Quick answer
Can you bike Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive?
Yes. Bikes pay $8 at the kiosk, no timed-entry reservation needed (e-bikes too). Hours, one-way rules, water, Thanksgiving hours and where bikes can't go.
Updated Nov 1, 2026 · 6 sources
Photo: BLM Nevada / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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Yes, you can bike Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive. Bikes pay $8 per bicycle per day at the entrance kiosk and don’t need the timed-entry reservation that cars need from October through May. That includes e-bikes. The drive is a 13-mile paved, one-way loop that opens at 6 AM. Cyclists ride under the same rules as cars. Fill your bottles at the Visitor Center, because there’s no water along the drive.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), about 17 miles west of the Strip on Charleston Boulevard (SR-159). Everything below comes from BLM, Recreation.gov and the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association, checked November 1, 2026. For the full ride profile, start points and climbing, see our Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive ride page.
Getting in by entry type
| How you arrive | Day fee | Timed-entry reservation? |
|---|---|---|
| Bicycle (including e-bikes and one wheels) | $8 per bicycle | Not required; pay at the kiosk |
| On foot | $5 per person | Not required |
| Motorcycle | $10 | Required 8 AM to 5 PM, Oct 1 to May 31 |
| Car | $20 | Required 8 AM to 5 PM, Oct 1 to May 31 |
| Red Rock annual pass / America the Beautiful pass | $50 / $80 a year | Passes cover the fee; a car still needs a reservation in season |
The vehicle reservation isn’t required from June 1 to September 30. Bikes never need one. Recreation.gov says walk-in and bicycle visitors pay at the kiosk, and that e-bikes and one wheels count as bicycles.
Hours
- Opens: 6 AM daily, unless flash floods or snow close the drive.
- Closes: 5 PM November through February, 7 PM in March and October, 8 PM April through September (BLM).
- Thanksgiving Day (Nov 26, 2026): the Interpretive Association’s fall-hours page lists the Scenic Drive open 6 AM to noon and the Visitor Center open 8 AM to noon. Its winter-hours page describes it differently: noon is the last entry, the fee booth closes, and anyone already inside may stay until 5 PM. The two pages don’t agree, so plan to enter before noon and call 702-515-5350 to confirm.
- Visitor Center: 8 AM to 4:30 PM on regular days, per Recreation.gov.
Recreation.gov says parking lots fill from about 10 AM to 2 PM on weekends and holidays, so traffic on the loop is heaviest then. Early mornings are calmer.
Rules for cyclists on the drive
BLM sets these rules for bikes on the Scenic Drive:
- Motor vehicle rules apply to bicycles. Obey the speed limit and stop signs.
- One way only. All traffic, bikes included, goes the same direction around the loop.
- Stay in your lane except to pass.
- No riding side by side except when passing.
- No bikes on the trails reached from the Scenic Drive. The paved spur roads are fine.
The Interpretive Association adds that bikes may use the Scenic Drive, the paved spur roads and the designated mountain bike trails, but not hiking trails. It also warns visitors to watch for rockfall.
Water and services
There’s no water once you leave the Visitor Center. Recreation.gov says the water bottle refill station and flush toilets are only at the Visitor Center, and the vault toilets at pullouts along the drive have no running water. Carry everything you need for the full 13 miles. In warm months, read our heat guide before you go.
E-bikes and mountain bikes
E-bikes ride the Scenic Drive as bicycles: same $8 fee, no reservation. Off the pavement, BLM permits Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes on designated mountain bike trails. Mountain bikers use the trail systems outside the loop, not the hiking trails off the drive. See our mountain bike rides for the trail areas we’ve covered.
Guided rides
BLM lists Escape Mountain Bike Adventures and Cycle Vegas among the companies permitted to lead bicycle tours in the area, and Red-E Bikes for e-bike tours. Rental shops are on our bike shops page.
Before you go
Check the BLM page for weather closures on the morning you ride. Red Rock Canyon’s information line is 702-515-5350. Questions about vehicle reservations go to Recreation.gov at 877-444-6777.