Kodachrome Road

Kodachrome Road offers an easy, family-friendly scenic drive through the Rainbow Gardens Area of Critical Environmental Concern, making it ideal for beginners and those looking to admire striking desert geology just east of Las Vegas. Spanning approximately 9.2 miles with modest elevation changes, this dirt route takes visitors past the towering Frenchman Mountain and vibrant rock formations of red, purple, and green mudstone that inspired the trail's name. Because the route is rated as a beginner-friendly 2, any high-clearance SUV, standard pickup, four-wheel-drive vehicle, or SxSs can navigate the hard-packed dirt surface without difficulty. The trail serves as a through route but is frequently combined with the adjacent Lava Butte or Rainbow Gardens trails to form a scenic loop. Traveling through BLM-managed land, visitors should stay on designated routes to protect the fragile desert soils and unique gypsum-loving plant communities found throughout the wash. While accessible year-round, the route is best experienced from late fall to early spring when temperatures are mild, as summer heat routinely climbs past 100 degrees Fahrenheit. No fees or permits are required to access this area, but visitors should always watch for fast-moving water or mud in low-lying sections during rare desert rain events.