Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is located along Interstate 15 in Clark County of southern Nevada. Generally regarded as the gambling capital of the U.S., glitz is supplied in quantity by huge hotel/casino complexes, which offer inexpensive lodging and dining, as well as entertainment from glamorous stars.

Las Vegas is also the gateway to Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Hotels/Motels - Location maps and nearby attractions

Las Vegas, once an oasis en route to California, began as a Mormon settlement during the silver rush of the 1800s. It was revived by ranching in the 1850s. With the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1905, bars, gambling houses and other businesses sprouted in the downtown area.

In 1931, during the Great Depression, a stampede of unemployed arrived in Las Vegas to work in the construction of Hoover Dam, on the nearby Colorado River. The hydroelectric marvel that was finished in 1936 now lights the neon signs for which the city is famous.

That same year, state legislators allowed legalized gambling in Las Vegas. Immediately, casinos and hotels sprang up, transforming the city almost overnight. After World War II, huge resort/hotels began rising higher and higher on the strip, and with them, came world-class entertainment: the country's best collection of singers, dancers, musicians and comedians.

Things To Do

Parks & Monuments close by

• Death Valley National Park: 85 miles west.
• Valley of Fire State Park: 45 miles northeast.
• Nevada's Something-for-Everyone - Red Rock Canyon & Mountain Springs
• Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park (within the city)
• Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
• Floyd Lamb State Park
• Zion National Park

Wilderness & Recreation Areas

• Lake Mead National Recreation Area: 17 miles east.
• Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area: Renowned for geological wonders, including sandstone escarpments in striking colors.
• Desert National Wildlife Range: 1, 588, 459 acres north of Las Vegas offering camping, hiking and hunting. (USFWS)
  • Corn Creek
  • Desert View Naturural Environment Area
• Spring Mountains National Recreation Area: 316,000 acres offering camping, hiking and hunting. (USFS)

Historic & Points of Interest

• Hoover Dam: Highest concrete dam in the western hemisphere impounds Lake Mead.
• Moapa River Indian Reservation: Moapa Band of Paiute Indians occuppy 71,000 acres north of Las Vegas.
• Nevada State Museum and Historical Society: Depicts 10,000 years of regional history. 702-486-5205
• Las Vegas Museum of Natural History: Highlights regional natural history, wildlife and art. 702-384-3466
• Zoological-Botanical Park: 4-acre zoo featuring many desert plant and animals. 702-648-5995

Population/Elevation: 608,300 / 2,174 feet above sea level

Weather/Climate: Las Vegas receives an average 4 inches of rain and 250 days of sunshine a year. Temperatures are extremely hot May to October, over 100 degrees F. June through August, but humidity is extremely low.

Camping & RV Parks

• Lake Mead NRA
• Red Rock Canyon (Primitive)
• Desert National Wildlife Range (Primitive)

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Lake Mead Video - Houseboating & Hoover Dam

Read Vegas On A Budget on our Desert Road Trippin' Blog

Las Vegas, Nevada - Monthly Climate Normals
	Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	81	57	63	69	78	88	100	106	103	95	82	67	58
Low °F	54	34	38	44	51	60	69	76	74	66	54	43	34
Avg °F	67	46	51	56	64	74	85	91	89	81	68	55	46
Rain	4.13	.48	.48	.42	.21	.28	.12	.35	.49	.28	.21	.43	.38

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Resources & Nearby Attractions

• River and lake reports

Cities & Towns

• Beatty Nevada 115 miles north
• Boulder City, Nevada: 25 miles south.
• Henderson, Nevada: 10 miles south.
• Laughlin, Nevada: 94 miles south
• Bullhead City, Arizona: 96 miles south.
• Baker, Califonria: 93 miles west.
• Pahrump Nv.
• St George UT: 115 miles northeast

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