Theresa · Mather

The weather has been nice so we took a couple of days off and drove to beyond Las Vegas to Red Rock Canyon. With the frequent rains this winter, conditions are right for wildflowers in the Mojave. We saw lots of wildflowers on the way there, and the desert was quite green compared to how it normally looks. It is almost always in the triple digits in summer, so spring is the best time to visit unless you're masochistic. The animals were out and about too- we even saw a desert bighorn sheep strolling by the side of the I-15 in the Virgin River Gorge.
The Joshua trees were all flowering, which they only do after experiencing a winter freeze and sufficient rains. There are pretty dense stands of them in the Red Rock Canyon area.




Joshua tree flowers are slightly sticky and have a faint herbal smell. The trees look like they'd be soft but the leaves are spiky and hard. I like them- I think they look like something from an alien planet. Souvenirs for sale in Las Vegas often show saguaro cacti, which don't grow in the area because it gets too cold in winter. The Joshua tree is Las Vegas' equivalent of the saguaro. Supposedly they were anciently dispersed by giant ground sloths that ate the fruit and pooped out the seeds. Since the extinction of the sloths, dispersal has apparently become more of a problem for Joshua trees.


There were quite a few wild flowers scattered about. I have to admit I'm still kicking myself for not finding the time to get to Death Valley a couple of years ago to see the first time in 50 years wildflower extravaganza in 2005 after the heavy rains.


Red Rock Canyon was filled with people, but there are so many trails and so many areas of rocks to climb around on that it didn't seem crowded at all. Considering that it's just outside Las Vegas, that's fortunate. This is the Calico Hills area, showing trails leading toward the drop off. A tiny person on the trail in the far left of the image gives scale. Natural caches of rainwater water called tanks support wildlife.


When you drop into the lower area closer to the Calico Hills, areas of wild erosion can be found all around. This alcove looks like it contains a hive of some sort, or ancient alien ruins.


More strange erosion patterns not far from where the last picture was taken.


Across the park is a surprising sight- a small area of tall pines rising from the desert. The pines are the last descendants of the ancient forest which once covered the Las Vegas Valley during the ice age. Some pines cling to some of the rocky cliffs above as well.


This is what allows the pines to survive- rare springs and streams dot the area. There were several seasonal waterfalls flowing as well, carrying snowmelt off the mountaintops.


Of course water also attracts people. There are petroglyphs and pictographs all around. some of the more striking ones were handprints rendered in paint, but they were very faint and didn't photograph well. There is evidence that people lived in the area for many thousands of years. Big roasting pits surrounded by centuries worth of ashes are everywhere. The people lived in the shadows of cool cliffs, and game animals were drawn to the water as well.


There were lots of tent caterpillars in the creosote bushes and lizards everywhere. It is an odd juxtaposition that from the highest viewpoint on the scenic drive in Red Rock Canyon you can look out and see the Las Vegas strip.
I have to be honest, Las Vegas is not among my favorite places. But when I do go, I like the old Fremont area. We stayed at the circa 1906 Golden Gate Hotel which has a lot of history and character. Buffet dinner at the Paradise was a good way to undo all the good hiking all day had done me, and I got a frozen margarita on Fremont Street. The Experience wasn't running because Chris Angel was filming a commercial, so we walked around and looked at the vintage signs among other things. There were four newly restored and erected large signs from the sign graveyard in the median of Freemont past the covered area added since the last time I was there. One was the Ruby Slipper and another was a giant martini. There are bases for two more in place already. I love the old signage and I think it's great they're bringing it out of storage and setting it up.
After a second day of wandering around Red Rock Canyon we drove home. I have a sunburn and slept in this morning, but it felt good to get out of the house for a couple of days. I haven't decided what adventure is next. Perhaps Kodachrome Basin state park and its...uh...suggestive rock formations.