Las Vegas Biking
One of the best ways to explore the Las Vegas Valley is by bike. Outside of the urban area, roads are flat with spacious shoulders, providing great opportunities for serious road biking (early in the day, of course, before the desert sun has a chance to set the region to broil). Local conservation land offers epic options for mountain biking, too; in addition to hundreds of miles of mixed-use trails in the Red Rock National Conservation Area, the bike-specific trails of Bootleg Canyon, near Boulder City, are internationally renowned as challenging and fun. Perhaps the crown jewel of the local bicycling scene is the River Mountains Trail, a 36-mile trail that winds past Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Lake Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City.
All-Mountain Cyclery. This full-service bike shop sits just outside downtown Boulder City, down the hill from the entrance to Bootleg Canyon and the River Mountains Trail. The rental program includes a variety of top-of-the-line road and mountain bikes; the shop also has a host of gear for visitors who come unprepared. Most of the employees are avid cyclists who are happy to offer up tips and suggestions about can't-miss trails or viable strategies for exploring on pedal power. Guided tours also are available. 1404 Nevada Hwy., Suite C, Boulder City, Nevada, 89005. 702/453–2453; www.allmountaincyclery.com.
McGhie's Bike Outpost. One of the largest outfitters in the Las Vegas Valley, McGhie's rents equipment for skiing, bicycling, and sandboarding. This location, in downtown Blue Diamond, which is just west of the city in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (there are others in Henderson and on South Fort Apache in Las Vegas), specializes in bikes—convenient, since it's right on the doorstep of 125 miles of hard-core mountain biking. The company rents bikes individually, and also offers a host of guided tours around Red Rock and beyond. Unlike other outfitters in the area, McGhie's also rents bikes specifically for kids. 16 Cottonwood Dr., Suite B, Blue Diamond, Nevada, 89004. 702/875–4820; www.mcghies.com.
