When I'm hankering to take a short drive and commune with nature, I head for Calico Basin Red Spring - about 10 minutes from our place on the Northwest side of town. Calico is my favorite little oasis at the rim of the Las Vegas Valley, with temps about 10 degrees cooler than down in the basin. I don't hike much, but I am a photographer and I've taken some stunning photos here. The boardwalk that keeps visitors suspended above the meadow makes an easy loop which passes by examples ancient rock art - the anthropologist in me loves this kind of place!
I haven't used the facilities, but there are benches and BBQ's available for those who prefer to picnic. As many have mentioned, it's outside of the Red Rock Conservation fee area so it's free to access and that's a total win.