Red Rock Canyon Mustang Trail Bike Tour with Strip Pickup

4.86

(159 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We met our guide, Mike, right outside our hotel on the Strip — he had this easy smile and a sun-faded cap, already loading up the bikes. I’d barely finished my coffee when he asked if we’d ever tried the Mustang Trail before. “Locals swear by it,” he said, tossing me a helmet that still smelled faintly of desert dust and sunscreen. The drive out to Red Rock Canyon was quick, but you could feel Vegas fading behind us; suddenly it was all red cliffs and silence except for Mike’s stories about the first time he wiped out on these trails (he laughed about it — apparently there’s a cactus involved).

The Mustang Trail itself starts with this steady climb — not brutal, just enough to get your legs humming. There was this moment where the sun hit the rocks just right and everything looked almost painted. You could hear nothing but tires crunching over gravel and someone’s breath (possibly mine). Mike pointed out some wild burros in the distance; I squinted but honestly, they might’ve been rocks. He kept checking in on us, making sure we were good with the pace or if we wanted to try one of the extensions for more experienced riders. I stuck to the main path — didn’t want to get cocky after that story about his cactus incident.

I didn’t expect how much fun that descent would be — two miles of weaving through foothills, wind in your face, hands gripping handlebars tighter than I’d admit. There’s something about riding in Red Rock Canyon that makes you forget you’re so close to Las Vegas. We stopped for water at one point and just sat there quietly, looking out at those layered cliffs. Someone cracked a joke about trading poker chips for bike gears (not my best work), but everyone laughed anyway. The ride back felt easier somehow; maybe it was just knowing we’d done it together.