Southern California may be the epicenter of skateboard culture — and the home of famous pros like Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler — but skate parks in Las Vegas prove a worthy breeding ground for both budding and seasoned skaters. A wide selection of town- and city-run facilities, as well as an indoor option, mean plenty of places to practice your skills.

Skaters’ Choice

One of the largest, most comprehensive skate parks in Las Vegas is Hollywood Skatepark on the east side of the Valley, about 10 miles north of Sam Boyd Stadium (home of the local university team, the Rebels). An 18-foot, full pipe connected to two large bowls, an 11-foot-deep kidney pool, plenty of ledges, and big stairs with rails all add up to one satisfying park. Hollywood is one of the few parks in town designed for advanced riders. The park charges a nominal admission fee, has supervision on the premises, and is only open during supervised hours. Skateboard clubs, BMX clubs, and skateboarding classes are also offered here.

Back in the city of Henderson, at the south end of the Valley, Anthem Skatepark beckons skaters of all ages and levels of ability. The street-style course here provides all the expected ledges, rails, fun box, and other skater delights. From there, the terrain changes into a flow course, offering pockets of assorted sizes and depths, plus other challenges. The whole layout wraps around, letting out into an eight-foot-deep square bowl with a hip (two quarter-pipes forming an angle). The kidney pool here ranges in depth from five to eight feet.

Desert Breeze Park is another of the more popular skate parks in Las Vegas — and somewhat famous. Located near the Summerlin area, this park is designed for intermediate and advanced levels, and has played host to skater events such as Extreme Thing and the Tony Hawk Tour.

Many parks don’t have their own websites, but the Clark County Parks & Recreation site has details on these and other skate parks.

A New Option in Town

Unveiled in October 2013, the skate park in North Las Vegas’ Craig Ranch Regional Park is the largest in the Valley, offering 60,000 square feet of cement, bowls, ramps, and more. The city intends to offer classes and competitions in the future, with the hope of eventually drawing major skateboard and BMX events. As with virtually all the skate parks in Las Vegas, Craig Ranch has lights. With many days of the year baking in 100-degree temperatures or higher, skate parks often see heavier traffic after sundown.

Indoor Option: SkateCity, Here We Come

Skaters don’t need to worry about waiting for sundown when they choose SkateCity indoor skate park, which offers a safe, climate-controlled alternative to the traditional outdoor parks in Las Vegas. Speaking with SkateCity manager (and soon-to-be-owner) Joe Hendricks, it’s clear why this place draws a significant following: it offers contests, “lock-in” overnight skate events, video premiers, demos, autograph signings, plus summer and winter camp programs.

These perks and more are attractive to the largely 16-and-under set that frequents Skate City, while providing their parents the reassurance of a monitored, contained environment. That’s a good thing, as Hendricks attests, because the renegade sport of skateboarding is only increasing in popularity around Las Vegas.

Image Source: Flickr

[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]