Lying on The Ridges' western border is the magnificent Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Some say this is Las Vegas' best-kept secret, but with over 1.2 million visitors annually, we'd say there are a number of people in the know about this desert jewel. Residents in The Ridges enjoy the fact that Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is virtually their back yard.

The 13-Mile Loop Drive offers vistas of its own as you pass several trail heads beckoning the adventurer into the depths of the Mojave Desert where you will find waterfalls cascading into canyons, a plethora of desert vegetation and wildlife and some of the most amazing natural beauty in the southwest.

The most significant geologic feature of Red Rock Canyon is the Keystone Thrust Fault. About 65 million years ago, it is believed that two of the earth's crustal plates collided with such force that part of one plate was shoved up and over younger sandstone. This thrust contact is clearly defined by the sharp contrast between the gray limestone and the red sandstone and extends 13 miles northward toward the La Madre Mountains.