I think the Grand Canyon is a truly amazing place. But it does sound like a difficult way to do it. As for another, closer site, I am always surprised that more people don't mention Valley of Fire State Park, just NE of LV.
If you think of the park as an upside-down T, then most people just view the red rock cliffs and formations along the crossbar main east-west road. But if you take the road north to White Domes you can take short hikes to petroglyphs, a short slot canyon and rock formations used in movies and TV shows, and view a painted desert landscape.
If you want a majestic canyon, I second Zion NP, as a much smaller but still impressive area of natural beauty.
Hi,
An excellent piece of advice boa!!^
I love the Valley of Fire and if I'm in Vegas for a few days I take a day tour to it (Annie Bannanie ). The guide is excellent and tells you all about the history and geology of the area ( you drive past Lake Las Vegas then to Lake Mead where you have an early lunch before going to Rogers Springs then into the Valley of fire with breathtaking scenery.
I went there last December and as we left Las Vegas there was some snow on the ground and by the time we got to the Valley of Fire the tempreature had climbed to the high 60's ( extremely pleasant in the warm sunshine)
Regards
TBS