I need some desert newbie tips

[WillCAD]

Howdie all,

I'm planning my first-ever trip out west for April; I'll be heading to Vegas for a week, and plan to spend some time in town and some time in the surrounding desert, principally for photography.

I'm planning on a day each at Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire, and a day trip to the Grand Canyon Village. My plan is to day hike each place, staying on the easy and well-marked trails suitable for someone with no desert experience.

But I'd also like to see a few places that the average tourist might miss, places with great views, not too far from Vegas. They'll have to be fairly easy to get to, because I'll have a rental car without off-road capability, and not more than about 2 hours from Vegas.

Aside from that, I'd also appreciate some tips to help an East Coaster who's never been out west avoid the common pitfalls that tend to ruin your day; I already know to drink lots of water and try not to step on any rattlesnakes. Any online resources that might help would also be appreciated.

[S@ndman]

The Valley of Fire is a really cool place to shoot photos. The campgrounds there fill up on the weekends but during the week it's nice and quiet. Enjoy your visit. In reality, you really dont need a 4x4 to enjoy many places. What the heck, it's a rental

[S@ndman]

Will, I know of a pristine petroglyph site open to public viewing about an hour west of Vegas. It's in the Mojave preserve and involves an easy hike in of about a mile or so. If you want to arrange a visit, send me your e mail address. I can probably get off work sometime during the week. Any excuse to go out there is good for me