Winner: Death Valley
The salt flats are probably what you picture when you think of Death Valley – and they are indeed a sight to behold. Badwater Basin stretches out into the valley as a great white plain and visitors are invited to wander across as they please.
The basin is where the literal hotspot broke the North American records for the lowest and driest place, as well as the world record for hottest at 56.7° C. Not only can you fry an egg on the pavement there, so many people did it that the park had to ask them to stop.
Then there are the dunes dotting the valley, the best being Mesquite Flats – so otherwordly you might think you’ve gotten woefully lost and ended up in the Sahara.
The park is about 150 miles from downtown Vegas and takes about two hours to drive there. You can break up the trip by stopping in the ghost town of Rhyolite
Runner-Up: Lake Mead
This is the classic day trip from Vegas. It’s only about 30 miles from the city centre, and in a seemingly endless dry desert, it’s a bit of an oasis.
It’s got every outdoor activity covered: hiking, swimming, camping, boating, you name it. What this region lacks in foliage, it makes up for in sheer space. You could easily spend a week here exploring every craggy peak and shore.
It also includes the Hoover Dam, where the scale of the structure is pretty impressive.
If you’re looking for a one-stop outdoor adventure without sitting in the car for hours, Lake Mead is your place.
Honorable Mention: Grand Canyon West
The Grand Canyon is one of those things that everyone should experience at least once in their life. It’s not just a “big hole in the ground”; it’s so massive that it’s hard to believe it’s real when you’re looking right at it.
If the main spots were more accessible from Vegas, this would easily win this category. It still deserves a mention because the West Rim is way, way closer than the more popular viewpoints (125 miles from Vegas versus 290) while also providing some pretty sweet canyon views.
The West Rim’s unique attraction is the Skywalk, a glass-floored lookout point allowing you to peer deep into the abyss of the canyon (and your soul).