Category Archives: Parks and Nature

Red Cliffs Desert Preserve

June 2, 2015 CLWRogue

Situated above and apart of the lovely city of St. George, Utah, the Red Cliffs Desert Preserve (a combination of national, state, and local park systems) is a large expanse of public land set aside to protect the desert tortoise, as well as a myriad of natural features such as dunes, reefs, slot canyons, lava flows, archaeological sites and even dinosaur traces. If you’re already on the road heading to Zion or just passing through on the way to Vegas, this makes for a great one-day stop over. St. George is the largest city in the area with plenty of unique area parks, lots of biking and horseback riding opportunities, plenty of amenities, and one of the few places with decent wifi hotspots on this drive. If you’re coming from Las Vegas, the 1 hr 45 minute drive makes for an easy day trip with lots of interesting landscape along the way, including the Virgin River Gorge, just outside of town in Arizona.

Driver’s Report: Snow Canyon State Park and most of the trails on the west side of the conservation area can be accessed from town, which follows a typical Utah pattern of being on a grid-numeric system with named roads around temple (visible from a distance, so it’s hard to get lost in the main city.) Snow Canyon State Park is on the Snow Canyon Parkway, accessed from Red Hills Parkway in town.

The visitors center for the desert preserve is located in town between city center and somewhat near Pioneer Park (it was closed for the holiday when we went.) Most of the trails around town are easy to find and well marked.

The east side of the preserve is a bit trickier to get to; specifically, the Red Cliffs Recreation Area. From the 15 take the Leeds exit (22 or 23 depending on your direction.) It’ll lead you to a small town that may make you wonder if you’re going the right way. If arriving from exit 23, turn left on Silver Reef then right on Main Street, which turns into Old Highway 91, a two-lane road. If arriving from exit 22, turn right onto Old Highway 91. Eventually you will see signage for the recreation area, which will be on your right beyond two one-lane tunnels that leads under the highway. The local KOA campgrounds (Hurricane KOA) will be on your left. NOTE: the tunnels have a height restriction of 11 ft. 9 in, you may not be able to get through with larger camping vehicles.

Once through the tunnels, White Reef Trailhead will be on your right, and the road to the main Recreation Area will be on your left. The Recreation Area is a campgrounds and day-use picnic area nestled by Quail Creek with trails that lead out from the campsites, some leading to dinosaur tracks and an old archaeological dig site studying the Anazasi who once resided in the area.

Wheels Report: Strollers and Wheelchairs: the accessible trail in this area is the Whiptail Trail in Snow Canyon State Park in the east corner of the preserve (6$ vehicle entry fee). It’s a paved multi-use trail with some gently sloping hills in spots, but otherwise is relatively flat. The best thing about this trail is that it runs in the center of the park and next to many of the best features in the park, including the sand dunes, Pioneer Names section, and the petrified dunes area.

The Red Cliffs Recreation area trails aren’t accessible, but there are two accessible campgrounds and ADA parking near the Orson Adams house. Vault bathrooms are accessible.

Bikes: This bike-friendly area offer a lot of options to choose from, from easy family-friendly trails like Whiptail Trail to mountain bike trails such as Prospector Trail (near the recreation area.) In Snow Canyon, all of the Paradise Canyon trails are permitted for bikes as well as the West Canyon Road, which is an old maintenance road which is a level gravel trail that follows the canyon all the way up to its head.

Tech Report: Wifi almost nonexistent in the parks, phone service is sporadic. In town there are plenty of options; some of the parks have free wifi and there are a lot of businesses (including Starbucks, etc.) which host wifi. We did experience a lot more abrupt service drops while in St. George than is typical in other cities. Take care if using phone GPS, ours tried to take us into the middle of nowhere when we were trying to get to the recreation area and managed on the instructions given on the official website instead.

Kids Report: St. George has plenty of unique parks, the most famous being Pioneer Park, which provides a lot of interesting scrambling opportunities (although you may have to keep a watchful eye on them; we saw more than one child up there getting a little too brave on some of the overhangs.) There are also plenty of traditional parks as well; we grabbed some sandwiches and had lunch in Vernon Worthen Park, which besides free wifi had both toddler and regular play areas with shaded grass areas nearby, making for a good interlude from adventuring. St. George also has a few small museums, including a children’s museum and the Dinosaur Discovery Site and Johnson farm.

In the natural areas, Snow Canyon was close enough we simply used facilities in town for this venture. The Outlets of Zion (exit 8) also proved to be a good stopping off spot when going out towards the recreation area. The recreation area, although not stroller friendly, has a nice shaded picnic area with running water and plenty of opportunities to see wildlife around the creek next to the sites.

General Tips: Some of the trails in this system are seasonal, such as Jenny’s Canyon (children’s trail in Snow Canyon) only open for the summer when there’s no snow runoff, and Johnson Canyon (closed in summer.) Also, some of the trails can get particularly muddy in wet conditions, such as the White Reef biking-horseback riding trail, so you may want to check conditions if you are planning on using a particular trail. Parking is limited in the recreation area, so pack your patience (as well as water) on busy weekends.

Web Report: Official sites: Red Cliffs NRA http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/recreation/day_use_areas/red_cliffs_recreation.html Snow Canyon: http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/snow-canyon/ St. George services: https://www.sgcity.org/departments/leisureservices/

Parks and Nature

Death Valley – Stovepipe Wells

April 13, 2015 CLWRogue

Death Valley – Stovepipe Wells

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.

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.

Museums and Historic Sites, Parks and Nature

Death Valley – Furnace Creek

April 4, 2015 CLWRogue

Death Valley: Furnace Creek

To say that Death Valley National Park is large would be an understatement: at 3000 square miles, it is the largest National Park outside of Alaska. But if you only had one day to explore this park of stunning contrasts, the Furnace Creek area would be the obvious first choice. A little over two hours out of Las Vegas and about an hour out of Pahrump and Beatty, the Furnace Creek region of the park is home to the Badwater Basin, the lowest point below

sea level in North America. But once that’s crossed off the bucket list, one soon finds there is much more to this area than just salt flats and blistering heat. Taking the scenic route back from the basin to the visitor’s center (the road through Artist’s Palette) will take you through mountains splashed with pastel colors of blue, pink and gold. Next to the Visitor’s Center is the Harmony Borax Works, where the famous ‘twenty-mule team’ carried borax out from the valley. There is also a Borax museum on the other side of the Visitors Center inside the Furnace Creek Ranch area, a charming village-hotel with a gift/general store, good food, and a post office. So, if you only have one day for a trip out, this is the place. Throw out all the preconceptions your mind or Hollywood has provided in advance; you’ll find the trip is worth taking.

Driver’s Report: Expect to spend a lot of time driving. Major sites of interest are often half an hour to an hour between each other with two-lane highways in between, or in the case of Artist’s Palette, one lane one way. Dirt roads in the park often have special restrictions such as high clearance, four-wheel drive only, etc. but seemed to be clearly marked. Expect speeds to vary widely, generally from 35 on curves and populated areas and 70 on some of the straightaways. Last but not least, fill up before entering the park. Gas prices when we were there were a dollar more than average at Stove Pipe, and a dollar-fifty more than average at Furnace Creek.

Tech Report: There’s a reason there are still pay phones in lodging areas in the park. You may be able to get phone service near the Visitor’s Center and populated areas, but for the most part there is no service here. There is some wifi in the hotels but all reports say it’s very weak. Don’t expect much, and see it as a destination good for unplugging. It’s Death Valley after all!

Wheels Report:
Strollers and Wheelchairs: Badwater Basin has accessible parking, primitive but accessible restroom, and it has a nice ramp and boardwalk that’s easily traversed, ending at the salt basin which is hard-packed and offered little resistance. The Harmony Borax Works is paved and has parking, but be aware the trail is on a slope. The visitors center is fully accessible, with automatic doors, accessible auditorium and museum, patio area, wheelchair rentals, and the best bet for restrooms.

Bikes: Furnace Creek Ranch offers mountain bike rentals for $15 an hour, located next to the general store.

Food Report: We brought most of our food with us in a cooler, but we did have a chance to eat at the Forty Niner Cafe in Furnace Creek Ranch. It was a bit pricey even for lunch, but there was a kid’s menu and the food was good quality and large portions. (There’s no good place to stash a stroller, though.) The General Store next to the Cafe also carries plenty of snacks, water, and other supplies as well as gifts.

Kids Report: If you need somewhere to take the kids for an hour to get away from the midday heat, try the Furnace Creek Visitor’s Center. There is a small museum inside with interactive exhibits ideal for kids, and also a film about the park plays every half an hour. For stroller-age kids, I also recommend bringing along a mist bottle with a fan attachment; you can find them for ten dollars or less in drug stores. It definitely made our toddler’s trip a lot more tolerable.

General tips: If you’re planning to stay more than a day, remember that lodging inside the park, while convenient, can be expensive compared to options in nearby towns. Research your options carefully. On the other hand, campground options inside the park are plentiful, especially during the cooler months (four of them close in the summer.) Don’t forget sunglasses and hats; the glare can be fierce, especially around the salt flats. The visitor’s guide for the park (you can get it at the visitors center) is quite detailed, and worth reading through. And last but not least, always pack more water than you need in case of emergencies.

Web Report: Official:http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm
A handy Death Valley guide to accessibility: http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/accessibility.
Furnace creek ranch official: http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/lodging/the-ranch-at-furnace-creek/
Camping: http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/camping.htm

Parks and Nature

Red Rock Conservation Area – Scenic Loop

March 12, 2015 CLWRogue

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

Getting 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.

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

Bikes: 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:

Red 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

Parks and Nature

Red Rock Conservation Area – Red Springs Park

March 7, 2015 CLWRogue

Although we had gone to the Red Rock scenic loop many times, we had not been aware of this little gem until less than a month before this posting. We were frustrated to find there were no trails where we could take a younger child in a stroller, and that was when we did a bit of digging and found out we had often passed the road that held the answer to what we were looking for. Situated on the opposite side of the mountain as the scenic loop, Red Springs is a small and delightful boardwalk trail with good views of the mountains, the Red Spring, and a small meadow area. It also has a shaded picnic area with grills and benches along the boardwalk and makes for a nice day trip if you only have an hour or two in an afternoon. Not only is this area ideal for picnicking or strolling, the area also serves as a trail head for several other Red Rock trails, such as the Calico Hills loop.

Driver’s Report:

From Highway 159 (Charleston Boulevard in town) look for a sign for Calico Springs Rd. on the right before you get to the regular Red Rock Conservation Area. After passing a few ranches, Red Springs is easy to find since it is at the end of the road and straight in front of you just before it winds up into a subdivision. There is ample parking for the size of the area.

Wheels report:

The Red Springs boardwalk trail is perfect for wheelchairs and strollers. There is a somewhat steep ramp to get up to the main trail half-mile loop, but after that it is level. There is also ample accessible parking. There is no bike rack, which is quite surprising being a trailhead and a popular bike area.

Kids report:

No play facilities. The boardwalk is perfect for children of any age and has interpretive signage along the route as well as benches. It’s also reasonably short, so it’s great for first time explorers! Bathrooms are primitive. Closest changing tables are at the bathroom facilities on the scenic loop near the Visitor’s Center or at the businesses off of Charleston.

General Tips: Red Spring is a sensitive biological area, so it is very important to stay on the boardwalk or on marked trails while in the area. As always when picnicking in this region, be aware of local fire restrictions before venturing out. This is a great place for a relaxing stroll and a place to enjoy the mountains without the frustration of finding a parking spot, although because of its easy access, some of the petroglyphs in the area have been irreversibly vandalized, which is regrettable. Park Hours are from dawn to sunset.

Tech Report:

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

Hiking: http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Trailheads/Red_Spring/_RedSpring.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/recreation/picnicing.html

Road Trip Revisited

Category Archives: Parks and Nature

Red Cliffs Desert Preserve

Death Valley – Stovepipe Wells

Death Valley – Furnace Creek

Red Rock Conservation Area – Scenic Loop

Red Rock Conservation Area – Red Springs Park

Adventure Away From The Interstate