Grand Staircase | Calico Basin | Red Rock National Conservation Area, Nevada
The Calico Hills form a boarder between lower Red Rock Canyon and lower Calico Basin in Nevada. These ancient sand dunes have been frozen into an artistic display of fantastic shapes, colors and designs. The most popular route up the Calico Hills is called The Grand Staircase. As you stand in the parking area in the Red Springs Desert Oasis in the Calico Basin and look closely at the Calico Hills towering above you’ll see a natural diagonal route that begins in the mid section and angles up to the right and to the summit of the hills. This is the Grand Staircase. Route Details: Approx. (2 mi. RT); **Wilderness, Sketchy Path, Class 3 Rock Climbing** Click image or title above for more…
01 Calico and Brownstone Basins Nevada Overview
Calico and Brownstone Basins sit just East of Red Rock Park in Nevada. There are numerous Jurassic Era Aztec colorful red and white rock hills in and around the basin which makes it a great place to explore, hike, run and climb. Red Springs Desert Oasis in the lower basic is a nice picnic area with a mile-long interpretive board walk. Further up past a small residential community there is a trailhead parking area for hikers and runners exploring the hills and canyon washes of the basin, which are fairly wild and untouched. Best time of year for adventures here: Mid-Fall to early Spring below 5,000ft; Fall to Spring above 5000ft. Temperatures at the higher elevations are usually in the mid-70s during this time even when Las Vegas Valley is up to 95 degrees! Winter temperatures in the lower elevations can be in the mid-60s! Follow adventure thumbnail images on this page to view individual adventures in Calico Basin. Follow thumbnail images to view the details you will need to plan your adventures here. Click image or title above for more…