After Las Vegas The Natural World after the Trade Shows

Michael Heizer's 1969-70 land art piece Double Negative is cut into the edge of Mormon Mesa overlooking the scenic Virgin River valley. Hard to photograph, I found it to be an "interactive" piece that one needs to walk around, climb down into, view at both sunrise and sunset, etc. to appreciate its variations, scale, and bravado. Tried to see Heizer's even more monumental City, also in the region, but Heizer has deliberately made it inaccessible, pending completion, with a gated road and obscuring berms.

    
Michael Heizer's Double Negative

Buffington Pockets shares the features of Valley of Fire: twisted red rocks and ancient petroglyths. Valley of Fire is a state park accessible by car while Buffington Pockets is a power toy playground requiring 4WD, so check out Valley of Fire, first. If you are in the Buffington area (Moapa Valley), check out the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, a warm springs oasis home to the endangered Moapa Dace.

Buffington Pockets

Great Unconformity Interpretive Site is marked by an unimproved dirt parking lot along the south side of E. Lake Mead Blvd (NV 147). The path is badly littered, the interpretative geology signs are vandalized, and the smog makes for challenging photography, but maybe worth the 1/4 mi. hike up for the view if you're heading east early in the morning.

Las Vegas from Fenchman Mountain

White Rock Canyon, a moderate hike to the Colorado River south of Hoover Dam, is also the land access to Arizona Hot Springs.

Colorado River at the Mouth of White Rock Canyon

The mouth of Arizona Hot Springs canyon is a short but obscure hike southward along the Colorado River from the mouth of White Rock Canyon. (Boaters have a sandy beach right at the mouth of the Springs canyon.) The hike up canyon is also short, but more physically challenging. You'll get wetter, but warmer, as you proceed to the hot pools.

    
Arizona Hot Springs: Scramble the Chute, Climb the Ladder, Soak the Pools

The mouth of Grapevine Canyon, a dirt road drive from the highway and a short hike in, contains the densest petroglyth panels I have seen.

Petroglyths at Grapevine Canyon

Endangered desert tortoise exhibits unsustainable behavior in Mojave National Preserve.

Mojave National Preserve, about 1.5 hours southwest of LV, features a rich variety of desert environments. Paved and bladed roads make much of the hiking, camping, sightseeing, and wildlife accessible without an SUV. At this time of year, I found the desert in bloom, the Joshua trees in flower, and the desert tortoises active.

Kelso Dunes

Desert National Wildlife Refuge is located in the Mojave north of LV, with three 4WD access points off Highways 93 and 95. Visitors are on their own and should be well researched and equipped for the backcountry. This year's forays were scouting trips for future expeditions.

Recovering Yucca Forest - Mormon Well Road