Las Vegas Herping Help…

I was wondering if any of the members here that are from Las Vegas, NV could you please help me out with some good locations for a herping day they have had good luck at. Thank you…

I'm not from Vegas, but have been there quite a bit. Snakes are very hard to find in the daytime, especially in the summer. You're best bet would be roadcruising little-used roads at night.

If it's lizards you're looking for, Valley of Fire has Chuckwallas, Desert Iguanas and several smaller types.

Red Rock Canyon is also good for lizards (I found a tortoise there last year).

I have several years worth of herping Las Vegas photos on my website (simply click the "Herping USA" link at the bottom of the page).

Yeah, haven't been to Vegas for reptiles, but cruising at night is sure to bring up lots of stuff. The more remote and alone the better.

Red Rock is a great place for herping and just hiking. It's a state recreation area, so it costs a little to get in -- I think $5. Frenchman and Sunrise Mountains in east Las Vegas are also good if you turn over some rocks. There is also a pretty cool fossil bed there that allows you to collect.

I have lived in Las vegas for years and been to most of the places around here. But it is funny how when your not into something so much you just never see it. I have got the "BUG" now for herping and I want to retrace my footsteps to see all the stuff that was right under my nose all this time.

I so wish I had more pics of all the crazy and stupid things we played with when I was in Iraq. When people are shooting at you playing with different herps and stuff that can kill you or really really hurt you dosent seem that bad... lol... Lots of good times...

This site may be of help. With Western Fence lizards, just look for a generic place a lizard would live in; lots of hides with a basking place. I catch 'em all the time up in Portola CA. The Med. Geckos, just turn on a light and they'll come get the bugs, I've heard.

If you come across an area that looks interesting or promising, check it out! I found more fence lizards and the occasional snake (garter, I think) at my grandfather's property by relying on my gut feeling than anything else.

Yep you can find things out here.. Although it is a little late for roadcruising around the lake and warmer areas.. Too hot at night now.. You can drive for hours and never see a thing.. The Mt Charleston area might still be a productive area to check out.. I havent been up there enough this year to see whats going on up there.

Originally Posted by 702marine

I so wish I had more pics of all the crazy and stupid things we played with when I was in Iraq. When people are shooting at you playing with different herps and stuff that can kill you or really really hurt you dosent seem that bad... lol... Lots of good times...

I came close to stepping on a cobra in Afghanistan last year... It was fun..lol.. I fought the urge to go catch it...

I've been living here in Las Vegas for 30 yrs., and my house is on the edge of town. My son catches lizards every weekend in the desert behind us...they are easy to find among the rocks. Snakes are hard, however. I've seen one Mojave Green, one long skinny snake of some kind, and heard the buzz of one rattler. I also moved a huge angry gila monster off the road at Lake Mead once... he really tore up my blanket. "Endangered" desert tortoises are very common reptiles. At sundown on the Northwest end of the valley you can find tarantulas on the road, and of course we brush scorpions off our steps fairly often. Last month a juvenile hawk found his way into our open garage, but escaped unharmed. The coyotes come after midnight looking for water from sprinklers. Good luck!