Red Rock Canyon areas set for public

Areas in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, including the Scenic Drive, will reopen Monday after a weekslong closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Bureau of Land Management’s website, Scenic Drive, Red Rock Overlook, Red Spring Boardwalk and the Calico Basin, Kraft Mountain and Late Night trailheads will reopen Monday.

Separately, the BLM announced that the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area

parking lot at Nawghaw Poa Road will reopen from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday, beginning next week.

The reopenings will come days after the start of Phase Two in Gov. Steve Sisolak’s plan for the reopening of business and other public areas on Friday, when churches and more businesses, such as bars and health facilities, can reopen. On June 4, state casinos and other tourist attractions can resume operations, Sisolak announced Tuesday.

When the Red Rock areas do reopen, Scenic Drive will temporarily operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Late exit and overnight permits will not be issued, according to the website.

Parking will only be permitted in parking lots, and when those are full no one else will be allowed in until the park is under capacity again, the website said.

The Red Rock Campground will remain closed, as it routinely does not operate from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends.

Closures will remain in effect at the visitor center, the Red Spring

Picnic Area and the Sloan Canyon Visitor Contact Station, the website said.

The Bureau of Land Management urged people to practice social distancing and follow other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines when the areas reopen.

“While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited,” the website said.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.