Red Rock Canyon
Once the home of ancient Indian tribes, this magnificent canyon was formed by a thrust fault — a fracture in the earth’s crust where one rock plate is thrust horizontally over another. Red Rock Canyon is home to wild horses and burros, as well as various species of wildlife including desert bighorn sheep and antelope. Stop at the visitor’s center for tour information. There is no fee for normal activities in the canyon area. Read more
Valley of Fire State Park
Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada’s oldest State Park. It covers an area of 34,880 acres (141 km²) and was dedicated in 1935. Valley of Fire is located 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Las Vegas at an elevation of between 2,000 and 2,600 feet (610 and 790 m). It abuts the Lake Mead National Recreation Area at the Virgin River confluence. It lies in a basin 4 miles (6 km) wide by 6 miles (10 km) long, 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Overton, Nevada. Read more
Old Mormon Fort, Las Vegas
The company paraded at the dawn of day and fired a salute very spiritedly; also at sun-up and again when the liberty pole was erected and the flag floated majestically to the breeze, another salute was fired the company having previously assembled, kneeling down and offering up their devotions to God. Afterwards there were many spirited speeches, songs, and toasts from many of the brethren. Then all were dismissed by prayer and went to perform our several camps duties. Read more
Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve
The Henderson Bird Viewing preserve, operated by the City of Henderson, is an excellent site to go birdwatching and get some quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip and environs. The preserve features nine accessible ponds, with level paths for walking around all of them. There are more than 200 resident and migratory bird species that have been documented at the preserve. The knowledgeable staff will help with identification of unknown birds you might see. Read more
Las Vegas Springs Preserve
The Springs Preserve offers visitors a hands-on approach to understanding the fascinating history and fragile eco-system of the Las Vegas Valley. The Preserve has two main galleries, the ORIGEN Experience and the Desert Living Center. The ORIGEN Experience enables visitors to sense the historic essence of the land. ORIGEN exhibits include a “real” flash flood, a gallery on the cultural history of the area and replicas of an ancestral pueblan village. Read more
Mt. Charleston, Las Vegas
Mount Charleston is the highest mountain of the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada, approximately 35 miles northwest of Las Vegas. It is Nevada’s eighth highest mountain peak, and is part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, as well as the Mount Charleston Wilderness Area and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Well separated from higher peaks by large, low basins, it is the most topographically prominent peak in Nevada, and the eighth most prominent peak in the contiguous United States. Read more
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway had to be spectacular. Ordinary has no shot in a city where you can see Paris, Venice, New York and ancient Rome all in the space of a few blocks. So just a few miles north of “The Strip,” Las Vegas Motor Speedway sits like a diamond in the desert. One of the most complete racing complexes in the world, its 1,600 acres include road courses, a three-eighths mile oval, a dirt track and a state-of-the-art drag racing facility. Read more
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is 727 feet high, 1,244 feet long, 660 feet thick at the base, and 45 feet thick at the crest. It weighs 5,500,000 tons and contains 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete. Two spillways, one on each side of the canyon, protect the dam and powerhouse from overflow. The Lake Mead side of the dam, the water is over 500 feet deep.The amount of water released through the dam in a day can be as high as 299,200 gallons (40,000 cfs) or as low as 52,360 gallons (2000 cfs ) depending on how much water is needed down stream. Read more
Grand Canyon Las Vegas
Named the greatest natural wonder of the world, the Grand Canyon was formed over millions of years by the swift water of the Colorado River, as well as by constant exposure to the wind and sun. The result, miles of formations of rocks and earth, greets the eye in a profusion of striking colors and depths. The Grand Canyon is located 300 miles southeast of Las Vegas, approximately 6 hours by car. The South Rim is open year-round. You can drive along the rim or see it by mule. For those who would rather see the sights by air, several airlines offer regularly scheduled air tours. Read more
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is located in southeastern California and also parts of it are in southwestern Nevada. It is between the Amargosa Desert in Nevada and the Inyo National Forest in California. The park is transected from east to west by California Highway 190. On the east in Nevada, Highway 95 parallels the park from north to south with connecting highways at Scotty’s Junction (State Route 267), Beatty (State Route 374), and Lathrop Wells (State Route 373). Read more
