Around and about Las Vegas

We make the most of our time in Las Vegas. Although people watching is always fun, we take a day off and head for the desert. More specifically to the Valley of Fire State Park, located in remote desert approximately 60 miles north east of Las Vegas.

It is the oldest state park in Nevada and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1968. It takes its name from the red sandstone formations formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of the dinasaurs.

We take the 13 mile scenic loop along the Valley of Fire Road through the park. It is spectacular!

Red Rock Canyon is a perfect foil for the man- made brightness of  Las Vegas. The canyon looks like a valley with the steep red-rock escarpment rising 3000 feet on its western edge.

Faith came too!

There is always one rock that looks ready to fall!

The walls of the canyon make the area a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. Several side roads and parking spots allow access to many of the trails in the area.

We continue through the canyon to the highway that runs beside Lake Mead and leads to Boulder City and  Hoover Dam.

OK  where are you all?

Hoover Dam is 30 miles east of Las Vegas. Built between 1931 - 1935 across the Colorado River's Black Canyon, it straddles the Arizona and Nevada state lines. Its graceful curve contrasts superbly with the stark landscape. It is 726 feet high. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers.
It creates Lake Mead - its reservoir - the largest man-made body of water in the US with a 700 mile shore line.

Hailed as an engineering marvel it gave the desert region a reliable water supply and provided inexpensive electricity to Nevada, Arizona and California.











We arrive at  Hoover Dam at about 3pm.  We have not had lunch. Some fries and a drink will have to suffice!!
The views from the rim certainly make up for missing lunch.

We then stop at the Mike O'Callaghan - Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. The bridge is part of a highway by-pass around the Hoover Dam which carries Highway 93 over the Colorado River; it's previous route was along the top of Hoover Dam.
Completed in October 2010 it has a pedestrian walkway with perfect views of the Hoover Dam. The bridge is named for Mike O'Callaghan, a former Nevada Governor and Pat Tillman, a professional football star, killed as a soldier in Afghanistan.

The walkway is the length of the bridge - 1,900 feet. Crossing it is not for the faint hearted!

Halfway across the walkway is a point where you cross the state line from Nevada into Arizona.