Channel Islands National Park