mt. charleston scenic byway

We ventured up to Mt. Charleston on a Monday after we had heard it snowed over the weekend.Going on a weekday was a wise decision because there wasn't as many people up there.It is amazing to drive lass than an hour away from the strip and have snow.The chair lifts were running and it want' crowded.It is a beautiful area.Well worth the trip

The mountains were beautiful and the National Park hiking trails were awesome with clean bathrooms. The roads are freshly paved and well maintained.

Get away from the strip and journey to Mt Charleston. In reality Mt Charleston isn't your destination, but the scenic starts there and ends up several miles away on the same highway you began on. Be sure you have enough gas in the tank to complete the journey as , as the sign said, "There is no GAS on the mountain." Also no gas on the way to the mountain. If you are lucky you may see a few wild burros. But don't feed them, or harass them. There is a great vista were you can see for over 70 miles. All and all a great way to spend the day.

The scenic byway is comprised of 2 canyons (Kyle and Lee Canyon). Approximately 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Las Vegas, Northwest on Hwy 95 is the turn-off to Mt. Charleston by way of Kyle Canyon Road. A new visitor center and parking lot is being built with a new round-about just before the newer Mt. Charleston Resort that has rooms, dining and a bar. The old Mt. Charleston Lodge is further up the road and offers cabins for rent and a bar as well indoor and patio dining with an awesome view. There are many good hiking trails in the area. My personal favorite is the Bristlecone Pine Trail. If you are out for a pleasant drive be sure to take the road over to Lee Canyon, park and walk up to the Ski Lodge and snack bar. The meadows are dressed in fall colors and the aspen trees shimmer gold in the breeze. Autumn has arrived at Mt. Charleston. When returning to Las Vegas, both Lee Canyon Road and Kyle Canyon Road traveling East will return you to Hwy 95.

Escape to mountain from the Strip. Been there twice. Make sure to have a full tank as no gas station on the mountain. First visit was rainy but beautiful so had limitations for hiking. The multiple trails and will definitely come back for hiking again. Fresh air, beautiful views, hummingbirds buzzing around. What a wonderful hidden gem. Driving is scenic and enjoyable. People at the visitor center and the lodge at the top of the mountain were very friendly. Even though I did not have lunch at the restaurant, never had any attitude from the people and enjoyed the views and the buzzing hummingbirds. Highly recommend for singles, couples, and families for a short escape. I was there during August. It appears, in Winter you need chains and snow tires to drive there. So I would check the weather before heading there other than summer.

From the Strip to the peak of Mt. Charleston is an easy 45 minute drive. Great especially in summer because Vegas was 104 degrees but at the peak was dry 74! Many different trails for hikes and biking as well as stops where you can take in the amazing scenery so different from the Strip.

The Joshua trees, the pinons, absolutely beautiful! One of my favorite places near Las Vegas! Highly recommend seeing this! Food, lodges, skiing! Awesome!

Lovely Drive up the mountain and round the top ... lovely to watch the temperature go down on your way up and up on your way down if you have a car thermometer to gauge this with.Beautiful Mt. Charleston Lodge awaits and a number of hiking trails and pretty scenery.Outside of the Lodge there are few amenities ... and no real town... not a ski resort in that sense no shopping or dinning beyond the Lodge really and the little town doesn't want you in it the signs make it clear. That being said, it's a beautiful area and drive, look forward to returning and giving the Lodge a try.

This short trip from Las Vegas up Mt. Charleston is enjoyable, attractive and well worth the time. It's a startling change of landscape and temperature from the city. Whether you go skiing, hiking, touring or to lunch, you'll be glad you did.

It's a drive up the mountains surrounded by huge beautiful houses and forest trees. Taking a warm jacket is a must as it is cold in the mountains. We dined at the restaurant at the top. The food and drinks were excellent. Also, there is clothing/accessories shop. Please take a camera.

My boyfriend and I decided to see what the buzz was about with Mt. Charleston and escaping from the desert heat and we are so glad we did! The drive was easy and barely an hour away from our home. It was truly awesome to watch how the scenery began to change and watch the temperature drop by every thousand feet in elevation we went up. The visitors center provided a great map which showed all of the different trails and which ones are currently off limits due to the recent wildfire. We literally went to every possible stop, while not in hiking clothing (that will be for next time!), we are itching to go back at this point. I definitely recommend checking out the Desert Overlook - it was really awesome! Plus, get your hiking boots on because there is a plane crash site that you can apparently walk right up to - that's on our next time agenda!Oh and if you think you see snow on the very top of a few mountain peaks, you're most likely correct!!!

Took a break from the heat of Vegas (104) and drive up to Mt. Charleston. Took about 40 minutes from our hotel, Beautiful drive, seeing the desert and the surrounding mountains. The ride and and down was a wonderful view. Lunch at the lodge was fantastic, great salads and burgers, you sit outside on the deck, usually about 20 degrees cooler there was 80 this day,No cost unless you enter the park area for a picnic.

it's only a 40 minute drive, but you'll see low desert, high desert and the pine trees and even snow in the winter. The variety of plants and terrain is amazing for such a short drive. It's always cooler at the top of the mountain so its a great way to escape the heat.

The views from Mt. Charleston are incredible. You can see for miles and miles. I highly recommend taking a drive down this road - especially in a convertible!

This was our favourite Vegas thing to do...bar none! Somewhere on a sign it says you'll see landscape from New Mexico to Canada and back again as you drive up this scenic drive through the side of the mountain. We watched for wildlife but only saw cougar prints. The views were stunning and on a sunny day it was so beautiful. We saw wild horses which was a treat. I highly recommend this to the nature lovers. We preferred this over Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire.