I love going to Las Vegas, and you will see a lot of reviews of Vegas hotels, restaurants and activities on this site in the future. I love the weather there, I love the frenetic vibe, and I love the fact that you can just get away for a few days and forget about real life, pretty much instantaneously, once you start hearing the dinging of the slot machines. I come here to see my family who live in California, and to relax with my husband. I have even brought young kids to Vegas, and you can check out my recommendations for that here. One of the best things about Vegas, though, is that there is a ton of stuff to do less than an hour’s drive off The Strip if you need to get away from the slot machines, cigarette smoke, and drunk people.

Las Vegas is actually surrounded by some really stunning landscapes, and most people who visit here miss out on it. There are a ton of hikes for all levels of activity for all kinds of folks. I am NOT a hiker. Heights terrify me, and climbing just doesn’t appeal to me in any way. But there is one hike that I have done just outside of Vegas that is one of my favorites ever, and I can’t wait to do it again. The last time I did this hike was with my brother in 2012. I’m pretty sure he took all of these photos, so shout out to John for some dam great hiking photos!

The Historic Railroad Trail hike combines the natural beauty around Lake Mead AND history! When they were building the Hoover Dam, they had to get the supplies there somehow, so they made a railroad, but they had to blast out some areas to get through the hills and mountains from Boulder City to the Dam area. In 1980, they built a trail where the tracks formerly were, and it’s a very flat and easy 3.7 mile hike from the starting point by the Lake, to the Hoover Dam parking garage.

I recommend starting at Lake Mead at the Lake Mead visitor center (which didn’t exist when we first did this hike!) and make your way toward the Hoover Dam parking garage. As you walk around Lake Mead, take your time, because it is truly beautiful, though it’s also a little sad, since it is super obvious how much the water level has dropped over the years.

Along the way, you go through five of the blasted-out tunnels. There are markers along the way that tell you a little bit of the history.

If you start at the lake and head toward the dam, rather than the other way around, you know you are getting close to the dam because you walk near the giant electrical array of wires and cables. You can literally feel the electricity in the air!

Finally, you end up on the top floor of the Hoover Dam parking garage. I would recommend that you go down and either take the tour of Hoover Dam, or just hang out and walk around the Dam and check out how immense and incredible the place is.

There is a small snack shop where you can grab some food and some more water, as well as restroom facilities before you head back around Lake Mead.

As a non-hiker, I really loved this hike. It was flat, beautiful, and full of history, which is a bit of a rare combination. If you have the opportunity the next time you’re in Las Vegas, and you feel like you need to get away from the noise and the lights, definitely consider strapping on your tennis shoes for this lovely little adventure.