Top 11 Picks for Motorcycle Routes In & Outside of Las Vegas

Apr 11, 2026

The Strip gets all the attention, but the best part of Las Vegas might be how quickly it disappears in your mirrors. Fifteen minutes west and you're leaning through canyon curves at Red Rock. An hour northeast and you're riding past 150-million-year-old sandstone at Valley of Fire. A couple hours up I-15 and you're standing at Zion. Some of the best motorcycle routes near Las Vegas cover more ground and more variety than most riders expect, and almost all of them start within 30 miles of your hotel.

Las Vegas Motorcycle Day Trips (Overview)

1. Red Rock Canyon, SR-159 Loop (13 mi, ~30 min)
2. Mount Charleston Loop, SR-157/158 (35 mi, ~1 hr)
3. Valley of Fire via Lake Mead Northshore Road (120 mi loop, ~3 hrs)
4. Boulder City to Hoover Dam (31 mi, ~45 min)
5. Seven Magic Mountains Roadside Stop (20 mi, ~25 min)
6. Lake Mead Northshore Road Standalone (50 mi one way, ~1.5 hrs)
7. Oatman, AZ via Route 66 (145 mi one way, ~3 hrs)
8. Mojave National Preserve via Nipton (120 mi to Kelso, half day)
9. Death Valley (147 mi one way, half day minimum)
10. Zion National Park (160 mi one way, ~2.5 hrs)
11. Grand Canyon West Rim (130 mi one way, ~2 hrs)

In-State Routes

Most of the best riding near Vegas is a lot closer than people think. These first six routes all stay within Nevada, start and end from the Strip, and none of them take more than a few hours from start to finish.

1. Red Rock Canyon, SR-159 Loop

Distance from the Strip: 13 miles to the entrance

Ride Time: About 90 minutes total

Start & End Points: Las Vegas Strip → SR-159 West → Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop → SR-159 East → Las Vegas Strip

SR-159 takes you west from Vegas Boulevard, and the Strip is behind you in about 15 minutes. The 13-mile one-way scenic loop runs between 3,000-foot sandstone walls that change color throughout the day, which is why a lot of riders like getting out there early before the weekend crowds show up.

How Far is Red Rock Canyon from Las Vegas by Motorcycle?

The Red Rock Canyon motorcycle ride starts about 13 miles from the Strip, putting you at the entrance in roughly 15 minutes. The full out-and-back with the scenic loop takes about 90 minutes, making it the closest quality ride to Vegas.

2. Mount Charleston Loop, SR-157 and SR-158

Distance from the Strip: 35 miles to the base of Kyle Canyon Road

Ride Time: 1 hour for the full loop

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → US-95 North → SR-157 (Kyle Canyon Rd) → SR-158 (Deer Creek Rd) → SR-156 (Lee Canyon Rd) → US-95 South → Las Vegas Strip

Mount Charleston is the only ride near Vegas that gets you out of the desert entirely, with SR-157 climbing to nearly 8,000 feet where the dry scrub turns into pine trees and the temperature drops 20 to 30 degrees compared to the Strip. SR-158 connects through Lee Canyon to complete the full loop with tighter turns and almost no weekday traffic.

Is Mount Charleston Worth the Ride from Las Vegas?

One of the best short rides near Vegas is without a doubt the Mount Charleston motorcycle ride. You go from 105-degree desert to 75-degree forest in about 30 minutes (bring a jacket!), the road is well-kept with minimal weekday traffic, and the full loop only takes about an hour.

3. Valley of Fire Loop via Lake Mead Northshore Road

Distance from the Strip: 50 miles to the Valley of Fire west entrance

Ride Time: 3 hours riding + stops

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → I-15 North → Valley of Fire State Park → Northshore Rd → Lake Mead NRA → Las Vegas Strip

Ask anyone who rides in Vegas which route to do first and the Valley of Fire motorcycle route would be the answer you hear the most. This ride runs northeast past 2,000-year-old petroglyphs and red sandstone formations before turning south along Northshore Road where Lake Mead opens up below you. There are no gas stations, restaurants, or cell service inside the park, so fuel up before leaving Vegas or in Logandale. 

If the Valley of Fire motorcycle ride is the one that catches your eye, our self-guided Las Vegas motorcycle tour guide breaks this loop down with more stops along the way.

Can You Ride a Motorcycle to Valley of Fire from Las Vegas?

Valley of Fire is one of the most accessible rides from the Strip, with the full loop through Lake Mead Northshore Road covering about 120 miles round trip in around 3 hours of riding. Most riders and locals consider it the best Las Vegas motorcycle day trip, and the combination of desert canyon and lakeside road in a single loop is hard to match anywhere else near Vegas.

4. Boulder City to Hoover Dam Motorcycle Ride

Distance from the Strip: 31 miles

Ride Time: 45 minutes one way

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → US-93 South → Boulder City → Hoover Dam → return same route

US-93 south out of Henderson takes you through the desert toward Boulder City, a small walkable town where places like The Dillinger and Southwest Diner serve real food at prices that won't remind you of the Strip. The Powerplant Tour ($30 per person, about an hour) takes you inside the dam's generators 500 feet below the surface, and the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge gives you a full view of the dam from above without even stopping.

5. Seven Magic Mountains Roadside Stop

Distance from the Strip: 20 miles south

Ride Time: 25 minutes one way

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → I-15 South → Seven Magic Mountains → return same route

This is less of a ride and more of a quick I-15 detour on the way to or from something else. Seven Magic Mountains is seven towers of neon-painted limestone boulders stacked 30 to 35 feet high in the middle of flat desert, free to visit, and confirmed open through the end of 2026 with a fresh repaint happening right now (April 2026).

6. Lake Mead Northshore Road

Distance from the Strip: 30 miles to the Northshore Road entrance

Ride Time: 1.5 hours one way

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → Lake Mead Blvd → Northshore Rd → turnaround near Overton or Valley of Fire junction

For riders who can't fit the full Valley of Fire loop into their schedule, Northshore Road on its own covers about 50 miles of open lake views and easy curves. Entry is $20 per motorcycle for a 7-day Lake Mead pass (cashless only), and morning rides are the move in summer since there's almost no shade on this road. Anyone already planning the full Valley of Fire loop can skip this one since Northshore is part of that route.

Multi-State and Longer Day Trips

These next five rides cross state lines or cover enough distance to fill a full day. They're all accessible from the Strip but need more planning than the in-Nevada routes, especially around gas stops and timing.

7. Oatman, Arizona via Historic Route 66

Distance from the Strip: 145 miles one way

Ride Time: 3 hours one way

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → US-93 South → Kingman, AZ → Route 66 → Oatman, AZ → return same route or loop via I-40

The Route 66 stretch from Kingman to Oatman is a narrow two-lane road through the Black Mountains with tight turns and constant elevation changes. Oatman is an old mining town where burros roam the dirt streets and the saloons are still serving, and the whole place feels like it hasn't changed much since the 1970s. The round trip from Vegas takes close to 7 hours, so most riders plan an overnight in Kingman or Oatman and ride back the next morning.

8. Mojave National Preserve via Nipton

Distance from the Strip: 75 miles to Nipton, 120 miles to Kelso Depot

Ride time: Half day minimum

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → I-15 South → Nipton Rd → Mojave National Preserve → Kelso Depot → return same route

The route south from Nipton into the Mojave National Preserve passes through Joshua tree forests on roads where you might not see another car for 30 minutes, and most riders follow it about 120 miles from Vegas to Kelso Depot, a restored 1924 railroad station that makes for a good stopping point before turning back. There's no cell service through most of the preserve, so let someone know your route before heading out.

9. Death Valley Motorcycle Ride

Distance from the Strip: 147 miles to Furnace Creek

Ride Time: Half day minimum (one way)

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → US-95 North → NV-374 → Death Valley NP (Furnace Creek) → return same route or loop via Shoshone

Death Valley covers over 3 million acres, with roads that drop to 282 feet below sea level at Badwater Basin, climb over 5,000 feet at Dante's View, and pass through salt flats and sand dunes along the way. Entry is $30 per motorcycle for a 7-day pass, or free with an America the Beautiful annual pass.

Heat warning: From late spring through early fall, temperatures regularly push past 120 degrees. Riders going between May and September should:

• Leave before dawn
• Get out of the low-elevation sections by late morning
• Carry at least one gallon of water per person
• Top off fuel at every opportunity
• There is no roadside assistance in most of the park

10. Zion National Park

Distance from the Strip: 160 miles

Ride Time: 2.5 hours (one way)

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → I-15 North → UT-9 → Springdale, UT → Zion National Park → return same route

The ride to Zion takes about 2.5 hours up I-15 North through the Virgin River Gorge and into Springdale, where UT-9 puts you right between the red and cream colored walls the park is known for. Once you're inside the park, the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway takes you through a 1.1-mile tunnel carved straight through the rock. If you're planning this as a day trip, try to leave Vegas by 6 a.m. so you have time to actually explore once you get there.

Fees and access:

• $30 per motorcycle for a 7-day pass
• As of January 2026, non-U.S. residents 16+ pay an additional $100/person surcharge unless they hold a Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250)
• During shuttle season (March through November), private vehicles can't drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, but you can still ride the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway on your bike

How Long is the Ride from Las Vegas to Zion National Park?

If you’re riding to Zion National Park from Las Vegas on a motorcycle, you’ll cover about 160 miles. The ride itself should take you roughly 2.5 hours one way via I-15 North. Most riders either make it a full-day trip and push through, or plan an overnight in Springdale, UT, which is right at the park entrance and has plenty of places to eat and stay. Motorcycle entry to Zion is $30 for a 7-day pass.

11. Grand Canyon West Rim

Distance from the Strip: 130 miles

Ride Time: 2 to 2.5 hours (one way)

Start and End Points: Las Vegas Strip → US-93 South → Pierce Ferry Rd → Diamond Bar Rd → Grand Canyon West → return same route

Grand Canyon West is on Hualapai Tribal land and operates separately from Grand Canyon National Park, with its own fees, hours, and access rules. The ride takes about 2 hours from Vegas through Joshua tree forest along Pierce Ferry Road, and the last 30 to 40 miles on Diamond Bar Road have no gas, food, or water, so make sure you're set before that turn. The Hualapai Tribe's All-Access Pass runs $99 per person (as of 2026) and covers entry, the Skywalk, a zipline, and shuttle access between viewpoints.

Planning to ride out to the Grand Canyon? Our Las Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip blog covers rim comparisons, day trip itineraries, fees, and fuel stops for the full ride.

What’s the Best Day Trip from Las Vegas on a Motorcycle?

For a half-day ride that packs in the most variety, the Valley of Fire and Lake Mead Northshore loop (Route 3) is the one most riders and locals recommend. You get desert canyon, red sandstone, and lake views all in about 3 hours of riding. For a full-day trip, the Grand Canyon West Rim (Route 11) and Zion National Park (Route 10) are both doable from the Strip if you leave early, with the West Rim being the shorter ride at about 2 hours each way.

What Motorcycle Routes Leave Directly from the Las Vegas Strip?

• Red Rock Canyon (SR-159): 13 miles west, on the scenic loop within 20 minutes
• Seven Magic Mountains (I-15 South): About 20 miles south, no entry fee
• Hoover Dam (US-93 through Boulder City): 31 miles southeast, easy highway the entire way

All three are within 20 to 40 minutes of any hotel on the Strip, which is part of what makes motorcycle riding Las Vegas as good as it is: the desert is right there, and it doesn't take long to reach it.

Rent a Motorcycle and Ride From the Strip

Every route on this list is within reach of downtown Las Vegas, and none of them require owning a bike. Browse Las Vegas motorcycle rentals on Riders Share to find cruisers, touring bikes, sport bikes, and adventure models from local owners across the valley at daily rates well below what traditional shops charge. Pick up a bike, load a route, and go.

Check out our Las Vegas motorcycle rental guide for a breakdown of pricing, insurance, and what to look for when choosing a bike and an owner.

Take the Guesswork out of the Ride & Book a Las Vegas Motorcycle Tour

Not sure which route to start with, or just want someone local to map it out? Local hosts in Las Vegas offer guided and self-guided motorcycle tours that cover routes like Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, and Lake Mead with the stops, timing, and local knowledge already built in. Browse available motorcycle tours in Las Vegas and let a local rider handle the route planning.