How lucky are we? We get to live in Las Vegas and have a nice, mild winter and then whenever the mood strikes us to have some cooler temps, all we have to do is take a short drive up to Mt Charleston!
I've been visiting Mt Charleston ever since I moved to Vegas. Being a Pittsburgh girl, I occasionally get the calling for some evergreen trees and cool air. Mount Charleston is easy to get to and the drive is unbelievable. It's amazing to watch how much more vegetation appears on landscape as you make your way up in elevation. Once you get to the top, you have a gorgeous pine forest to admire.
Spring Mountain National Rec Area (what I incorrectly consider "Mt Charleston") is nice for the drive alone. There are plenty of pull-outs for photos on the road between Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon. It's a nice spot to visit for the afternoon to have a picnic and get some fresh air. There is also plenty of hiking if you want to get outdoors but don't want to pass out from the 110 degree weather down in the valley.
If you ever decide you need to see some snow, Mt Charleston has that for you as well. I was up there hiking in May a couple years ago and there were still piles of snow 5 feet high in some places on the trail! For those of you that like you have your "White Christmas," then you should definitely consider getting a room at the resort or lodge in December. Oh, and did I mention there was skiing in Lee Canyon?
I love it here and don't visit nearly as often as I should. If you're a tourist and you are looking for something different to do while visiting Vegas, you might want to consider this. If you are from Las Vegas and never been, then get your butt in gear and get up to the mountain! Your body will thank you for the few hours it's not melting in the sun.