2015 - Nevada

This was our fourth visit to Nellis AFB FamCamp in Las Vegas.  It is a very nice RV park, especially the full hookup sites.  We came in the day before Easter and the park was almost full so we had to settle for partial hookups, 50 amp and water.  But still a great location.





While there we visited Lake Mead Recreation Area, again.  It is amazing how low the water level is.  No wonder California has implemented severe water conservation efforts and Nevada is looking into the same.

We went looking for one of the newest national monuments, Tule Springs Fossil Beds.  It was just established in December 2014 and there is very little information about it available.

We started at the Las Vegas BLM office which provided us with a map and directions to the Corn Creek Visitors Center for the Desert Wildlife Refuge.  Not much to see at the fossil beds but the visitors' center was beautiful.  Unfortunately, it was closed on the day we were there but we enjoyed the short hikes near the center.





Leaving the desert behind us, we headed up into the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.  
There were wonderful vistas but the most interesting facts, for us, was the history regarding the atomic testing that was conducted on the desert floor below.

   Beginning in 1951 , the Department of Defense and today, the Department of Energy, have used this area for the development and testing of weapons, including nuclear detonations.  In fact, Las Vegas was knows as 'Atomic city, USA' with over 900 tests of atomic weapons between 1951 and 1963.  Residents and visitors would flock to the Spring Mountains to view the mushroom cloud, hear the explosions, and occasionally, even feel the heat from the explosions.  It hard to image this happening today!

The day before we left, I visited Red Rock Canyon and hiked three miles into a canyon and climbed to an overlook with an outstanding view of Las Vegas in the desert below.  It was more strenuous and took longer than I expected but the view as worth it.  Next time we are in Las Vegas, I'll be back to do another hike.







Our last stop in Nevada was Great Basin National Park.  We got a beautiful campsite in the park, no hookups but only $3/night.  We planned to stay for 2 or 3 nights but waking up to 32 degrees in the morning with no heat changed our minds.  We drove the Wheeler Peak scenic drive but could only go about half way as the rest of the road was closed due to snow and ice.  We took the Lehman Cave tour and then packed up and headed down the mountain hoping it would warm up.





We spent one more night in Ely, Nevada.  Again it was 32 degrees in the morning but at least we had electricity, and heat!  We find it amusing that we went from over 100 degrees in Palm Springs to 32degrees in Great Basin, all within one week!