North Shore Road
Easy Day Trip
This is one of my favorite local rides. It has just about every kind of riding you could want from super slab to mountain twisties, with some farm country tossed in just for good measure. Add a great small town eatery and you have everything a biker could want.
Start your ride at the Iron Skillet by the Las Vegas Speedway north of town. Here you can get a cup of coffee and gas if you’re waiting to gather a group. You do need to gas up before you leave. (I’d recommend gassing up in town before you head out. Prices are going to be high once you leave town.)
Head north on I-15 for about 40 miles. As you pass the small town of Glendale get in the right lane. You will be exiting as you go up a long hill. The exit is for State Highway 167 and is heading for Logandale and Overton. You have now entered a small rural farming valley. Traffic can be slow but this is a nice break from the desert.
Overton is the second town along 167. If you have a thirsty bike I recommend the Maverick as you enter town. This is the best price for gas you’ll find along the way. I also recommend Sugar’s for a meal break. This is a great small town bar and restaurant. I do mean small, but they anticipate bikers on the weekends and have a room in the back for larger groups. The food is great also. Finally, if you have the time, visit the museum on the way out of town. This valley used to be home to an extensive Anasazi settlement.
As you leave Overton you reenter the desert and begin a winding road. The road can be rough for stretches at this end of the ride. There are also numerous opportunities to stop and take picture. The ride takes you from the ledges along Lake Mead into some desert mountains. You can turn off for the Valley of Fire if you want or ride down to one of the marinas if you didn’t eat or gas up in Overton and find yourselves in need along the way.
Entering the National Recreation Area from Overton has the benifit of not having to pay the entrance fee. If you opt to ride this route from Las Vegas north, you will have to pay to enter the recreation area, unless you have a National Park Pass.
As you get closer to town you will be offered some options. The first gives you the choice to head into town through North Las Vegas. If you take this route you’ll get one of the best views of the Vegas valley as you head into town. Just follow Lake Mead Drive straight through and it will meet I-15 north of the downtown area.
If you continue along the lake you will have the opportunity to actually see the lake as well as cross the Las Vegas Wash, which is the main tributary from the Vegas Valley. You can also see Lake Las Vegas on your right. This is an upscale subdivision with some resorts. You can then exit into Henderson. Follow the road and you will meet US95 and the 215 bypass.
This can be a long day if you stop for all the photo opportunities.
