Parks and Nature

Death Valley – Stovepipe Wells

Death Valley – Stovepipe Wells

DSC_0583
Salt Creek Interpretive Trail

In the center of the park near where the roads meet to go to the four corners of the park is the Stovepipe Wells Village area, which features the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Devil’s cornfield, and the Salt Creek boardwalk trail. It also has basic services including a very nice General Store with reasonably priced gifts along with somewhat pricey (yet very popular) soft serve ice cream. We kicked back for a while on the patio after heading out to the dunes nearby, which pleasantly reminded one of walking on fine beach sand. If it wasn’t for the creosote bushes that dotted the area, it would remind one of the Sahara. But like most of the park, the scenery changes dramatically. To the east the mountains pierce up in rocky crags with ribbons of color, while to the south lay the marsh-like area around Salt Creek, filled with pickleweed and playful pup fish.

Driver Report: Stovepipe’s central location makes for a good first destination coming from Beatty. Entrance fee here is $20 for a 7-day car permit. If you plan to come back more than once, a $40 year pass is the better value, or an America the Beautiful pass. Don’t forget to bring over-the-mirror pass holder that you should have gotten with the parks pass (and always lock your vehicle when your pass is in the holder so nobody is tempted.) The road to Salt Creek is gravel, but was well maintained with no special restrictions.

Wheels Report: Strollers and Wheelchairs: The boardwalk trail in the area is Salt Creek Interpretive trail, particularly popular in the spring when the pupfish are spawning. Benches are spaced rather far apart on the boardwalk out to the loop area, but there are several once you get there. Overall, the boardwalk is level and well maintained. The bathroom is primitive and out in the parking lot and not marked as accessible, although the ones at the dunes are.

 

Kids Report: Salt Creek boardwalk has interpretive signage and at 1/2 mile is short enough for younger explorers. The dunes are a good option as well, although not for strollers; you don’t have to step far onto the dunes to experience it fully. The general store at Stovepipe has drinks and snacks and a shaded patio with picnic tables if you need somewhere to take a break.

Tech Report: As in all areas of this park, don’t count on cell phone service. There are pay phones at Stovepipe Wells Village if required.

DSC_0485
Information Center near Kit Fox Hills

 

General tips: If you did forget to bring hats and sunglasses, they are available at the village general store (including kid-sized sunglasses.) They also have water and other supplies, and if you simply must get gas in the park, the gas station here was much cheaper than the one in Furnace Creek during our visit. If you’re planning on heading to Scotty’s Castle, it is still about 44 miles away and takes about an hour. (Panamint Springs, Beatty, and Furnace Creek are 30-35 miles away). Spring is the most popular time to see Salt Creek, but don’t let that stop you from doing it other times of the year and experience what nature is like on the edge of the flats.

About

About This Site

This site was launched to provide basic information for family road-trips, including facility and general information gathered first-hand.   We focus on destinations which are public (such as parks and museums) or operated by small businesses or foundations.  All photos on the site are by J. Russell and CLW Rogue, as is all written content.  For permissions and corrections, you may contact us at roadtriprevisited@gmail.com. Comments are welcomed on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Art and Culture, Museums and Historic Sites

Rhyolite, Nevada

If you’re ever in the vicinity of Beatty, Nevada, spare an hour of time to head to Rhyolite, a ghost town just five miles out of town and on the road to Death Valley. The ghost town not only has some interesting ruins of architectural interest, but it is also the home of the Goldwell open art museum, which hosts some interesting pieces of artwork, including three works from Charles Albert Szukalski. We went to the area twice during our initial visit to catch both the exhibit and the buildings in the ghost town itself in different light; its close proximity to town leaves few excuses not to check it out.

Driving report: Stay alert for rapidly changing speed limits around the Beatty area. In town, the speed limit is 25.

Wheels report:
Strollers and wheelchairs: The museum exhibits are located on gravel mixed with sand, but many of the exhibits can be seen from the road. The majority of buildings in the ghost town are next to the paved road, including the bank, school, train station, and bottlehouse.
Bikes: An easy bike ride from Beatty along highway (no bike lanes).

Tech report: This area is remote enough to still have problematic wifi. Expect slow connections in the local hotels if spending the night and don’t expect much at all outside of town.
DSC_0459
Kids report: This is a short side-trip adventure, just five minutes from Beatty. There are primitive facilities near the train station area, but fortunately it’s close to town and not large enough for them to have the opportunity to get bored (theoretically,anyway… results may vary).

General tips: Summer months can be extreme in this area, so going in the early morning is recommended in hotter conditions, as well as wearing hats and sunglasses. There are no entry fees and the area is always open, except for the gift shop.

Web report:Official resources: http://goldwellmuseum.org/ , http://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/historyculture/rhyolite-ghost-town.htm

Art and Culture

Las Vegas – First Friday

For over a decade now, the first Friday of the month in Las Vegas plays host to the First Friday festival in the downtown area down the middle of Casino Center and Colorado.   This free street festival displays local artists. musicians and performers, and each month the layout and participants are ever-changing.  You can always expect to see a mix of vendors who are there every month to those who only participate once or twice a year or in certain seasons.  First Friday is a great place to experience the arts culture around Las Vegas and have a chance to meet some of the artists and performers first hand.  There is also a dedicated area for the local food trucks, just in case you need a snack for your stroll through the event area.  But beware, once you go for the first time, you may find yourself checking the calendar from then on to find out when the next one will be!DSC_0059

Driver’s Report:

The event area is just north of the strip, between Las Vegas Blvd. and Main St,  With Charleston as a cross street, finding the festival is easy; finding parking is the challenge.  If you want free street parking, the earlier you get there the better (the event typically starts at five p.m. and street parking is restricted until after six p.m.)  The later it gets, the more likely you will need paid parking, but there are plenty of paid parking options.  Many businesses in the arts district stay open for First Friday and offer parking for around $5.  Symphony Park also has parking (for $3) and provides shuttle service.  Since we have a stroller, we typically look for street parking first then private business parking second so we don’t have to deal with the shuttle.

Wheels Report:

DSC_0055The festival is mainly located on the street, so access is generally not a problem, although sometimes the festival sometimes bleeds over into a gravel lot which can be a bit of pain to navigate through.  The majority of vendors are on pavement, and cable lines over the streets have metal covers on them.  Sidewalks are sometimes blocked by electrical chords, but since the majority of vendors are on the street this is usually not an issue.

Tech Report:

The festival is in the heart of Las Vegas, there shouldn’t be any problems here.

Kids Report:

The festival is very family friendly.  You will find there is a heavy police presence here and first aid stations, so it is generally very safe.  There is a large Kids Zone that hosts art projects and activities for kids, balloon artists, and other kid-friendly vendors.  Both my teenager and toddler love to go to First Friday.  Bathrooms are portable event bathrooms, but many businesses in the area stay open late on First Friday, so you may be able to find a different option if needed.

Food Report:

DSC_0047Although the food trucks and vendors that participate vary from month to month, there is an astounding range of options.  We’ve seen everything from wood-fire pizza to all vegan, gluten-free treats to funnel cakes, Thai barbeque to jerk chicken.  For those of us with food sensitives, there may be some months you can find a treat and sometimes you can’t, but even so, it’s fun to look through them and see what’s new.  If you forgot to bring water, look for the First Friday booths scattered around the event area.

General Tips:

Bad weather or calendar conflicts have been known to cancel or delay the event, so check the First Friday webpage or facebook page before leaving.  Arriving early is the best way to secure close parking, but if you’re sensitive to heat, wait until the sun goes down during summer months and bring water, especially if you’re bringing the kids.  There are plenty of performers who accept tips, so it’s nice to have cash on hand, but you will find that many of the vendors will accept cards as well.  Plan to invest one to two hours to walk the event grounds, or all evening if you plan to watch some of the live performances.  Festival typically closes at 11.

Web Report:

Official site: http://fflv.net/menu/

 

Parks and Nature

Red Rock Conservation Area – Scenic Loop

Ten minutes away from Red Rock Casino and the Summerlin Center on the west side of Las Vegas, Nevada lies the Red Rock National Conservation Area.  Its close proximity to town makes it a popular destination for locals, tourists, and bike enthusiasts alike.  Hiking trails abound throughout the area, along with scattered picnic grounds and plenty of rock climbing opportunities.

On the Scenic Loop, the first set of buildings you come to is the newly built visitor’s center and the restroom area.  Restrooms in the rest of the Conservation Area are primitive, so we highly suggest you take advantage of the new facilities.  There is a family bathroom, ADA bathrooms, and a water fountain with a built-in place to fill up water bottles… especially handy for bikers and hikers.   On the hill just above the bathroom area, the visitor’s center features a large viewing window where you can see the most colorful part of the canyon, as well as an interactive outdoor area that offers views of the tortoise habitat and educational exhibits.  There is also a nice gift shop with a wide variety of items to peruse.

Driver’s Report

2015-03-02 15.26.04Getting here is easy!  Get on Charleston Blvd. heading west and the street will eventually turn into highway 159.  Both Red Springs Park and the Red Rock Scenic Loop will be on the right when heading out of town.  The scenic drive itself speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour and one-way, but often you will find traffic goes much slower as drivers enjoy the view, move in and out of parking areas, or to make room for cyclists.  Beware also of hikers and animals crossing the road, as well as streams during the snow and rainy seasons.  There is plenty of overlook parking in nearly every location someone would want to stop and take photos, and some of the popular locations also have some outdoor seating such as stone chairs and benches.  Parking is harder to find on free National Park Days and weekends, especially in cooler months, so try to avoid peak days when it’s possible.   On the far side of the loop is the Willow Springs Picnic area, where traffic is two-way but narrow enough it can also be challenging on busy days, so pack your patience.  Last but not least, the “loop” actually ends at the highway; you will have to reenter the park if you missed something that you want to return to.

Food

Bring a picnic, or eat before you come.  There are some scattered grills at the Willow Springs area, but not at all picnic locations.  If you plan to grill, be aware of the daily fire restrictions.  If this happens, there are two other areas with grills, one on the highway (159) between the exit and the entrance to the loop, and another at Red Springs Park which is between the scenic loop and town, down Calico Basin Road.2015-03-02 15.33.53

Tech Report

Regular cell phone service is available in most areas of the park, but data is less reliable.  We have Sprint 3G and data is sporadic at best. (If you have had better luck, feel free to email us and we’ll add it to the report.)  There are plenty of free wifi options along Charleston Blvd. ten minutes away.  (Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, etc…)

Wheels Report

2015-02-16 11.23.09Bikes:  Bike lanes run along Charleston Blvd. from Hualapai all the way onto State Highway 159 to the Red Rock Area, and involves a climb of nearly a thousand feet with plenty of winding turns on the way down.  (There are plenty of bike guides with more specific details of the route online such as http://www.bikinglasvegas.com.)  There are no bike lanes on the loop itself, but being a one way loop cars can easily get around.  Biking entrance fee is $3.

Wheelchairs and strollers:  The Visitor’s Center is the main area that is stroller and wheelchair accessible as well as the main bathrooms below (although there doesn’t seem to be a ramp other than the one for parking.)  All of the main overlooks have small viewing areas with seating and marked clearly on the map as accessible.  There’s also a very small concrete-paved section in the Willow Springs Picnic area.  On the paved trail there are a couple of picnic tables (neither were near grills,) a primitive bathroom, and just down the hill a place to view a rock with faint petroglyphs and one of the agave pits.   The boardwalk hiking trail for this area is actually at Red Springs Park,  It is still a part of Red Rock Conservation Area (it’s the back side of the mountain range) but is accessed from Calico Basin Road instead of the loop.  Best of all, it is free!

Kids Report

The Visitors Center has a nice outdoor exhibit area with plenty of educational information and tortoise area.  The main bathrooms near the Visitor’s center are the only changing tables.  No play facilities.  There are several trails such as the Lost Creek and Children’s Discovery Trail (it’s actually the same trail head; the main difference is that the Children’s trail follows the creek bed to cut off some distance) that are good for children of independent walking age.  For younger children, the Red Springs boardwalk trail may be a more enjoyable experience if you plan on hiking.  But if you’re there to show them the views, you’re in the right place!  Park at the overlooks and enjoy!

General Tips and Comments:

2015-03-02 15.26.44Red Rock Conservation Area is a part of the Bureau of Land Management and is free if you have an America the Beautiful Pass (regular cars are 7$.)  It’s a desert out there!  In fact, Red Rock is at the eastern part of the Mohave.  In extreme environments, it is always safer to hike/climb/bike below your normal skill level until you’re familiar with the area.  If you’re not used to summer heat, take extra precautions or plan your trip in cooler months.  Be aware of weather conditions even in pleasant temperatures; many a hiker has been stranded in the area by an unexpected storm.  Also, the BLM will sometimes close the loop during periods of low visibility or ice for safety reasons.  Watch for wild burrows (and also watch where you step) while in the area.  Other common animals you may see are ground squirrels, tortoises, and a variety of birds.  The springs in this area also have a very sensitive ecosystem and play host to several indigenous species including the Spring Mountain Springsnail.  Please for their benefit and for posterity, stay on the boardwalks when they are provided and help protect their habitat.

Web Report:
Here are some other good online resources to help plan your trip.

Hiking: http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/_RR_Over/_RR_over.htm
Biking: http://www.bikinglasvegas.com/
General info and weather: http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/
Official:  http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock_nca.html

Commentary and General Tips

Start of the tour.

Leave a comment

Our first ventures out of the neon gate leads us to the Red Rock Conservation Area as well as Red Springs Park (also technically apart of Red Rock but a separate location).  So far we’ve been out three times, once in the snow, which provided some interesting photographic opportunities.  We will probably venture out one more time to check out one of the handicap accessible locations before putting together the full article.  Some of the things we plan to include is a Wheels Report (bike access, stroller access, wheelchair access), a Tech Report (if our devices work in the areas we visit), a Kids report, and general tips.