One Of Nevada's Most Spectacular Trails Glistens With Lake Mead Views, Desert Beauty, And Historic Charm

Each year, more than 40 million people make their way to Nevada's iconic resort city of Las Vegas. Despite its infamous status as America's "Sin City," Las Vegas actually has a tremendous range of amazing attractions and activities for visitors of all ages. Far from being just casinos and live entertainment, Las Vegas is also home to museums, sporting events, and even fun stuff for the kids. But for all its modern sights and sounds, this destination is also a gateway to some of Nevada's best outdoor recreation destinations. 

Just a few miles from the Las Vegas Strip sits the wonderful Lake Mead National Recreation Area, America's first such recreation area of its kind. While Lake Mead is well-known for its popular body of water and the famous Hoover Dam, it's also home to one of the country's most unique trails: The Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail. This one-of-a-kind route combines the region's sheer natural beauty with its impressive modern history. As its name suggests, it runs through an actual historic railroad tunnel, dating back to the construction of the Hoover Dam nearly a century ago. 

Getting to walk through a living piece of American history would make the trail a prime stop for an epic road trip between Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. But far from offering a mere historical field trip, the Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail is also one of the best ways to explore the grandeur of Lake Mead and the surrounding spectacle of Nevada's desert via foot or on a bike.

The Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail is the best-preserved remnant of one of America's best engineering accomplishments. During the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s, workers needed to move large amounts of materials from nearby Boulder City into the less-than-cooperative terrain near the dam site. The solution was to dig huge tunnels through the rock, through which trains would transport the supplies and building materials that went into the dam's construction. 

Though these railroad tunnels were something of an engineering marvel themselves, the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1935 rendered them obsolete. Most of the tunnels were either destroyed or flooded underneath newly formed Lake Mead. However, some tunnels remained intact and above the surface, falling into disuse even as Lake Mead became a popular tourist attraction. In 1992, the park's last remaining railroad tunnel route was reestablished as a public multi-use trail for park visitors. 

Part of the trail's appeal is its sheer spectacle. Due to the size of the trains and materials that were once transported through it, the trail's main tunnels measure a whopping 25-feet in diameter. Walking through the tunnels today, you'll get the thrilling experience of descending into a huge corridor carved into the area's striking red rock. As a multi-use trail, the Historic Railroad Tunnel is among the world's most breathtaking bicycle routes that any avid biker should visit. The trail also has several educational displays with interesting information on the history of the trail and its tunnels. Other points along the trail offer great shots of some of the park's best natural rock formations. You might even get lucky and see some of the native wildlife.

The Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail is around 8.2-miles long and can generally be completed within 3-4 hours. Visitors will pass through five different historic tunnels, and one of the benefits of the trail's origins as a railway line is that the route is predominantly flat and well-paved, making it largely accessible for most visitors. The trail also has two van-accessible parking areas for visitors using wheelchairs, mobility equipment, or strollers. 

While the jaunt through the trail's railroad tunnels is certainly impressive, the route's climax is undoubtedly its magnificent panoramic views of Lake Mead and the surrounding red sandstone formations of the Mojave Desert. The trail ends at Hoover Dam itself, so you can cap your experience with a guided tour of the dam and power plant. Alternatively, you can try out many of the park's other amazing hiking and biking trails.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area is only about a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas, making the trail a perfect destination for a Vegas day trip. During your visit, you can stop at the underrated historic and artsy desert gem of Boulder City right next door. Not only does Boulder City have plenty of amazing restaurants, cafes, and bars, but it also features charming boutique hotels, historic inns, and other cozy overnight lodging options. Lake Mead also has more than 900 camping and RV sites spread out over 15 different campgrounds. Whether you're camping out or driving in from a Vegas resort, the Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail is a spectacular blend of natural beauty and American history that deserves a prime spot on your bucket list.