All around Las Vegas lie areas of breathtaking natural beauty, offering families with young children an easy opportunity to explore the wilderness. Family hikes can foster self-reliance and an appreciation for the natural wonders found just beyond the city lights.
When hiking with children, always carry extra water, jackets and snacks. Keep the distances short and brush up on your geologic and wildlife information so you can comment on what they see as they walk along.
To compose this list, I tapped the memories of three experts: my children, who spent much of their childhoods hiking Southwestern trails with me. These came up as the five places they most enjoyed when they were small.
BADWATER BASIN, DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (CALIF.)
One of the most popular places in Death Valley, this salt flat will have you walking on the lowest terrain in North America, 282 feet below sea level. It is an easy, flat walk and in the cooler months can even be walked barefoot. Travel as far as you feel comfortable or until the terrain gets too bumpy to walk easily.
The salt flat offers spectacular views of the 11,048-foot Telescope Peak to the west; the disparity in elevation is remarkable.
>> Drive time: 2 1/2 hours (each way)
>> Ages: All
>> Distance: Just walk as far as you like
>> When to go: November-March
>> Info: nps.gov/deva
RIVERSIDE WALK, ZION NATIONAL PARK (UTAH)
This paved and nearly level trail travels along the North Fork of the Virgin River, past cottonwood, box elder and velvet ash trees, surrounded by Zion’s signature red and orange sandstone walls. Wildlife commonly seen includes deer, wild turkeys and rock squirrels. Highlights include short, unpaved spur trails allowing access to the river, where your party can play in the water, picnic or just relax.
After one mile going upstream, the trail ends at the Gateway to the Narrows, a literal jumping-off point where adventuresome hikers drop into the waterway and head upstream using the river as the trail to the world-famous and spectacular Narrows of the Virgin River.
>> Drive time: 3 hours
>> Ages: 6 and up, younger children in jogging strollers
>> Distance: 2 miles roundtrip
>> When to go: Good year-round, but the trail can ice up in winter
>> Info: nps.gov/zion
CHINA RANCH DATE FARM (CALIF.)
This date farm is a rare and lush oasis in the middle of the desert near Death Valley in Tecopa, Calif. Hike the trails through the date trees or follow the outer trails that leave from there. A good starter trail is the 200-yard Creek Trail, which takes you through a canopy of foliage along a flowing creek — super for small children.
Another good one is the Badlands Trail, about 1 1/2 miles roundtrip. Wrap up your visit at the store, where you can sample the various kinds of dates. Nobody seems to leave (nor should they) without buying one of the famous date milkshakes, blended on the spot.
>> Drive time: 1 1/2 hours
>> Ages: All
>> Distance: 6 trails start from the ranch, ranging from an easy 200 yards to a more strenuous 4 miles.
>> When to go: October to April; dates are harvested from fall through December, which makes for a very pretty view along the trail
>> Info: chinaranch.com
KELSO SAND DUNES (CALIF.)
No official trail here in the Mojave National Preserve — just a great place for all ages to climb. Look for animal tracks in the sand and perhaps get sandy by rolling back down. These are “booming” or “singing” dunes, which means they make a peculiar noise when the moisture is just right.
Only a few dunes in the world do this. Some think the sound resembles a distant airplane motor, while others compare it to a musical note. Our family tradition is to fly kites here.
>> Drive time: 2 hours
>> Ages: All
>> Distance: Smaller children can play in the sand while teenagers might hike 700 feet to the peak.
>> When to go: November to March
>> Info: nps.gov/moja
BLACK CANYON NATIONAL WATER TRAIL (NEVADA/ARIZONA)
Black Canyon National Water Trail, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona
This is usually done as a full-day kayaking or canoe excursion, either guided or self-guided, embarking from the Nevada side of the Colorado River, just below Hoover Dam, and traveling almost 12 miles downstream to Willow Beach, Ariz. in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Parents will have to do most of the paddling, but there is a good downstream current with no white water. Foot trails beloved by children lead up the side canyons, some of them to hot springs, waterfalls and sauna caves. There are several small beaches you will likely have to yourself to stop and relax, have lunch and of course swim in the chilly, yet refreshing, clear water. Desert bighorn sheep, pictured, and bald eagles share the habitat with plenty of waterfowl.
For this trip, even if you have your own watercraft, you will need to sign up with an authorized outfitter through the National Park Service for transportation through the dam’s security zone down to the launching area. Sundays and Mondays offer the most enchanting solitude and silence, as on those days no motorized boats are allowed north of Willow Beach.
>> Drive time: 1 hour to the Hoover Dam Lodge where you will meet up with your guide
>> Ages: 6 and older; athletic teens can paddle their own kayak, younger kids will need to partner with a parent
>> Distance: The paddle from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach is 11.7 miles and depending on how many stops you take, averages 5-6 hours.
>> When to go: The park is open year round but the best time to hike the park’s lower elevations is from October through March
>> Info: nps.gov/lake
