Las Vegas ATV Tours — Ride the Mojave Desert

Genuine, review-backed Las Vegas ATV tours start around $108 to $109 per person for a guided desert ride or a self-guided ATV/UTV rental, and rise to about $240 for premium guided UTV experiences with smaller groups. Most prices include helmets, goggles and a safety briefing; many also include water and round-trip transport from the Strip. Always check whether fuel and gratuity are extra.

Most short guided tours ride at Nellis Dunes Recreation Area, a roughly 10,000-acre BLM off-highway-vehicle area about 15 to 20 miles northeast of the Strip — a 20 to 30 minute drive. Longer tours marketed as Valley of Fire ATV tours actually ride on the BLM-managed Logandale Trails System near the Moapa Valley, about 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

No. Off-road ATV riding is not allowed inside Valley of Fire State Park, where vehicles must stay on paved roads, and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area prohibits off-road OHV use on its 13-mile scenic drive. Tours that mention these landmarks ride on adjacent BLM desert land nearby, not inside the protected parks themselves.

Age rules are set by each operator and their insurer, not by Nevada law. To drive an ATV on a guided tour you typically need to be at least 16 or 18 and hold a valid photo ID or driver's license. Younger children can usually ride as passengers in a side-by-side UTV, often from around age 5 or 6. Always confirm the minimum age with the specific operator before booking.

Yes — the best option for families is a side-by-side UTV tour, where children too young to drive their own quad can ride as passengers in a roll-caged, seat-belted cab. ATV tours generally require each rider to drive their own machine, so they suit older teens and adults. Check the operator's minimum passenger age when you book.

Nevada does not legally require a license to ride an ATV off-road on public OHV land, but operators usually ask for a valid photo ID or driver's license as their own policy. No prior off-road experience is needed for a guided tour — the ATVs are automatic, and your guide covers the controls, hand signals and trail rules in a briefing before you ride.

A guided Las Vegas ATV tour typically includes your ATV or UTV, a helmet, goggles, gloves, a safety briefing and an expert lead guide who sets the pace and route. Many tours add bottled water, a bandana and round-trip transport from your hotel or a Strip-area meeting point. Fuel surcharges and gratuities are sometimes extra — confirm at checkout.

Nellis Dunes, the most popular riding area, is about 15 to 20 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip — roughly a 20 to 30 minute drive. Many tours include hotel or Strip-area pickup, so you don't need a rental car. Tours that ride the Logandale Trails near Valley of Fire are farther out, about 60 miles northeast, and usually run as longer half-day or full-day trips.

The best riding window is roughly October through April, with mild spring days into May. In summer (June through August), Mojave Desert highs regularly exceed 100°F (38°C), so reputable operators switch to early-morning or sunset departures and may cancel midday rides. If you visit in summer, book the earliest available time and bring plenty of water.

An ATV (all-terrain vehicle, or quad) is a single-rider machine you straddle like a motorcycle, steered with handlebars. A UTV (utility task vehicle, or side-by-side — often a RZR-style razor) seats two to four people in a roll-caged cab with seatbelts and a steering wheel. UTVs are better for families, passengers and nervous first-timers; ATVs give a more hands-on solo ride.

Wear closed-toe shoes, long pants and a layer you don't mind getting dusty. Bring sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen, and a buff or bandana for the sand and sun. Pack more water than you think you'll need. Helmets and goggles are provided. Leave loose valuables behind, since desert trails are deliberately bumpy.

For most visitors, yes. A guided desert ATV tour gets you from the Strip to real Mojave Desert terrain in under half an hour, with all the gear and a guide handling safety and legal trail access. The top-rated guided tour holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating from more than 700 riders, and the premium UTV experience rates 4.9 out of 5. Read the rider reviews on this page to judge for yourself.

Several Las Vegas ATV tours offer hotel or Strip-area pickup and drop-off, which is convenient if you don't have a rental car. Availability varies by tour and by where you're staying, so check the pickup details on the booking widget before you reserve. Self-guided rentals usually require you to drive yourself to the staging area.

Desert tours run in most conditions, but operators may delay or cancel for extreme heat, high winds, or rare flash-flood risk in the washes. Because the tours we feature include free cancellation up to 24 hours before, you can rebook with no penalty if your plans or the forecast change. Confirm the operator's weather policy at booking.