F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Week 2026: Where to Go When the Strip Shuts Down
Updated: 6 days ago
If you'd rather skip the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix, get out of town. The race runs November 19 to 21, and the easiest escape is a trailer weekend at Valley of Fire or Lake Mead, or a trail day in an overland Bronco on the Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway or Wheeler Pass.
Race week turns the Strip into a racetrack at night: closed lanes, track sessions and a lot of people. An hour out of town, it's quiet desert, cool November nights and a sky full of stars.
Here's where to go, which TOR rig fits each trip, and how to book it before race week.
At a glance
Race weekend: Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, November 19 to 21, 2026, with the race on Saturday night.
Trailer trips: Valley of Fire State Park or Lake Mead in Trailer 01, our 2026 Rockwood Geo Pro. Sleeps up to six.
Bronco trips: Bitter Springs, Wheeler Pass, or free BLM camping at Jean and Roach Dry Lakes in the TOR Bronco. Sleeps four.
Weather: valley lows near 42°F by late November, so pack warm layers.
Booking: Trailer 01 on Outdoorsy, RVshare or RVezy; the Bronco on Outdoorsy. Fees are shown on the listing.
Jump to: Race week · Pick a trip · Trailer 01 · Bronco trails · Free camping · Booking · FAQ
When Is the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix, and How Does It Affect Traffic?
Race weekend is Thursday, November 19 to Saturday, November 21, 2026, and the race itself runs Saturday night. The circuit uses Las Vegas Boulevard and the streets around it, so plan on closures and heavy traffic around the resort corridor all week.
Setup starts well before that. Track work has closed lanes around the Strip at night since September, and two southbound lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard near Bellagio stay closed through November 9, per FOX5's road closure report. For live updates during race week, text F1LV to 31996.
None of that reaches the desert. Every trip below starts by leaving the resort corridor, so head out before race traffic builds on Thursday.
So where do you go? It depends on whether you want a campground or a dirt road.
Where Can You Go to Escape Grand Prix Week?
Take Trailer 01 to Valley of Fire or Lake Mead for an easy campground weekend, or take the Bronco for a trail day and a free night on BLM land. Here's how the options compare:
Trip | Rig | Where you sleep | Best for |
Valley of Fire State Park | Trailer 01 | Campground; power and water at some sites | Red rock and a first trailer trip |
Lake Mead (Boulder Beach or Callville Bay) | Trailer 01 | Campground; no hookups, water and a dump station | An easy weekend near the water |
Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway | TOR Bronco | Day trip | 28 miles of red rock and sandy washes |
Wheeler Pass | TOR Bronco | Day trip | Pines, kilns and a 7,700-foot pass |
Jean and Roach Dry Lakes | TOR Bronco | Free BLM camping in the SUV tent | A free night under the stars |
Start with the trailer, because it's the easy one.
Can You Take a Travel Trailer to Valley of Fire or Lake Mead During Race Week?
Yes. Both are open in November, and Trailer 01, about 20 feet long, fits at every campground in both. The real difference is hookups.
Valley of Fire is our pick: red rock all around, power and water at some sites, and about an hour from the Strip. Reserve on ReserveNevada.com, and check the Valley of Fire page on Nevada State Parks before you go, because the West Entrance is closed Monday to Thursday through 2026.
Lake Mead is the easy weekend. Boulder Beach and Callville Bay are open all year with water and a dump station but no hookups, and generators are allowed outside quiet hours, 10 pm to 6 am. Outside the campgrounds, the Lake Mead Superintendent's Compendium lists where vehicle camping is allowed.
No hookups is fine in November. Trailer 01 has a 20,000 BTU propane furnace, so heat doesn't depend on power, and it comes with bedding, linens, cookware and a full hookup kit. The air conditioner is the only thing that needs shore power or the generator add-on, and you won't miss it this time of year.
Bring a real jacket, though. Average lows in the valley reach about 42°F by late November, per the National Weather Service's November climate data, and it's colder out on the open shore. The one time we camped on the Lake Mead shoreline in winter, town dropped to about 35°F overnight.
If you'd rather spend race week on dirt than at a campsite, take the Bronco.
Which Trails Can You Drive in the Bronco That Week?
Bitter Springs and Wheeler Pass. Both are a day trip from Las Vegas, both call for a high-clearance 4x4, and both are about as far from race traffic as you can get in a day.
The Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway is the desert run: 28 miles of red sandstone, petroglyphs and sandy washes from the Valley of Fire road toward Lake Mead. Take I-15 north to Exit 75, then keep straight onto the dirt where the pavement bends left. Air down for the soft washes (tire deflators come with the Bronco), and use its compressor to air back up before the highway.
Wheeler Pass is the mountain run. We drove it in the TOR Bronco on September 26 as an out-and-back from the Pahrump side: about 34 miles on our onX track, roughly 3,000 feet of climbing, and a high point near 7,700 feet, past the Charcoal Kilns from 1875. Snow and ice show up near the top as the season turns, so check the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest alerts before you go.
Cell service drops out on both trails, so download your maps before you leave town, or add Starlink WiFi to either rig. The Bronco carries a winch and full recovery gear, and we walk you through it at pickup.
Want to stay out overnight without a campground? The Bronco handles that too.
Where Can You Camp for Free With the Bronco?
On BLM land at Jean and Roach Dry Lakes, about 25 miles south of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. Dispersed camping there is free for up to 14 days in any 28-day period.
Take the Sloan exit off I-15, follow Las Vegas Blvd South about 10 miles, then Knight Ranch Road. Drive only on existing roads off the lakebed, and pack out everything you bring. The area closes to camping during permitted off-road races from December through March, so race week still falls in the open window.
The Bronco sleeps four: two inside on the custom-fit air mattress and two in the SUV tent that attaches to the rear hatch. It carries an 80-quart fridge, a Jackery power station with solar panels, tire deflators, a compressor and full recovery gear. Planning a campfire? Check current fire restrictions first; gas stoves are the safe bet.
Can't pick between a campsite and a dirt road? You don't have to.
How to Book a Trailer or Bronco for Grand Prix Week
Book early so your dates are open before race week. Both rigs pick up less than 15 minutes from Harry Reid International Airport. Flying in? We can pick you up at the airport. The trailer has a two-night minimum and needs three days' notice so it's cleaned and stocked. The Bronco usually has a two-night minimum, but we can make an exception if you only need it for one night.
Trailer 01 (2026 Rockwood Geo Pro 17LE): Outdoorsy | RVshare | RVezy
TOR Bronco (2026 Ford Bronco Outer Banks): Outdoorsy
Rig details: the Trailer 01 page and the TOR Bronco page
No truck to tow the trailer? Rent the Bronco to tow it at a discounted package rate when you message us, or have us deliver Trailer 01 to your campsite and set it up. Delivery fees are shown on the listing.
New to Outdoorsy? Use our Outdoorsy link (paid link) for $50 off your first trip of $200 or more (click Start Exploring on that page before you book). Booking on RVshare or RVezy instead? Ask us whether a referral code is available.
Want trip ideas near Las Vegas and first dibs when the calendar opens? Join our list on toradventures.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix?
November 19 to 21, 2026, with the race on Saturday night, November 21. The circuit runs on Las Vegas Boulevard and the streets around it, so expect heavy traffic near the Strip all week.
What is there to do near Las Vegas besides the Grand Prix?
Get out of town. Camp at Valley of Fire State Park or Lake Mead in a travel trailer, drive the Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway or Wheeler Pass in a 4x4, or spend a free night on BLM land at Jean and Roach Dry Lakes.
Can I camp at Valley of Fire in November?
Yes. The campgrounds are open, with power and water at some sites. The West Entrance is closed Monday to Thursday through 2026, so check the Nevada State Parks page before you go.
Do I need my own truck to rent Trailer 01?
No. Tow it with your own vehicle if it's rated to tow the trailer, rent the TOR Bronco to tow it at a discounted package rate when you message us, or have us deliver it to your campsite and set it up.
How cold does it get at night in late November?
In the Las Vegas valley, average lows reach about 42°F by late November, per the National Weather Service, and it runs colder out on the open desert. Trailer 01's propane furnace and the included bedding keep you warm.
Do you earn anything from the links in this post?
Only one. The Outdoorsy link marked "paid link" is a referral link: you get $50 off your first trip of $200 or more, and we get a travel credit. It doesn't cost you anything extra.
About the author: Freddie De Yong is the founder of Trailhead Outdoor Rentals (TOR Adventures) in Las Vegas. He preps every TOR rig himself and has GPS tracks from his own runs on the trails in this post.
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