Calico Tanks Hike in Red Rock Canyon

The Calico Tanks Hike in Red Rock Canyon National Park is one of our favorites!

Less than 20 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, you’ll find this popular 2.2 mile round trip hike located along the scenic loop drive. Red rocks, wildlife and epic views await along this fun trail.

Calico Tanks Hike At a Glance

Trail Description	Out and back
Trail Start	Sandstone Quarry Parking Lot, Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop
Round Trip Mileage	~2.2 miles
Elevation Gain	~390 feet
Highest Elevation	~4,720 feet
Average Time	1.5 – 2.0 hours (Total)
Difficulty	Moderate
Entrance Fees	A daily fee applies to enter the park or an America the Beautiful Pass is accepted. See current rates here. Reservations are required between October 1 and May 31st.
Rating	4 Mooses

Calico Tanks Trail (What to Expect)

We arrived in the late morning on a weekday to tackle the Calico Tanks trail. The Sandstone Quarry parking lot had plenty of spots and boasts restrooms along with trail information for both Calico Tanks and Turtlehead Peak.

The trail starts out flat and passes through the gorgeous red sandstone walls the park is known for.

Many visitors stop to check out this area, so don’t be too discougared if there are a ton of people along this portion of the trail. Many of them won’t continue along the full Calico Tanks trail.

This first portion of the trail is shared with the Turtlehead Peak Trail. Many visitors end up hiking in the wash shown in the picture below, but the true trail is just off to the left of the frame. Not to worry if you end up going up the wash, it intersects with the actual trail before you get to the lightly colored boulders.

Not long up the trail, the Turtlehead Peak trail splits to the left, and the Calico Tanks trail splits to the right.

Follow the signs as it leads you to the right and through the sandstone rocks.

As you follow the trail, you’ll traverse up carved stairs and do some light scrambling (which sometimes required us to use our hands and feet).

Be careful, especially if the sandstone is wet as it can get slippery. We recommend grippy shoes for this hike – though we saw many people completely unprepared for a hike doing just fine.

Views along Calico Tanks Trail

You’ll reach the tanks after only 1.1 miles of hiking. The trail officially ends, but most hikers continue past the tanks to partake in the Las Vegas City views.

We found the easiest way to reach the viewpoint was to stay to the right of tanks and follow a faint trail up to the viewpoint. It was much easier to climb up this than back down.

If you’re not sure exactly where the trail is (we were a little confused), you might consider waiting for other hikers to come back down or head up and follow them. To be fair – the first time we visited, there was no water in the tanks. It is much easier to see the correct route when water is present (there’s only one way to go then).

After enjoying the views, some wildflowers and a few fun lizards, we hiked back out the way we came in.

Is Calico Tanks worth it?

Rating: 4 Mooses

Verdict: A trail not to be missed when you’re visiting Red Rock Canyon.

Practical Information for your Calico Tanks Hike

Why do they call it Calico Tanks?

The Calico Tanks trail hold a pocket of water during certain times of the year. The Calico Tank trail officially ends at the tanks, however hikers usually continue up a small scramble to view the picturesque overlook of the Las Vegas Cityscape. If you’re looking to see the tanks filled with water, try visting in the spring or early summer.

Calico Tanks Trail Map

You can find the route we took in the map below.

After leaving the parking lot, we headed north towards Turtlehead Peak, and followed the trail signs through the wash.

From there, we went through the canyon wall until we reached the Calico Tanks. The trail official ends at the tanks, however most hikers climb up the sandstone rocks just behind the tanks to reach the sweeping cityscape views of the Vegas valley.

We do recommend downloading Alltrails to help you find your way. We have no affiliation with them, but we’re big fans after our incident on the Upper Gateway trail (nearby in Calico Basin).

It does work best if you purchase the full version to download the offline maps. Cell service in Red Rock Canyon is spotty.

Related: Read the things we do to increase our safety in the desert

Directions to Calico Tanks Trail

From Las Vegas:

• Head West on Highway 592 for approx 8 miles
• Take Exit 26 to Merge onto NV-159 W for 5 miles
• Follow signs to the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center
• Head down the one-way 13 mile loop trail around the park
• The Calico Tank trail is approx 3 miles into the park at the Sandstone Quarry parking lot (the third parking lot as you enter the park – 4th parking lot if you include the turn-off to the visitor center)

Crowds at Calico Tanks

Due to it’s short distance, little elevation gain and great views at the end, this is a super popular trail. Unless you start at daybreak, you’re going to be sharing the trail with a lot of fellow hikers.

Wildlife at Calico Tanks Hike

If you’re lucky, you might spy a lizard climbing around on the rocks. Snap a picture quickly before they scurry off!

Average weather in Red Rock Canyon area

The weather varies greatly over the course of a year to below freezing temperatures in the winter and soaring in the high 90s in the summer. Red Rock Canyon also occasionally gets snow!

Safety Considerations

This is a desert hike and with any hike, there are inherent dangers on the trail. Use caution and take appropriate steps to keep yourself safe.

The park recommends the following:

• After desert rain, do not climb sandstone for 24 hours.
• Flash flooding may occur during/after desert rain.
• Stay on designated trails.
• Cell phone service is unreliable.
• Do not disturb or feed wildlife.
• Bring food/water, hiking shoes/boots, hat/sunscreen, and check in/out with family or friends.