Volunteers Clean Up Red Rock Canyon

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

FOX5 reporter Susannah Brogan covered the cleanup in a story titled "Volunteers help clean up, preserve Red Rock Canyon." The story's subhead describes longtime volunteers and local engineers teaming up to keep the canyon clean for visitors.

Here are the key facts from the report:

Who: About 25 volunteers from FEA Consulting Engineers, a local consulting firm
Where: Red Rock Canyon
What they did: Picked up trash and litter, and a photo caption in the report says they also maintained fences
Who they worked with: Longtime volunteers, including Boyd Erickson, who has been helping preserve the canyon for more than 30 years
How to join: Organizers point people to Friends of Red Rock Canyon at friendsredrock.org

Erickson's time at the canyon is the heart of the story. Three decades is a long time to keep showing up for the same place. He told FOX5, "Over the years we've had great things happen to us." He shared one memory from a past visit, when a group of Tibetan monks saw the volunteers at work and decided to join in. He handed them pickup tongs, and they started collecting trash right alongside the group. "It was just fun to be a part of that," he said.

That moment says a lot about what volunteering at Red Rock is like. It is simple work. You do not need special skills to pick up litter. But it brings people together, and it leaves a place you love a little better than you found it.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Red Rock Canyon is not a far-off getaway for people on the west side of the valley. It is close. The Bureau of Land Management says the conservation area sits 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip on Charleston Boulevard, also called State Route 159, about 30 minutes away by car. For many Summerlin residents, it is closer than that. It is part of the view out the back window.

It is also busy. The BLM says the area gets more than three million visitors a year. With that many people coming through, litter adds up fast. A wrapper dropped here and a water bottle left there turns into a real problem over a season. That is why regular cleanups matter, and why the work of groups like the FEA volunteers makes a difference you can see.

For families, Red Rock is one of the best free or low-cost things to do in Clark County. People hike, rock climb, bike the loop, take photos and show it off to visiting friends. Keeping it clean keeps it enjoyable for everyone, and it protects the plants and animals that live there.

For the business community, this story is a good example of a team day that gives back. Instead of a lunch or a happy hour, a local firm spent a day outside doing something useful. Friends of Red Rock Canyon says on its website that organizations can arrange team-building volunteer days, so other companies in the valley can do the same.

Background and History

Red Rock Canyon has been protected for a long time. The BLM says special legislation made it a National Conservation Area in 1990, and calls it "the first in Nevada." The agency also notes that the current visitor center, which is LEED gold certified, opened in 2009. It replaced the original 1982 visitor center, which now serves as an administrative building.

Friends of Red Rock Canyon is the nonprofit that organizes much of the volunteer work. According to its website, it was founded in 1984, and its mission is "to promote the preservation and enhancement of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area" through volunteering, philanthropy and education. Its site describes the conservation area as nearly 200,000 acres and says the group has more than 300 volunteers.

Those volunteers do a lot more than pick up trash. Friends of Red Rock Canyon lists trail maintenance, litter pickup, graffiti removal, staffing the information desk, cultural resource surveys, tortoise and habitat care, invasive plant removal, fence installation and painting among the work its volunteers do. The group says it supplies tools, materials and safety gear, such as gloves, trash pickers and vests.

It even helps care for some of the canyon's most famous residents. The group's website says nine desert tortoises are cared for at the visitor center. If you have ever stopped to watch them, you have seen volunteer work in action.

How Volunteering at Red Rock Works

If the FOX5 story made you want to help, the good news is that there are plenty of ways to do it. According to the Friends of Red Rock Canyon volunteer page, regular volunteers first attend a BLM orientation, which is held quarterly. You can register through the group's event calendar or its Contact Us page.

Not every opportunity needs that orientation. The group says one-time opportunities and some annual events, such as Earth Day, National Public Lands Day and Youth Day, do not require it. That makes those events a good first step if you just want to try it once.

Here are some of the regular volunteer jobs the group lists, and how often they happen:

Canyon clean-up: Twice a month, on Friday mornings, for about an hour and a half
Resource and trail maintenance: Twice a month, on Saturday mornings
Native plant and invasive species work: Once or twice a month
Site care team: Daily during visitor center hours
Visitor center information desk: Two shifts a day (extra training needed)
Ambassador program: Three mornings a week at trailheads (extra training needed)
Tortoise habitat: Daily to weekly, depending on the season (extra training needed)

A few more details from the group's page: volunteers under 18 must be with an adult, and some jobs need additional training, some of which may be offered with the orientation. The group also says volunteers can earn appreciation awards, name tags and free annual BLM passes based on service hours, and that service hours are available for people who need them.

What Happens Next

The FEA Consulting Engineers day is done, but the need is not. Organizers told FOX5 they are always looking for volunteers. With the canyon clean-up running twice a month on Friday mornings, there is a regular chance to help.

This is also the start of Red Rock's busy season. The BLM says a timed entry reservation is required for the Scenic Drive from Oct. 1 to May 31, for entry between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Reservations are made through Recreation.gov or by phone. The agency says the 13-mile Scenic Drive is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November through February, and from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in October. The visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

With cooler weather here, more locals and visitors will be heading out to the trails. More visitors usually means more litter, so the next few months are a great time to plan a volunteer morning, whether on your own, with your family or with your team at work.

Getting Ready for Your First Cleanup

If you have never done a desert cleanup before, it helps to go in prepared. Friends of Red Rock Canyon says it supplies the tools and safety gear, like gloves, trash pickers and vests, so you do not need to buy anything special. What you bring is mostly about staying comfortable outside.

Dress for the desert. Closed-toe shoes with good grip are a must on rocky ground. Layers help, since mornings can start cool and warm up fast.
Bring water and sun protection. Even in the cooler months, the desert sun is strong. A hat and sunscreen go a long way.
Check the time. The canyon clean-up runs on Friday mornings, and trail maintenance runs on Saturday mornings, so plan to head out early.
Plan for the gate. If your volunteer spot is along the Scenic Drive, ask the organizers how volunteer entry works during the timed entry season.

It is also worth knowing the seasonal hours. The BLM says the Scenic Drive is open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in March and October, and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April through September. On Thanksgiving and Christmas, it opens from 6 a.m. to noon, and the visitor center is open 8 a.m. to noon. If you are planning a family outing after your volunteer shift, those hours help you plan the rest of your day.

Most of all, go in with the right attitude. Boyd Erickson's story about the monks who joined in shows that this work is a little bit social and a lot of fun. You will meet neighbors, see parts of the canyon you might have missed, and go home knowing you helped.

Ryan's Take

When I work with buyers looking in Summerlin and the west valley, Red Rock comes up almost every time. People love the idea of living minutes from that view and those trails. It is one of the biggest reasons the west side feels the way it does. You get city life, good schools and shopping, and then a short drive puts you in open desert with red cliffs all around you. Not many cities can offer that.

But a view like that only stays special if people take care of it. That is why I love this story. About 25 people from a local firm gave up a workday to pick up trash, and a volunteer has been doing this for more than 30 years. That is what a strong community looks like. If you live near Red Rock, or you are thinking about moving close to it, I would encourage you to get out there and help at least once. You will never look at the canyon the same way again.

What You Can Do

Volunteer once: Check the Friends of Red Rock Canyon event calendar at friendsredrock.org for one-time events. Some annual events do not require the BLM orientation, so they are an easy way to start.

Volunteer regularly: Sign up for a quarterly BLM orientation through the group's calendar or Contact Us page. Once you are through, you can join the twice-monthly canyon clean-up, trail maintenance days or one of the other teams.

Bring your team: If you run a business or lead a group, Friends of Red Rock Canyon says organizations can arrange team-building volunteer days. The group notes that a minimum donation is required to cover planning, resources and materials, so contact them for details.

Pack it out every time: Even if you never join a cleanup, you can help on every visit. Carry a small bag, take your trash home, and pick up a piece of litter if you see one. If about 25 volunteers can make a difference in one day, millions of visitors doing a little each can make a huge one.

Plan your visit: If you are heading out to the Scenic Drive between Oct. 1 and May 31, book your timed entry reservation ahead of time through Recreation.gov so you are not turned away at the gate.

Quick Answers

Who cleaned up Red Rock Canyon? About 25 volunteers from FEA Consulting Engineers, a local consulting firm, working with longtime volunteers.

How do I volunteer at Red Rock Canyon? Start at friendsredrock.org. Regular volunteers attend a quarterly BLM orientation, and some one-time events do not require it.

Can kids volunteer? Yes, but Friends of Red Rock Canyon says volunteers under 18 must be with an adult.

Do I need a reservation to visit? The BLM requires a timed entry reservation for the Scenic Drive from Oct. 1 to May 31, for entry between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com