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You don’t have to be athletic to enjoy the majesty of nature

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Patrizia Beltran, instructor at Power Yoga and Body Heat Yoga.
Photo: Martina Zandonella / Courtesy

Did you know that you can go fishing at Sunset Park? Ride an electric boat at Lake Las Vegas? Or go bird watching at Clark County Wetlands Park? There's no need to be an expert naturalist to enjoy a little fresh air. Heck, even watching the Las Vegas Lights or 51s will get you outside. Try these easy opportunities to enjoy nature without pulling years of training:

OUTDOOR YOGA

If you’re feeling ambitious, try a little outdoor yoga. Sure, you could roll out your mat at any nearby park, but a variety of groups now make it easier to get your zen on outdoors, no experience required. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, Downtown Summerlin, the Neon Museum and Symphony Park at the Smith Center all offer outdoor yoga at various dates and times. Silent Savasana is a roving yoga program that leads silent yoga sessions through Bluetooth headphones at various casino pools. And for a unique experience, try the Mirage’s Yoga Among the Dolphins.

BICYCLE

You don’t have to hurtle down a rocky mountain at breakneck speed to enjoy bicycling. If pedaling is too much, rent an electric bicycle from Sin City Fat Bike Tours. Or head to Boulder City’s All Mountain Cyclery to rent a bike to ride on the paved Historic Railroad Trail. Or, starting in January, take a trip on a Railroad Pedal Bike via Rail Explorers USA. Springs Preserve offers bicycle rentals and has a variety of trails through desert wetlands, historic areas and tortoise habitats. On weekends, visitors can take a botanical garden guided walk. If you’d rather not walk, there’s even a train ride. It doesn’t get easier than that!

SKATING

Even if you go for the hot chocolate, you’re still getting outside and enjoying thoughts of winter as you watch other people ice skate ... and maybe, just maybe, you get onto the rink yourself. With scheduled “snow showers” every 30 minutes, the Ice Rink on the roof of the Cosmopolitan (open through January 6) offers the most outdoor urban experience you could hope for. Downtown Summerlin’s Rock Rink provides winter cheer through January 21. Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort both feature Winter’s Village ice rinks for the holidays.

Or, if you’d like to avoid ice, check out one of Vegas’ many skate parks. Here are a few standout locations: Winchester Cultural Center, Desert Breeze Park, Craig Ranch Regional Park, Hidden Falls Park and Silverado Ranch Park.

URBAN STROLLS

A maze of walking trails is hidden among the suburban grid of roads and stoplights. Clark County has 65 miles of multi-use trails, 35 miles of equestrian trails and 15 trailheads.

The paved Pittman Wash Trail runs through Green Valley, and is accessible via several parks and entrance points along the way. The sprawling Sunset Park is a true oasis in the middle of the city, offering a variety of paved nature trails. The 32-acre Charlie Frias Park, at Tropicana and Decatur, offers a few short walking paths through natural bluffs with great views of both the mountains and the Strip; or watch sports teams practice as you take the paved two-thirds mile walking path around a multi-use grassy area. For more information: alltrails.com, traillink.com—even Yelp has trail info. Or download Clark County’s Neon to Nature phone app.

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