The Best Places to See Fall Foliage Near Las Vegas
The fall season has begun! And despite temperatures still hovering around the 90s here in Las Vegas, I’ll be sipping my PSL iced, because autumn mode is officially ON.
When it comes to fall colors, Northern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains and the Reno/Lake Tahoe area typically steal the show, while Sin City is mistaken as a seasonless desert reserved for casinos and partying. But beyond the gambling and nightlife, Vegas has a secret, and it’s wrapped in vibrant autumnal shades of yellow, orange, and red.
As an East Coast native, once the fall season hits I’m in full-blown sweater weather, PSL, leaf-peeping mode. There’s just nothing quite like being surrounded in a sea of fall colors, so when we moved to the Las Vegas Valley last year, I immediately made it my mission to find foliage spots in Las Vegas to satisfy my fall girl cravings. Luckily, despite common misconception, seasons actually do exist here so you’ll be surprised to know that, yes, you can find fall colors in Vegas!
Want to know where to go leaf peeping in Sin City? Here are the 10 best places to find fall foliage near Las Vegas!
South Loop Trail Mt. Charleston
Spring Mountains National Recreation Area / Mt. Charleston
Distance from Las Vegas: 45 minutes
I’m starting off with my favorite fall foliage spot in Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston! The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (aka Mt. Charleston for us locals haha) offers over 50 miles of marked trails and a wide variety of natural beauty from panoramic vistas and mountaintops to cascading waterfalls and colorful foliage in the fall! Some of the best trails on Mt. Charleston for fall foliage colors are Echo Overlook Trail, South Loop Trail, Upper Bristlecone Trail, Cathedral Rock Trail, Bristlecone Pine Trail, and Mary Jane Falls Trail. Due to its high elevation, Mount Charleston is drastically different from Las Vegas’ warm, desert climate; the mountain is typically 20 degrees cooler and you’ll find evergreens and aspen instead of cacti and palm trees — this makes it a perfect spot to enjoy the fall season, and to escape the scorching heat of summer too!
NOTE: Due to a severe hurricane this summer, the Mt. Charleston area has suffered significant damage and is currently under repair. For current closures and updates, check here before planning your visit.
Floyd Lamb Park
Distance from Las Vegas: 25 minutes
Floyd Lamb Park, located at Tule Springs, offers a lush escape from the Las Vegas desert with its lakes and surrounding greenery. Spanning 680 acres, it hosts the Las Vegas State Tree Nursery (which boasts over 250,000 plants) and the historic Tule Springs Ranch. Oak and cottonwood trees along the lake shores showcase vivid yellow and orange hues during the fall. Typically, the vibrant fall colors emerge later in the season, around late October and early November, due to Las Vegas's lower elevation and warmer temperatures. Aside from the beautiful fall foliage, you can also find colorful peacocks roaming around Floyd Lamb Park as well!
Red Rock National Conservation Area / Red Rock Canyon
Distance from Las Vegas: 30 minutes
Red Rock Canyon is well-known for its striking red sandstone and popular climbing experiences, yet surprisingly it also offers a beautiful subtle display of fall colors amidst its stark desert landscape. Although not an abundant fall foliage destination, its ash trees and oaks transition into warm golds and oranges in the fall, which provide a sharp contrast against the famous red rocks. Several spots along the 13-mile Scenic Drive, particularly within Pine Creek and Oak Creek canyons, reveal hidden autumnal hues, though accessing them demands a bit of hiking and scrambling so please exercise caution when visiting.
Calico Basin, opposite to Red Rock, also offers some fall foliage as well! The Ash Spring trail is a short scenic hike that brings forth a delightful scene where golden ash and cottonwood trees stand against the vibrant red Calico Hills. For a leisurely visit, skip the Scenic Drive and head to the Red Spring Picnic Area which offers a charming, foliage-viewing spot complete with a boardwalk and picnic amenities.
Note: There is a fee of $20 per car to enter the Red Rock National Conservation Area. You may pay in person at the entrance or online. However, if you’re planning to visit during the peak fall season (typically from mid-October to early November) be mindful that timed reservations are required for Scenic Drive access from October 1st to May 31st and can be booked online here.
Las Vegas
Distance from Las Vegas: 0 minutes
Contrary to popular belief, you can most certainly find fall colors in the city of Las Vegas, you just need to know where and when to look for them! Although Vegas is a desert landscape, there are lots of trees and greenery aside from just cacti and palm trees. However, such a mixed arrangement of plant life means that the foliage is more spread out, and peak times, as well as the vibrancy of the colors, will all differ per tree. This means you may need to wander (or drive) around a little, but the good part is that every town in the Las Vegas Valley is no more than a 30-minute drive from The Strip (with the exception of Boulder City, which is about 40 minutes)!
Technically “fall” gets a later start here since the temperatures in Las Vegas don’t usually cool down until October, but you can catch fall colors peaking around the Vegas Valley from the end of September all the way through the month of December. Some good foliage spots are Downtown Las Vegas along Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, as well as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus.
If you’re struggling to find fall foliage around the city of Las Vegas, you might want to step inside the Bellagio instead! Every fall season the Bellagio decorates its Conservatory and Botanical Gardens with a beautiful autumnal display that’s free for visitors and open 24/7. While this might not be natural foliage, it is a great alternative and one of my favorite free things to do in Vegas!
These are the 4 best fall foliage spots in Vegas! If you don’t mind taking a little road trip, keep reading for 6 more fall foliage spots less than 5 hours from Las Vegas!
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Distance from Las Vegas: 1 hour 20 minutes
Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is a 5,380-acre oasis that serves as a crucial stopover for many migratory birds. It’s a unique landscape where lush wetlands and cottonwood trees meet in the desert. From late October into early November, you can catch the shoreline trees and marsh grasses turning autumnal gold and red hues.
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Distance from Las Vegas: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ash Meadows is an internationally vital wetland situated on the eastern edge of Death Valley that hosts nearly 30 exclusive species of plants and animals, including an endangered species of pupfish. The refuge's hot springs, although not suitable for swimming, create vibrant wetlands with beautiful clear turquoise waters for visitors to admire. From mid-October to early November, the area is illuminated by the vibrant fall colors of its ash trees and offers a cooler, pleasant climate for exploring the broader Death Valley region.
Rainbow Canyon Scenic Drive, Caliente
Distance from Las Vegas: 2 hours 20 minutes
Southeastern Nevada, particularly around the 21-mile Rainbow Canyon Scenic Drive, offers travelers easily accessible natural treasures and vibrant fall colors, beginning in the historical city of Caliente. A must-visit, Kershaw-Ryan State Park, is a lush oasis where a variety of trees and vines are nourished by natural springs and weeping rocks, illuminating the landscape with a collection of autumn hues, from emerald green and yellow gold to bronze and deep red. Traveling southward from Kershaw-Ryan, colorful cottonwood trees run alongside the stunning red rock and limestone formations of the Meadow Valley Wash. You can see some of the best fall foliage colors in Rainbow Canyon from mid-October to mid-November.
Zion National Park | Credit: @meringuedesigns
Zion National Park
Distance from Las Vegas: 2 hours 30 minutes
Zion National Park in the fall offers a visually stunning palette of autumn colors amidst the already awe-inspiring geological features of the park. And at just 2 hours and 30 minutes from Las Vegas, Zion makes for a great leaf-peeping day trip! Majestic cottonwood trees, maples, and oaks undergo a mesmerizing fall transformation here, offering vibrant displays of golds, reds, and oranges that contrast brilliantly with the park’s iconic red-rock cliffs. The best time to witness the fall colors in Zion ranges from late October to early November, although slight variations can occur depending on yearly climate conditions. Noteworthy spots include the Zion Canyon, particularly along the Virgin River, where reflections of the foliage in the water can be strikingly beautiful, and the Kolob Canyons area, where maples often showcase a vibrant autumn display.
Cave Lake State Park
Distance from Las Vegas: 4 hours
Cave Lake State Park, located just a short 20-minute drive from the small town of Ely in eastern Nevada, is acclaimed for its exquisite fall foliage, thanks to its aspen groves which transform into a glowing golden spectacle. Although the 32-acre reservoir is currently inaccessible due to construction, visitors can still immerse themselves in its autumn beauty by exploring the park's camping, hiking, and mountain biking areas. The Cave Lake Overlook Loop trail and Lakeview Campground offer great views of the lake and vibrant shoreline aspens, accented by the amber marsh grass and the yellow blossoms of rabbitbrush. In late September and early October, the 38-mile Success Loop Scenic Drive through the greater Ely area and the Schell Creek Range offers a striking palette of gold, bronze, and scarlet as aspens along the route.
Great Basin National Park | Credit: @worldsbetweenlines
Great Basin National Park
Distance from Las Vegas: 4 hours 30 minutes
Just under 5 hours from Las Vegas, Great Basin National Park offers some beautiful fall foliage that’s definitely worth the trip! In the fall the park transforms the already scenic landscape into a dazzling array of autumnal hues, presenting a vibrant fall wonderland of golden yellow aspens that offer a stark and beautiful contrast to the park’s jagged, silvery-gray granite peaks. The best time to witness these mesmerizing fall colors is from early to mid-September, especially in higher elevations, where the leaves change earlier due to the cooler temperatures. A key spot for leaf-peeping during this time is the Alpine Lakes Trail, where you’re treated to a view of shimmering alpine lakes set against a backdrop of vibrant aspens and ancient bristlecone pines. In October, check out lower elevations like the areas around Snake Creek Road and Baker Creek Road.
That’s a wrap for the best places to see fall foliage near Las Vegas! Who says the desert can’t do Autumn, right? So grab your (iced) pumpkin-spiced latte and hit the road to see these beautiful Instagram-worthy fall colors near Vegas! Happy leaf-peeping!
