Some cyclists or tourists may ask: “Can I bike the Las Vegas Strip?” The answer is yes*. That asterisk is a big one. Las Vegas Blvd is the main street of metro Las Vegas. It’s home to the major casinos and the economic center of Clark County. It’s development has been influenced by cars since the beginning, so bike safety has never been a priority. That said, there’s a potential time and place for biking the Las Vegas Strip.

Quick Nevada Rules of the Road Review

Cyclists fall under the Nevada Revised Statutes 484B760-790, which covers traffic laws in general and cycling specifically. Cyclists have a right to use the road and may also ride on the sidewalk.

We have a 3-foot law, that motor vehicles should switch to the left lane when possible, and if not possible, should give the cyclist 3 feet of space. Cyclists should ride in the right lane as far right as possible, no more than two abreast.

You also need both a front white light and a red rear reflector at a minimum. Cyclists must comply with all traffic signs, signals, and state law. So we should stop at stop signs, red lights, and before making a right turn on red or at a stop sign. Theoretically, cars should yield to cyclists. Realistically, don’t expect it.

The State of the Strip

Bollards, fences, and other physical barriers between the roads and the sidewalks minimize interactions between drivers and pedestrians. For cyclists, this means fewer options to avoid vehicles – you can’t just pop onto the sidewalk if someone’s driving like a lunatic.

The lanes are wide, and there’s no parking on the Strip, so no chance of getting doored, but there’s no safe shoulder for biking the Las Vegas Strip either.

There’s often construction on the Strip. Lane closures cause chaos and high tempers. Approach closed lanes with care, both due to angry drivers making sudden moves and to active large equipment.

Drivers on the Strip are not mentally prepared for cyclists. Between vehicular billboards, which are large trucks that drive as slow as possible to give their advertisers the best exposure, gawking tourists trying to take photos from the passenger window, sightseeing busses, and a street that is designed to distract drivers with massive signs with full video, outdoor spectacles like pirate ships and man-made lakes, and you really have a recipe for disaster as a cyclist.

Biking the Las Vegas Strip – Where?

With those dire conditions, what’s the good side? We can divide the Strip into thirds – north, south, and center. Center Strip is from Tropicana to Spring Mountain Rd, or NYNY Hotel to Fashion Show Mall. South Strip starts at NYNY and goes to Mandalay Bay; North Strip starts at Wynn and goes to The Sahara, or The Strat if you’re feeling generous. The most dense traffic is in the center Strip area. Traffic lightens a smidge north of Spring Mountain Road, but there’s still significant volume heading to Downtown. 

That leaves the south Strip. Start at Excalibur and cycle down to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, approximately 2 miles away. You’ll notice that the street gets narrower at Russel Rd, dropping to 3 lanes in each direction. With this nice warmup under your belt, stay on Las Vegas Blvd south as long as you like. For a short, 10-mile ride, head to the Silverton Hotel/Casino. For a 50-mile ride, make Jean, NV, your destination. Stay on Las Vegas Blvd, and do not attempt to get on the I-15 at any point. Cross the street at traffic lights, and use the sidewalks to cross as safety precautions. 

Timing, Weather, Emergencies, and Repairs

If you’re going to bike on the Strip, I highly recommend doing so early in the morning. Do not bike at night, not even with reflective clothing and bright lights. An early morning ride is the best way to do this. Stick to the south end of the Strip, and have your ride complete by 10 AM, noon at the latest. You’ll have minimal traffic and the coolest temperatures of the day. Temperature is, of course, a major factor from May through October. We start hitting 100+ degrees in May or June. In the summer, even our lows are high. We don’t start cooling off when the sun sets – because we’re in a valley, all that heat gets stuck and needs time to rise. We start cooling off late, so your coolest temps are right before dawn. 

The climate is very dry, no matter when you come. Bring lots of water (1.5x to 2x your regular amount) and a payment option (cash or card, pay by phone may or may not be available) to get hydration on the road. If you’re doing up to 20 miles, you’ll be in developed areas the whole time, so getting hydration and cell signal will be easy. Plenty of gas stations on LV Blvd but no bike repair shops. Once you go past the M Resort, development is very sparse to non-existent, and it happens quick.  There is a Bass Pro Shop at the Silverton that has spare tubes and tires, so check your water level and general state there. You should still have phone signal out to Jean, so you should be able to call a mobile bike repair service or an uber for assistance.

Alternatives

If I can’t ride the Strip, where should I ride? There are miles of trail in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, just not in the commercial core. Whether you’re looking for an easy paved trail, steep hills, or just beautiful scenery, Sin City has good bike trails for riders of all skill levels. 

Some popular road bike rides include:

• Red Rock Canyon
• River Mountains Loop Trail
• Wetlands Park Nature Preserve

Mountain bikers love:

• Cottonwood Valley
• Bootleg Canyon
• Bears Best