Small Group Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam & 7 Magic Mountains Tour

A gold-mining ghost town and a lake view fill the rest of the day

Walk the sandstone of Red Rock Canyon, snap Ugo Rondinone's painted boulders, wander Nelson's gold-mining ghost town, and close the day on the crest of Hoover Dam with Lake Mead spread out behind you. It is a small-group day trip out of Las Vegas, with a guide, a van and no car to rent.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Red Rock Canyon and Nearby Attractions

• Scenic drive through Red Rock Canyon
• Visit Calico I sandstone formations
• Stop at High Point Overlook
• Photograph Seven Magic Mountains art installation
• Explore Nelson Ghost Town
• Visit Hoover Dam Museum
• Walk on top of Hoover Dam
• Stop at Lake Mead overlook

Stops and time spent at each 8 stops

1. Red Rock Canyon Entry included 1h
2. Calico 1 Entry included 20m
3. High Point Overlook Entry included 20m
4. Seven Magic Mountains 30m
5. Nelson Ghost Town Entry included 45m
6. Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum Entry included 30m
7. Hoover Dam 1h
8. Lake Mead National Recreation Area Entry included 15m

What’s included

• Red Rock Canyon and Lake Mead park entrance fees.
• Professional driver-guide all day.
• Snack bag for every guest.
• Minivan or 15-seat van, never a large coach.
• Unlimited cold bottled water all day.
• Hotel pickup and drop-off on the Strip and Fremont/Downtown.
• Parking fees.

Times

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• Every day 07:00

Information

You stand inside Red Rock Canyon's sandstone walls, walk atop Hoover Dam with Lake Mead behind you and photograph Rondinone's painted boulders.

Group Up to 13

Live guide English, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included. See the pickup points

Book up to 1d before

Ages Adult (16 and older) · Child (1 to 15 years)

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Stroller-friendly Infant seats available Pets welcome Not recommended with heart problems Not recommended with back problems

More information The pickup points, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

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The experience

The canyon comes first. Red Rock's sandstone cliffs rise in layers of red, orange and cream, and at Calico I the rock looks almost painted. You roll from one overlook to the next, with short, easy walks that bring the texture close, while your guide points out the geology and the desert plants and animals that live here. High Point gives the widest view of the day, the whole canyon and the Mojave stretching to distant ranges, a real sense of scale and silence.

Then comes the art. Seven Magic Mountains are seven towers of stacked, brightly painted boulders, some 30-foot tall, standing against plain desert. You walk around them, take your photos and feel the neon color against the quiet ground. Next is Nelson Ghost Town, a real 1800s gold mine rather than a reconstruction, with weathered wooden buildings, abandoned mines, antique cars and vintage signs. Stroll its streets while the guide tells you about the outlaws, miners and early settlers who lived there.

Boulder City and the dam finish the route. The Hoover Dam Museum shows original photographs, artifacts and interactive exhibits about the workers who built the dam during the Great Depression. Then you walk out on top of Hoover Dam, look down its 726-foot face and photograph the bridge arching overhead. The last stop is the Lake Mead overlook, a few steps from the van, where blue water meets red rock and the old waterline shows on the canyon walls.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 15 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Is there strenuous hiking on this Red Rock Canyon tour?

No, the walks in Red Rock Canyon are short and easy. The Lake Mead viewpoint is a few steps from the van, so there is no hiking on the route.

Do I have to pay park entrance fees on the day?

No, Red Rock Canyon and Lake Mead entrance fees are included, so there is nothing to pay on the day.

Does the tour visit the Hoover Dam Museum in Boulder City?

Yes, the Hoover Dam Museum is one of the stops, with original photographs, artifacts and exhibits on how the dam and Boulder City were built, and entry is included.

Can you walk on top of Hoover Dam?

Yes, you walk out on top of the dam, look down its 726-foot face and photograph the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge overhead.

Is Nelson Ghost Town a real mining town or a recreation?

It is a real 1800s gold mine town, not a reconstruction, with weathered wooden buildings, abandoned mines, antique cars and vintage signs.

How long do you spend at Seven Magic Mountains?

It is an easy, quick stop where you walk around the seven towers of stacked, painted boulders and take photos against the desert.

Operated by Experience Tours LLC. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

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