Clipping In

Cycling the Las Vegas Valley & Clark County Nevada

# The Desert Awaits

Most people, when they think of Las Vegas, only think of The Strip. It is what we're known for after all. But Las Vegas and Clark County has so much more to offer.

Truth is, we've got it pretty good here, us Las Vegas cyclists. Great weather almost year round, multiple national and state parks, enough varied topography to provide a ride as easy or difficult as you can stand, and a Regional Transportation Commission that has dedicated itself to providing quality infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. These include a bike share program and a downtown bike center at it's main transit hub.

There are currently 370.4 miles of paved shared use paths, and 468 miles of bike lanes in the Clark County urban areas. The [overall plan](http://www.rtcsnv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/1-RTC-RBPP-March-2017-Public-Draft-Plan.pdf) is impressive and ambitious. A highlight of the plan is a paved valley rim trail that will, when complete, circle the entire Las Vegas Valley. Large portions of it are already in use today.

Greater Clark County also boasts a bounty of fantastic places to ride: Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Mount Charleston and Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, and the Valley of Fire State Park. Fantastic places to ride-all.

The Ambassador program from Ride With GPS has provided me with a wonderful forum to dispell the myths of an unhealthy Las Vegas and highlight what an amazing cycling destination this area truely is.

[Regional Transportation Commission Cycling Page](http://www.rtcsnv.com/cycling/)

[Lake Mead National Recreation Area](http://www.nps.gov/lake/index.htm)

[Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area](http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/)

[Mount Charleston and Spring Mountains National Recreation Area](http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/htnf/about-forest/offices/?cid=fsm9_026952)

[Valley of Fire State Park](http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire)