Not all of the fun in Nevada has to happen in Las Vegas. There’s plenty to do out in the desert! Let’s talk about our favorite 5 destinations in Nevada.
Hoover Dam
The Hoover dam is one of the greatest sites in Nevada. The dam provides a small percentage of electricity to the casinos. In the beginning, in the 1930s, it was called the Boulder Dam project. People would come from all over the country to help work on the dam. With all of the workers and their families flocking to the area, it brought a lot more settlers to the Las Vegas region. At the time, Las Vegas was nothing like what it is today.
The dam is an arch gravity dam which means that it is created with an arch so that it directs most of the water pressure against the canyon rock walls providing the force to compress the dam. This monumental damn spans the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. It’s one of the best places to visit in Nevada and we know you’ll love it.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Another amazing site in Nevada is the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This is a national park of sorts and is protected because of it. There are large red rock formations which are layers of sandstone and oxidized iron minerals in the sediments. While you are visiting you can always hike some of the numerous trails, get your gear ready for some rock climbing, or even go horseback riding. The area is probably most well known for rock climbing. The routes that are now there were carved during the early 1970s and they vastly range in difficulty. The most popular areas are the Calico Hills and the Sandstone Quarry.
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
While we’re on the subject of national monuments, we can’t forget about the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. Quarry workers in the 1930s found bones of Columbian mammoth, ground sloth, and dire wolf in this area that are up to 250,000 years old.
It was established as a national monument to help preserve the Pleistocene fossils for future generations to experience and learn about. You can hike the Aliante loop trail and follow the markers through a little over 3 miles of desert. There are informational signs everywhere to guide you and teach you the history of your observations. There are community volunteers that strive to keep this area preserved for the education of the region.
Valley of Fire State Park
Some of you may be looking for Las Vegas apartments for rent and if you haven’t noticed, which I’m sure you’re aware now from this article, the desert is home to several national parks. This is because this land is very old and the shifting of the tectonic plates has created some extraordinary land masses.
Another magnificent place to visit is the Valley of Fire State Park. You can walk among the bright red Aztec sandstone layered with limestone that stretches over 40,000 acres. These dunes were created over 150 million years ago and are still existing today for us to witness. You can also find petrified trees and petroglyphs from Natives from over 2,000 years ago.
The Valley of Fire is located in the Mojave Desert. The climate of the Mojave desert is incredibly hot. It is not uncommon that temperatures rise above 100°F during the summer months. If you plan to visit during that time make sure you wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water.
Nipton Ghost Town
The perfect way to wrap up this list is with a visit to a ghost town. On the northeastern border of the Mojave National Preserve, you can find Nipton, California. Although this is not in Nevada it is right on the border. It was a mining camp that was founded in 1905 and now it’s home to about 15 people.
The town has a general store, a trading post, a café, an RV Park, five cabins, and 10 sites with traditional teepees. There’s a historical schoolhouse and some art exhibits that are connected to the Burning Man event. Visitors of the area have said that it is a spectacular road trip with Joshua trees lining the way. Folks have said that the vast desert scene from that location is indescribable. But don’t take our word for it you’ll have to go check this out for yourself.
