Mountaineering

Need to make section(s) on:

Caves
Historic Railroad Trail - Boulder City
National Parks in Utah
Owl Canyon Trailhead
Slot Canyons
State Parks

Ice Age Fossils State Park

What do you mean Vegas used to be underwater?

Seems like we have the exact opposite problem these days...!

Read that again - the oldest Archeological site in North America - right here in Tule Springs!

Yeah - just look at it!

Dire Wolf Knuckle.

So metal.

Lee Canyon

Red Rock Canyon

Hikes we've done:

Calico Basin Trail (Martian, Red Rock Style Hike)
Calico Tanks (Martian, Red Rock Style Hike)
Icebox Canyon (Alpine Style Hike)
North Peak Trail (Alpine Style Hike)
Petroglyph Wall (Alpine Style Hike)
White Rock Mountain Loop (Alpine Style Hike)

They are all amazing. Any trails at Red Rock Canyon, that is.

Pro Tip: The first 1/2 of the park is more "Martian" type of environment (red rocks, clay, sand, etc.) and the second 1/2 is more "Alpine" style (pine trees, granite type rocks, etc.) - so when you drive in if you want the Red Rock type hikes park in those first few parking lots, etc.

Derp.

Seven Magic Mountains

Why yes, they do kind of resemble giant ice cream scoops, don't they?

Techatticup Mine

3,000 Miles to Graceland Movie Props!

Our tour guide said Production had a $10,000 budget to bring them in and blow them up, but $0 budget to remove them - so the movie studio just left them.

How nice!

Tule Springs (aka: Floyd Lamb Park)

If you look carefully, you can spot a Nevada State Flower (Construction Cone), even out in the middle of the desert!

Goose-icles.

Our soul-dog, Potato Chip.

The newest member of the pack, Pepper! Aka: God's Perfect Idiot.

Valley of Fire

Here's a quick (not 100% of the park) tour we did in a half day (4 hours), starting from the West Entrance:

Visitor's Center
Beehives
Atlatl Rock
Rainbow Vista
Firewave
Seven Sisters
The Cabins
Petrified Logs (East)
Natural Arch
Elephant Rock Loop Trail

Note: Seasonal Trail Closures start Mid-May on the following:

Fire Wave
Seven Wonders Loop
Pastel Canyon
Prospect
Arrowhead
Pinnacles
White Domes
Charlie Springs
Natural Arches

We spotted a variety of wildlife - lizards, birds (including giant crows), insects, and a group of about 7 Big Horn Sheep!

The (new) Visitor's Center.

Bonus - plumbed water in the restrooms, much better (more modern) than the rest of the facilities throughout the park.

If you gotta go, best bet is at the Visitor's Center.

This was cool how they tied in the inside to the outside.

A secret place.

Here's that list again of everything we did in 4 hours, starting from the West Entrance.

For reference we're both early 40's, very active (runners, lift weights 4x week, daily 2 mile walks, etc.) and we were pretty solidly tired by the end!

Your mileage may vary.

Visitor's Center
Beehives
Atlatl Rock
Rainbow Vista - did a 1 hour scramble/hike climbing up and down large rock formations
Firewave
Seven Sisters
The Cabins
Petrified Logs (East)
Natural Arch
Elephant Rock Loop Trail

First up - Beehives Connector, a nice quick stop right off the West Entrance

Next up - Atlatl Rock

Honestly more fun than it looks!

They're trying to tell a story here, but I have no idea what it is.

It's been 84 years, the reflection has changed a bit.

Onward, to Rainbow Vista!

We wound up spending like an hour of our 4 hour day here.

Quite a bit to see if you venture off the main tourist path!

So brave.

About 60+ feet up rock outcrop pictured here.

One of the many friends we made along the way.

We discovered a surprise slot canyon.

Firewave - the drive up this road is simply incredible.

Photos don't highlight how amazing the views are, you have to see it in person.

This place rocks.

So. Many. Lizards.

Shaka bruh.

Seven Sisters.

Bit more of a "driving" situation as opposed to walking.

Especially in one of these bad-boys!!

Historic Cabins

People used to live in these. While we were here there were people speaking English, French, and Russian. Something universal about humans living in huts in the desert appeals to something in all of us, I guess!