I moved to Las Vegas for rock climbing at Red Rock Canyon and Mount Charleston, and brought along my road bike. Growing up in Oregon, I spent hours riding multiuse bike trails with friends. Later, I rode those trails for fitness, stress relief and because it’s fun.
Moving to a dry, sunny climate, when I arrived in Summerlin, I imagined daily morning rides before work. But instead, I stopped riding on the road.
Having sold luxury real estate in Las Vegas for more than 15 years, our city’s fast-paced growth has been good for business. But the increased traffic is terrible for cyclists, runners and walkers.
Recently, two things have happened that beg our attention.
Gen Xers like me, who were early adopters of lifestyle sports like cycling and climbing, are in their prime earning years. Today, I find homebuyers of even seven-figure properties to have garages full of outdoor gear. Easy access to outdoor recreation is a selling point because people prioritize getting outside.
Yet the increased traffic at Red Rock Canyon, combined with the pandemic-born public obsession with the outdoors, mean we have a serious liability for people on the Scenic Byway.
The Red Rock Legacy Trail, a project spearheaded by Save Red Rock, solves this problem. It adds value to our city, especially Summerlin, by offering a safe place for kids and adults to get outside while cutting down on pollution. We owe it to the next generation to build the Red Rock Legacy Trail.