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Red Rock Canyon NCA, Las Vegas, NV
I’ve already touched on the amazing geology found over at Valley of Fire, but if you need a nature fix a bit closer to Sin City, you’re in luck. A very short drive from The Strip is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, and you definitely should not miss it when in Vegas. For hikers, there are a wide variety of trails; for those who were over served the night before, there is a scenic driving loop. The dramatic red outcroppings can be seen from almost every window in town, but to truly appreciate the dramatic rock formations you must visit the park. Red Rock Canyon is located only 20…
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Spring Mountain Ranch SP- Blue Diamond, NV
History is hard to come by in the greater Las Vegas area, unless you know where to look. Not too far from the crazy is an oasis of calm. An oasis of history. An actual oasis. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, located adjacent to the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, offers a welcome respite from the surrounding desert, as well as a window into the region’s past.
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Valley of Fire State Park- Overton, NV
Valley of Fire State Park is every bit as stunning as its National counterparts. So named for its dramatic red sandstone formations, it is nirvana for fans of western landscapes. Diverse hikes reveal sweeping scenery, zoomorphic rock formations, CCC cabins, and 3000 year old petroglyphs. Plus, its only an hour outside Las Vegas, so you can finish off your day with some debauchery and a show. Formed over 150 million years ago from great shifting sand dunes, uplift and extensive erosion created today’s landscape. Iron oxide provides the intense red color, which is occasionally overlain by a black desert varnish, composed of manganese. Frequently when you see the desert varnish,…
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The Neon Museum- Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas and historic preservation are not things that go hand and hand. In a city that constantly reinvents itself, the old makes way for the new. Not entirely unceremoniously; implosions are quite spectacular if you have never witnessed one. And while the majority of historic casinos have met this fate, many of their signs survived, and can be viewed at the Neon Museum. The museum, which was founded in 1996, consists of a Neon Boneyard as well as a Visitor’s Center housed inside the former lobby of the La Concha Motel. The La Concha, constructed in 1961 (which is practically Colonial for Las Vegas) originally resided next to the recently…
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Ryholite Ghost Town- Ryholite, NV
Rhyolite, Nevada is a mix of old ruins, abandoned cars, bottle houses, and rattlesnakes. What started as a gold rush mining camp in 1905 is now a slowly deteriorating ghost town. It is also a photographer’s dream. The land is now overseen by the BLM, and you are free to roam and explore what remains of the town.
