Calico Tanks Trail - The Most Popular Hike in Red Rock Canyon

Calico Tanks Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, and rightfully so. This hike is beautiful with towering mountains, colorful sandstone formations, and a wonderful view of Las Vegas. It also has a watering hole near the end of the hike. Calico Tanks Trail has the right level of challenge, which makes it fun, without being too hard. It is also the perfect place for those, like us, who like to explore. This is one of those places where photos don’t do justice. You have to be there to experience its beauty.

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Sandstone Quarry Overlook
36°09’44.8″N 115°27’01.3″W

Parking

There is a decent size paved parking lot before the trailhead.

Restroom

There are restrooms at the parking lot

Fee/Reservation Info

Before getting to Red Rock Canyon NCA, you’ll need to reserve your time entry online. It is $15/car. Reservations are available up to 30 days in advance at 7 am P.T. If you have America the Beautiful Pass, your entry will be free, however, you still need to pay $2 for the reservation fee. To reserve your timed slot and for more info, go here.

Distance

2.2 mi R.T.

Elevation Gain

406 ft

Level

Moderate to strenuous. There are a lot of scrambling/minor climbing sections here.

Time:

2-3 hours

Pet-friendly

You can bring your pet, but they have to be on leashed.

Ideal Time

October – April. The weather will be a lot cooler. Also, get here early if you don’t like crowd. This is a popular trail.

Weather

Video

Getting There

Calico Tanks Trail shares the same trailhead and a short section of Sandstone Quarry Trailhead. So, once you enter the gate of Red Rock Canyon, there is only one scenic road that loops all the way around the park. It runs in a counter-clockwise direction. This one-way scenic road will let you access most of the trails inside the park. The trailhead for Sandstone Quarry and Calico Tanks Trail is located behind the parking lot of Sandstone Quarry Overlook, about 2.5 miles from the start of the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive. You shouldn’t have any problem finding this parking lot. There is big signage where the turn is. Don’t forget to reserve your time slot to drive into the park in advance here.

The Adventure

The Start of Calico Tanks Trail

After parking, we headed toward the end of the parking lot. There are few signages explaining the trails. Apparently, a few hikes, one of which is Calico Tanks Trail, share the same trail initially. This trail is wide and easy to spot. We followed this mostly flat trail toward a wash. After crossing over the wash, we followed a small signpost to follow the trail up the hills. Along the way, there are multiple other directional signages that make it easy to follow.

After parts way from the Sandstone Quarry trail, the Calico Tanks trail follows the gravel trail to curves right into the canyon. The gravel soon gives way to the silty red sand. By the way, if you want to see wildflowers here, you should hike the Calico Tanks in the spring. One of our favorites is the Eastern Redbud trees. If you go at the right time, you can see these beautiful pink flowers, blooming along the trail.

Entering the Canyon on Calico Tanks Trail

Soon after entering the canyon, the Calico Tanks trail becomes more challenging. There is a lot of scrambling through a sandy wash and up the sandstone formations. It can get a bit confusing at the sandstone sections since you can’t see the trail. We were a bit lost until we spotted the cairns. The rule of thumb here is to look to the left for a path up the scramble sections.

After the first sandstone section, we came up to another section with stairs notched into the side of the rocks. This section can be slippery and challenging for some people so make sure to climb up with caution. Once we climb up to the top of this stair section, we saw another set of stairs on the left of a tall red sandstone cliff. The climb up was a bit tiring, yet very beautiful. By the way, this spot can be a bit tricky to find on the way back. We got a bit lost on our return. So, we recommend taking note of the area so you won’t get lost. The view on top of these last stair sections is breathtaking. If you look back to where you hiked from, you can see the red and white rocks in contrast with the blue/green mountain range in the background.

Calico Tanks

Once we got past this intense scrambling section, we found the sandy trail again. If you pay attention to your surrounding, you might find some petroglyphs on the rock walls. After a short distance, we saw another set of rock stairs, leading up the mountain. The signage completely disappears at this point so the routes can get confusing.

After the rock staircase, there was one more stretch uphill before we reached Calico Tanks. The word tank is the Angelo version of “tinaja” which is the American Southwest term for surface pockets formed by water erosion. Here, there are a few ways you can explore. If you climb up the bluff on the left, you’ll have a nice view of the tank below. If you want to head down to the water, follow the trail to the right. Depending on the time of the year, there might not be any water in the tank at all. When we went, there was a decent amount of water.

The Viewpoint

Once at the bottom of the tank, we found a small trail on the other side, leading up the hill. This leads to a viewpoint, overlooking Las Vegas. You can decide where your adventure ends due to your comfort level. You can turn back at the tank, or go further to the viewpoint. If you can, we recommend going to that viewpoint. It is stunning and fun to explore. Now, if you’re up for the challenge, which includes tons of scrambling and some easy bouldering, you can go further down the ravine. The view below is just spectacular.

Once you’re done, head back the same way you came from. If you’re staying around the Las Vegas area, there are so many cool hikes, only 30-40 minutes away. Our favorites are Gold Strike Hot Springs, Arizona Hot Springs, and Liberty Bell Arch. If you love off-the-beaten-path spots, check out Spooky Canyon. If you’re into biking or tunnel hiking, check out the Historic Railroad Trail near Hoover Dam.

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.