My husband and I did the full-day Black Canyon kayak tour with Desert Adventures and I seriously…read morecan't recommend it enough. I grew up in Vegas and have been on this river a ton by boat, and I've also hiked to both Gold Strike and Arizona Hot Springs. Those hikes are super rewarding but honestly brutal. This experience was completely different in the best way. Being able to get out of the river and be steps away from hot springs was amazing, and the views from the water are hands down the best. We met the team bright and early at 5:30am for launch, and everything was super smooth. They shuttled us, got us fitted for life jackets, handled waivers, and gave a quick safety rundown. Launch timing is strict because of the park service, but they made it feel easy and not stressful at all. Definitely be on time, though, because due to this strict timing, they will leave without you. The kayaks were such a game-changer. They were longer touring kayaks with foot-controlled rudders, dry storage, and actual back support. Super comfortable for me and somehow also worked great for my 6'2" husband (he had a larger boat). Since it was just the two of us, our guide Holmes customized the whole day to our pace. He took us to hidden spots I had never seen before, even as a local, and helped us avoid crowds. We did some hiking, rock scrambling, used ropes at Boy Scout Canyon, and explored hot springs that you can only get to from the river. It felt adventurous but still very safe, and he gave great tips the whole time. He also knew so much about the area. History of the Hoover Dam, plants, wildlife, etc. I learned a ton - even as someone who felt familiar with the area. This is exactly why I'm glad we didn't just rent kayaks. Having a guide made it feel like a next-level experience. We got to relax more while he handled the route and found the best spots. We got lucky with perfect early April weather. No wind, super glassy water, and we could see fish deep in the water. The 12 miles honestly felt way easier than expected, especially with how well Holmes guided us through the current so we could just float and chill a lot of the time. They also packed a great lunch, snacks, and plenty of water. You really just need a sun shirt, hat, sunglasses, swimsuit, water shoes, and sunscreen. They take care of the rest. Even though we leaned a little more adventurous, I could totally see this being doable for beginners, too. You don't need to be super athletic to enjoy it. Pickup and cleanup were easy and seamless. They handled everything while I grabbed a snack and relaxed, which honestly made it feel even more special. This was such a cool experience, and I would 100% do it again. Already recommending it to friends, and I would definitely consider doing the overnight version next time.

This three-day backcountry canoe trip down the river was one of the most amazing experiences of my…read morelife. The breathtaking scenery, peaceful moments, and adventure made it an unforgettable experience for my husband and me. A huge thank you to our guide, Izzy, for making the trip so special. Your knowledge, encouragement, and kindness made us feel confident and safe every step of the way. We're leaving with incredible memories, a deeper appreciation for the outdoors, and a new friend! We would do this trip again in a heartbeat and can't recommend it enough!

There are places in this country that aren't just destinations they're chapters of a life. Lake…read moreMead is one of mine. I remember when it was full truly full back in its heyday, when it stood as the largest reservoir in the United States, born from the mighty Hoover Dam and fed by the Colorado River like a beating heart in the desert. It wasn't just water out there... it was life. The kind of place families planned entire summers around. The kind of place that meant something. Our family didn't just "go" to Lake Mead we made a journey out of it. A couple days on the road, anticipation building mile by mile, until finally, there it was. We'd spend a week out there, soaking it all in. And I'll never forget those spring breaks. The sun high, music playing somewhere in the distance, boats cutting across the water, laughter echoing off canyon walls. Girls in bikinis everywhere and I was just a young man coming into my own, thinking every single one of them was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. It felt like the whole world was alive, and somehow, I was right in the middle of it. Back then, the water... it had a color you almost couldn't describe without sounding like you were exaggerating. Turquoise one minute, blue-green the next, shifting with the sunlight like it had moods of its own. The desert wrapped around it, rugged and raw, but the lake softened everything. It brought people together. You couldn't find a place to park half the time, and nobody cared. That was part of it. People shoulder to shoulder, coolers open, music playing, drinks in hand, strangers becoming friends for a weekend. It felt affordable, accessible... like it belonged to all of us. It felt like America. And now... now it feels like something else entirely. These days, when I pass by Lake Mead, it doesn't greet me the same way. The shoreline has pulled back like a memory fading. What was once shimmering and alive now looks cracked, dry, almost forgotten in places brown where it used to glow. The "bathtub ring" carved into the canyon walls isn't just a mark of water levels it's a scar. A reminder of what used to be there. It's hard not to feel like something's been taken. Whether it's overuse, growth, decisions made in rooms far away, or just time itself catching up whatever the cause, it's left behind a shell of what once was. A place that used to be bursting with life now feels like somewhere people go to remember instead of live. You don't go there the same way anymore. You visit it like a piece of history. And that's what hurts the most. Because I think about bringing my kids there today... and it's not the same gift my grandpa gave me. Not even close. What was once a living, breathing escape now feels like something we're quietly burying. Not gone but not what it was. And maybe never will be again. Still, I can close my eyes and see it. The color of that water. The sound of laughter. The feeling of being young, sunburned, a little wild, thinking the world was wide open and I was somebody in it. Lake Mead gave me that. And for that, no matter what it looks like today... I'll always love it.

We pulled in for a quick visit en route to AZ…read more Definitely worth visiting. What I saw in the short time we were here was stunning. Regret that we didn't have more time to spend here. If you're passing through on your way to/from California, Arizona or Nevada, highly recommend a sight-see here.

Every Year we come down from Reno to ride bootleg, and every year it gets more and more fun! The…read moretrails are fantastic and Mike is always super friendly and in good spirits. We can't wait until next year.

If you're looking to ride in Bootleg we highly recommend Bootleg Canyon shuttles! Mike & Elias are…read moreknowledgeable, friendly, accommodating and provide a seamless shuttle experience! We did a half day private shuttle and then a full day the next day and got all the riding we expected and more!

This is a moderately strenuous hike because of the nearly 1,200 foot elevation gain. The hike is…read moreapproximately 6.5 miles round trip if you go to both peaks. The trailhead is along US Highway 93. As you approach Boulder City, turn left the way you'd go to Hoover Dam. After you start down the hill past Industrial Road, watch for a sign on the left that says River Mountains Trail parking. It's just before the entrance to the St. Jude's Ranch for Children. There is ample parking here. From the parking area, walk behind the interpretive marker and the trail goes between the wall of an area of houses on the left and a concrete drainage ditch on the right. From there, the trail is fairly easy to follow as it's well defined. Follow the signs for the trail. There are side trails that are mountain bike trails so watch for the hiking only trail markers. The first part of the trail meanders around a bit and goes up and down until it works its way around and into a wash that comes down from the saddle between the two peaks. The saddle is the first goal. As you hike toward the saddle, the trail becomes a series of switchbacks to make getting to the top easier. Please DO NOT CUT the switchbacks. This damages the trail and when rain comes, wash outs are more likely. You'll also be trampling some native plants so stay on trail. Turn left at the saddle and keep heading up. There's still a bit more to go. After a few more switchbacks, you'll come to a road--a road you could have driven up, but that would defeat the whole purpose of hiking, no? This road is used to get to the antenna array at the top of Red Mountain. It's also used to take those who are doing the Bootleg Canyon flight lines near the launching area for the first flight. When you reach this road, you have a stunning view of Las Vegas and the Spring Mountains on the west side of the valley. You walk a short distance along the road and you'll see the trail to Red Mountain continue on your left. Follow the trail as it goes higher. It's a bit rocky and there is one spot that has some loose gravel. After a short time, you do reach the Red Mountain area and you see the antenna array you've probably seen many times driving to/from Hoover Dam. The actual peak for Red Mountain has a stake and you can go there if you want to be at the topmost point. In this area, you can see the first flight for the Bootleg Canyon Flight Lines, Lake Mead, The Eldorado Valley with its two solar plants, and of course, Las Vegas. It's a wonderful place. If you're lucky, you'll be here when a group does the flight. You can also see the mountain bike trails that make up the Bootleg Canyon trails. It's interesting to see these people riding down the steep slopes. Now for the bad news, Black Mountain is on the opposite side of the saddle. You can see the trail you need to follow from Red Mountain. If you've had enough, just return to your car. It's only about 3 miles away. If you're going to Black Mountain or your car, you need to head back the way you came passing the dirt road and looking carefully watching for when the trail to the saddle goes off the dirt road to the right. When you get back to the saddle, continue straight ahead on the trail if you're going to Black Mountain or make a right if you're going back to the car now. The trail goes about 1/2 mile to Black Mountain. It is very well defined and you hike on volcanic rock. That's what makes Black Mountain its color. At the top of Black Mountain, there's a bench and several interpretive markers explaining the geology of the Las Vegas Valley. It's a good place to have a snack and enjoy the view. Follow your tracks back to the saddle and then descend the switchbacks. They're so much nicer now that you're going downhill. Before you know it, you'll be back to your car. There is a picnic table at the parking area, so you can have an après hike lunch. We call it Guinness time! Happy hiking!

For Review 300, I wanted to spend time in a beautiful place that is as good as it gets. This is…read moreachievable when I live in a metropolitan area with access to spectacular parks. So, this past weekend's outdoor adventure was when I returned to Red & Black Mountain to climb up Red Mountain. There are two hiking routes to hike up Red & Black Mountain. Hiking Route A is from the River Mountain Trail (not the River Mountains Loop Trail).To get there from the Las Vegas area, travel on US 93 toward Hoover Dam. After turning left on US 93 to bypass downtown Boulder City, the sign for River Mountain Trail will be on your left. Hiking Route A begins in a residential subdivision, passes through a desert landscape under power lines, and then climbs up switch backs to a summit. At the top of the summit, you have the option of turning left toward Red Mountain or turning right toward Black Mountain. Hiking Route B is from the Bootleg Canyon Park Trailhead. From the Las Vegas area, drive on US 93 as if you were headed to Boulder City. After the first traffic signal, US 93 changes from a divided limited access highway to a commercial thoroughfare. Get on the left lane and turn left on Yucca Street. Taco Bell will be the landmark. From here drive on Yucca Street to it dead ends at the Bootleg Canyon Park parking lot. Once you park your car, you will hike on the River Mountains Loop Trail for a short distance. At the first junction, you will make a left on the road toward a valley. This is Bootleg Canyon. You will see restrooms and picnic tables. From this point continue on the road, which is now gravelly. It will bring you up Red Mountain. Just a note, to the right of the road is a large mountain adorned with a large "B.C." and communication towers on top. This is the mountain that you will be climbing. From my experience hiking up Red & Black Mountain, I STRONGLY suggest, hiking each mountain on two separate hikes. Two separate hikes will reward you with hours of recreation and experiences. This review is on Hiking Route B: Bootleg Canyon Park to the summit of Red Mountain. Hiking Route A: River Mountain Trail to the summit of Black Mountain will be a future review, which I will place under Yelp's River Mountain Trail Listing. From ground level to the summit, there are three types of topography to hike. From the Bootleg Canyon Park parking lot to the valley, the topography is pavement. Through the valley and up the north side of Red Mountain, the topography is a sandy and gravelly road that is used by vehicles transporting people and dirt bikes to a parking lot at the end of the road. With the exception of the gradual change in elevation, this is an easy hike. Beyond the parking lot, the topography is very rocky and gravelly for a short segment, and the trail has changed from a dirt road to a narrow trail that becomes narrow with steeper elevation gains. At this point, the hike is moderately difficult to the degree that I strongly suggest "focus on the moment "concentration and reliable hiking boots. The scenery is as good as it gets. Red Mountain (with the B.C.) is beautiful from ground level. As the dirt road travels through Bootleg Canyon northbound, then gains elevation gain eastbound, the closer up vistas of Red Mountain are captivating. Especially at dawn! As the dirt road travels through Bootleg Canyon, it treats the hiker to spectacular vistas of the River Mountains and valleys. Once the dirt road turns toward the north to travel uphill, the vistas become as good as it gets. It is at this point where the panoramas of the Las Vegas Valley featuring the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding mountain ranges overtake the landscape. It is at this point where you could look down on the top of the Stratosphere and across at French Mountain with open desert below. I said the scenery is as good as it gets? I was ahead of myself. At the parking lot where the dirt road ends, the scenery gets better! This is where you have the option of turning left and hiking to the summit of Black Mountain, or staying straight on a narrow path to the left of the gate toward the Red Mountain summit. At this point you are consumed by breathtaking scenery. To your left is the mesmerizing black Mountain and to your right hundreds of feet below you is Boulder City. I said the scenery is as good as it gets? It is almost as good as it gets! The narrow part of the trail looks over even better scenery. When you look to the right you will be able to see Black Mountain Henderson and to the left you will be able to see Lake Mead and the bridge. At the summit where people board the Bootleg Canyon Flight Lines the scenery is as good as it gets. Looking below there is Lake Mead, Boulder City, and desert. And yes, this scenery is as good as it gets and why Red & Black Mountain is 5 stars.

We have lectric bikes and boy did we take em out for a Spin!…read moreWe rode the entire 35mile loop. It took us about 5 hours with one of them Being breaks. Even with help this trail is a beautiful beast. Steep hills and a steady gradual I cline in the middle. It sure was beautiful though. Great views. Some nature. Just some chipmunks and lizards mostly.

This is one of the few cycling trails in the extended Las Vegas Valley that allows you to ride for…read moremiles while separated from cars (another is on the west side of the 215 Beltway). It is a 34 mile loop including almost 3,000' of climbing--both long, slow grades (up to Boulder City) and very steep, short hills (The Three Sisters). Road cyclists regularly take advantage of the well-paved path. You will also see pedestrians walking along the way. The path passes the edge of Boulder City at Bootleg Canyon, goes behind Railroad Pass Casino, passes Lake Las Vegas, and enters Lake Mead National Recreation Area. It continues along the main road in the park, then starts the uphill slog just before the park's Visitor's Center. There, it crosses the park road and the path continues up to Boulder City. Accept on part of the climb to Boulder City where the path is in the flood channel, it is in pristine condition with nicely paved asphalt. There are not many water stops which is a problem for summer workouts. You can get water at Bootleg Canyon, the water district (just past Railroad Pass Casino), and two places in the park (including Boulder Beach). Except for the water district and one of the Lake Mead stops, there are bathrooms at each of the water stations. There is also a bathroom on the path by the Visitor's Center. Almost all riders go in a clockwise direction. I prefer this direction because it is really uncomfortable coming down the flood channel at speed. There are lines in the cement that cause little bumps that are both a problem in the nether-regions and they slow you down. A great workout is to do the loop clockwise and then counter-clockwise. If doing this, you may want to do the CCW-Boulder City-to-the-Lake section on the highway instead of in the storm drains. Other than the flood channel, what I don't like about the RMT is its curviness on the lake side. There are some excellent descents and ascents, but there are usually compact turns at the bottoms of the hills so you lose your speed before having to climb the next hill. And, you can't maintain your speed through the curves because many of them drop 100' to the desert floor below. The views are wonderful. You see the lake during a third of the trek and the Las Vegas skyline during another third. Caution: This is a HARD ride and water is not quickly accessible. Carry MUCH MORE water than you think you'll need. I experienced true thirst only once in my life and it was on this path. Also, I've had to stop on more than one occasion to give others desperately needed water.

I had my Giant getting maintenanced at REI when they told me my dropper seatpost was having issues…read moreand would need to be replaced. I would need to go to Giant to get my part, and I was given the malfunctioning part to take as a reference. I came to the Henderson store to get the part. the man helping me took the reference part to the back, found the new part, and came back after a few minutes of examining the old part. He gave me the new part but cautioned me that, to him, the old part still seemed fine. He then went on to describe to me a common issue that can sometimes seem like the problem is the dropper post, but is actually related to the cables. He said he wanted to give me a heads up before I spent the money on the part, just in case I wanted to try going back to REI with the new insight. I thanked him and decided to get the part anyhow, figuring it's 5 years old, so it won't hurt to replace it regardless. Nevertheless, he offered that, if after replacing the part, the seat still doesn't function properly and REI isn't able to fix it, to bring it in to him and he'll take care of it. "I don't want you to have to pay twice for the part and even more repair" (to paraphrase). My takeaways: * Gave advice and knowledge (most good salespeople will offer that these days) * Provided an alternative for what my issue might be, despite that meaning they could lose the sale * Offered to include fixing my issue, free of charge, if the REI folks still couldn't figure it out, as a thank you for buying the part I appreciated each of these things, and I felt it was important to mention it to others.

IF after reading this post, you still decide to give this place your business, you've been warned…read more My son earned and saved enough money to get hydraulic breaks for his bike. 185+ later for parts and labor from Giant, he had what he wanted. About a month later, he starts to have issues with the hydraulics. My wife takes the bike in with my son and the two men who were there gave her attitude and started to make accusations on why it probably no longer works. They didn't know, but my wife took the bike to Swanny's prior to going back to Giant and they said something inside the hydraulic casing was bad. Giant told my wife they could see scratches on the break system and it most likely stopped working because my son dropped it crashed his bike. Only option was for them to "look at it" and let us know what was wrong. A week later, we get a call with two options from the Giant. Give us $125 to put a new one on or come pick it up. I told the guy that I would never do business with a company who accuse customers of things and who don't guarantee their work/products, and I would pick the bike up. Rule number one when doing business with someone, if they don't guarantee their work, don't give them your business. Rule number 2, If they talk down to women, don't give them your business.

Cactus e-bikes is not just an awesome company to do business with, these bikes are FUN!…read moreRenting a bike and exploring Red Rock Canyon, or any of the other local trails in Clark County is just better on an E-MTB! Renting from Cactus E-Bikes also couldn't have been any easier! If you can send a text you can rent a bike. We even had a mechanical issue that slowed us down, but Cactus Dave despite having a busy day filled with tours/rentals still made it to us in no time and took care of it and got us back on our way. Can't say enough good about the bikes or the people. This is a must next time you're in Vegas!

Dave's bikes were perfect for us! He was easy to work with for pickup and drop-off - would 100%…read morerent again!

The convenience of having the bike repair at your front door. Cody provide attentive care in…read morerepairing my bike. Highly recommend them for bike repair needs

They work with you to get the very best outcome , that way no one's time or money is wasted . You…read moreget the parts , you call for appointment . They come and take care of the service at your home . No hassle with drop off and pick up . They have a set hourly fee and give you a solid estimate over phone consultation . These are smart folks who get the job done or tell you it isn't possible.