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TRAVELOGUE # 6 - NV - Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, Valley of Fire and Lake Mead

Monday November 28, 2016 - Tuesday December 2, 2016

Published Jan. 16, 2017

I left Tecopa Hot Springs and drove toward Las Vegas, planning to drive through Red Rock Canyon on the way. It was really spectacular! We took a few short walks and drove the whole scenic drive. The campground near RRC was pretty full, so I ended up driving through Las Vegas to the east side where there was a discount RV park. I spent two nights at the park and spent all day Tuesday driving around LV doing errands. I also took a drive along the "Strip". I was going to stop and have a bite to eat, but couldn't find any easy RV parking, so I kept on going back toward where I was staying and chose a casino with big parking lots outside of the main downtown concentration.

I left Las Vegas on Wednesday and headed north along the length of the Lake Mead Recreation Area to reach the Valley of Fire. The rock formations and colors were evident all along the way, and just kept getting more amazing. I arrived at Valley of Fire in the late afternoon, so I proceeded through the park to the campgrounds on the other side and found a good spot. We walked all around the campground and watched the sun set. The next day Sunna and I explored as much of VofF as we could. We drove up Valley of Fire Canyon Rd. to the White Domes, stopping at another side canyon along the way. Saw so many colorful rock formations, petroglyphs, petrified tree, and more! We drove back to the south along Lake Mead to the south end visitor center. Then I backtracked to an RV park we had just passed. We got to the RV park as the sun was setting and it was getting cold. I got back into the cab to straighten out the tires, got out and left the key in ignition and locked the door with Sunna inside! DANG! I looked for the hidden key under the RV and couldn't find it. Park staff came by and tried to help, but I ended up calling AAA. While I was waiting, I used my phone in flashlight mode and took one more look under the RV and I found the spare keys! The magnetic box was covered in gritty dirt--I don't think I've accessed it for 5 or 6 years!

I ended up spending two nights at the park because there were 50mph winds forecast the next day - not good driving conditions!

Next up: Visit Hoover Dam and cross into Arizona!

Several views approaching Red Rock Canyon - starting to see the colors in the rocks!

 

Above: this is the signature rock formation in Red Rock Canyon. Below, some close-ups of sections of the rock ridge.

These show the different colored rock layers

Above: look at the rock climbers WAY up there. Below, zoomed in.

Above: look at all the different colors! This side road led to a place where at one time they mined the local sandstone.

Above: looking at the rock formation from the other side of the valley. Below, the very different rocks on the west side of the valley.

Above: entering Las Vegas on the Strip. Below: MGM Grand.

Above: Luxor Pyramid and Sphinx.

OK, enough of Las Vegas. Back on the road heading north through the Lake Mead Recreation Area toward Valley of Fire.

The amazing thing to me was the variety of colors in the rock formations - always changing!

See how the red rocks are just peeking up (above) and more visible (below)

Then yellow replaces red...

These are all just teasers until we get to Valley of Fire State Park.

Suddenly, I am surrounded by these red rocks!

It helped that the sun was low in the west shining on these rock faces.

Crazy rock formation - and weird cactus fruit

Below - they were photographing a bride and groom (but there was no wedding party). Just a photo shoot.

Walking around the campground with the sun setting. Above, see the hiker on the top of the rock in the middle?
Below, look closely at how a HUGE rock with square edges broke off and fell.

Sun setting ...

Arch Rock. Below, morning sun on my campsite.

Sunna couldn't go with me on this one - all those stairs!

Above: the Atlatl.

Below: Beehive rock formations.

Below: petrified log

Fascinating array of colors no matter which way I looked!

 

Rainbow Vista Video - wrap around view

This is White Domes, at the end of the Valley of Fire Canyon Rd.

Above: look at that weird rock formation! It looks like melted chocolate!

Above: you can see the contrast of the white domes and the red rocks all around.

Above and below: both taken from the parking lot - so different!

Big horn sheep grazing by the road.

More colors...

I didn't do the hike to Fire Wave, now I'm sorry I didn't take the time!

More contrasting colors...

Below: entering a canyon on a walk to Mouse's Tank.

There were petroglyphs on many of the rock faces...

‘The Mouse’s Tank’ because an alleged Southern Paiute Indian renegade named ‘Little Mouse’ hid out there in the 1890’s. Mouse’s Tank is a natural basin in the rock where water collects after each rainfall. Amazing, this has been a reliable source of water for hundreds of years (maybe more!)

Here's the RV park looking over Lake Mead

We had a great view from this high spot.

Gambel's Quail - they are very hard to photograph because they are always on the move! They are a lot like California Quail.

 

Next installment - Hoover Dam and interesting sites in Northern Arizona