A Question for Locals - Where to find the Best Panoramic View of the Strip?

Hi everyone.

I thought this question could be best answered by those living in Las Vegas, so perhaps someone can help. Can anyone recommend any good off-strip locations, presumably a few miles east or west of the strip, that provide good panoramic views of the strip area? I'd like to take a few panoramic photos of the strip around sunrise or sunset and am looking for a good vantage point. I vaguely recall reading something a while ago about great views from a city park somewhere, but I may be mistaken, so any suggestions would really be appreciated. Thanks!

 

The views of the strip from the Angel Park Trail are quite good, and it is open early/late enough for twilight photography. For an even better view of the whole city, but maybe not quite at twilight, hike the Calico Tanks Trail in Red Rock Canyon. Here's a oanorama I took from overlook at the end of that trail. http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-b6NbF9k/0/O/i-b6NbF9k-O.jpg

 

Thanks for the tips, atom. During my trip last October, I actually hiked the Calico Tanks Trail at Red Rock and snapped a bunch of photos from the overlook. I really enjoyed the hike and hope to check out more Red Rock trails in the future, but for this round of photos, I'd like someplace a little closer to the strip. I'm thinking that maybe 2 or 3 miles due east or west of the strip should give me the framing I have in mind.

 

I think you need to go west as it's uphill that way from the strip. I know from Rainbow and Sunset I can see the strip but probably too far away for a great picture. I was trying to get a picture of the strip and a full moon also at night. I only had an old cell phone so it didn't come out.

TomTWI

 

The top of the Rio at Voodoo Steak/Lounge. There's an outdoor patio that has an unobstructed, sweeping, panoramic view of the strip.

It's free to go up to the restaurant though you may need reservations (call ahead).

 

Rio is a great choice. Top floors of parking garages at off strip properties offer a good vantage point.

 

Come to think of it you can get a good view including the Rio buildings from the Gold Coast parking garage.

TomTWI

 

I've thought of taking the road to Pahrump and just pulling off the road part way up the hill. Looks like a great view if not smoggy.

I've been wondering how you get up to that mountain out by Henderson. There have to be roads up there, but nobody seems to know of them.

 

The mountain pass does provide good view when you come from Pahrump. Horizon Ridge offers nice views from the Black Mountain perspective. Offroading in the hills over there is nice, but getting more and more difficult to do so with ease with all the homes. The west side mountains have some of my favorite views. You need to go offroad, but they are lovely.

 

Rio for sure. Outstanding view.

 

Where on Horizon Ridge can you shoot from? That's the angle I always thought would be great.

 

Horizon Ridge all the way from Horizon Dr. down to Gibson has some great views and many places to pull over to the side for pics.

Also in Henderson, Lake Mead Pkwy north of Warm Springs has a great view of the valley.

For both of course the view is better at night.

 

Thanks, I haven't really explored that area, but I'll plan on a trip out there some evening when I have a car.

For the photographers here, what length lens do you use when shooting from these spots?

One thing I'm still curious about is if you can get anywhere up in the hills in there. I know there are towers up on that mountain and there has to be a road, but I haven't managed to find it.

 

This gives you an idea what the view from the rio looks like. Sorry not the best photo

 

Hi!

I was browsing through your pics and found this one:

http://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Other/New-Years-Eve/27373577_S5SfJ6#!i=2301544553&k=dFHsHBc&lb=1&s=L

I really would like to take one of these myself to print on aluminium for in my living room. May I ask you where exactly you took this picture? I love it!!

Thanks!

 

That is from the mountain that sits behind the smaller foot hill in the photo above with the rainbow. You can drive up the smaller foothill from Ft Apache, not far from where they built Wet N Wild. My perspective is harder to get to, there is a an old mine trail that was accessible from south Summerlin, near the wash off Town Center Dr. You can also access it off Hwy 160, west of Hualapai, there's a water retention basin you can drive thru to gain access to the old mine roads. If you look at Google Maps satellite imaging the mountain is called Desert Hills. You need a 4x4 vehicle. Found an old photo to show the mine trails.



I didn't use a tripod so the photo isn't crisp, but if it's any use to you, I can email the file. It can be blown up to 20x30.

 

Access is tricky. You used to be able to go up the Black Mtn trail from where Anthem sits today, there was a wash not far from Horizon Ridge. Offroading and shooting wasn't welcome once the houses went up, they started blocking it off about seven years ago. Now, you probably need to go up the backside through Sloan to get up there. With Inspirada being built that way is probably tricky too.

 

The end of Owens on the east side has a great view. You can park on the bottom of the hill and walk up the street and on the south side there are some trails up a small hill you could use a tripod if you wanted. Easy couple minute walk from the car, I've taken many pics when I lived in that area from that spot, nothing great though, I'm far from a good photographer. Lol. Farther than a couple miles, but an easy drive.

 

Thanks so much for the info and the offer to mail me the picture. I'm afraid I'll need a crisp one, because it will be printed on a 1m wide aluminium board (plate? How do you call that?).
I will go take a look at google maps to find the place, thanks again!

 

Take a car ride on the west side of town on I-215. It is high up in several areas North of Red Rock Casino and gives quite a view of the city below.