From our campsite at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
You won’t see this staying in a motel or Air BnB.
3/25/21 - I had planned to leave the Ranch on 3/24, but a snowstorm was predicted in Northern NM and Northern AZ on 3/24 and 3/26, so I waited until Wednesday, 3/25, then headed out. I cut west from Roswell, past the Very Large Array, through Pie Town, NM and 441 miles later I stopped for the night at a small gift shop at the entrance to The Petrified Forest National Monument. The gift shop had small RV sites with electricity for $15 a night. It was cold, windy and temps were predicted to drop into the low 30s. The wind blew all night and into the next day at around 30 mph. After coffee and a quick breakfast, I drove 20 miles and jumped on I-40 and headed west hoping to get through Flagstaff and the higher elevations of northern AZ before the 3/26 snow storm. I did run into snow, which was falling and blowing, but not sticking to the road. The temperature fluctuated between 33 and 31 degrees, but I finally made it into lower elevation and warmer temperatures, arriving at Joe and Amaryllis’s house in Henderson, NV, late afternoon.
I spent the weekend at their house and then headed an hour north through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area to Valley of Fire State Park. Turns out that it was spring break for much of Nevada and California. There are two campgrounds, each are first come, first serve and were full. After a couple of passes, I saw a couple packing up a fifth wheel and waited ten minutes for them to leave and grabbed their site. Harvey and June showed up a few hours later and we settled in. Valley of Fire State Park is very small, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in scenic beauty.
Does this look like a Poodle?
Tuesday, we did the Pinnacles loop trail, 4.5 miles which was a short walk from our campsite. The first couple of miles was in a sandy wash, which really wore on the leg muscles, but we didn’t see a single person the entire hike. When we got back to camp June found a awesome campsite just up the hill from where we were camped, the people were leaving the next day, so after speaking with them, she tagged it. The next morning we moved very quickly, once the people left. This would be home for the rest of my stay at Valley of Fire.
Site #20
The next morning and just about every morning we had big horn sheep either in camp, or in the open desert patch across from our site.
Big horn next door, site 19
Wednesday, we took advantage of having two vehicles. We took Harvey’s van to the White Domes loop parking area and drove my truck to the Prospect Trailhead, then hiked the 4.6 mile Prospect Trail through some fantastic canyons until we eventually met the White Domes Loop Trail. Again, we hadn’t seen anyone on the Prospect Trail, but that changed immediately at the junction of the White Domes Trail. There were lots of people, a steady stream of humanity, it was a bit anticlimactic, but we did get to hike through a very narrow slot canyon.
Thursday, we headed up the Natural Arches Trail, which was very, very soft sand. We didn’t made it to the end and this trail has been added to my short list of hikes never to repeat.
Friday, we did two small hikes, Mouse’s Tank Trail, which had lots and lots of petroglyphs, then the Rainbow Vista Trail, which had great views and huge expanses of colorful slabs and great views. By noon the hot sun, high temperature and soft sand had taken its toll and we headed for the showers, then camp.
Saturday morning Harvey and June headed north to go home to Buena Vista, Colorado, and I decided just to take a chill day, hang out in the shade and relax. The temperature was predicted to be in the low 90s and full sun.
Easter Sunday, I headed back to Joe & Amaryllis’s house for Easter Brunch. Monday morning Joe & I headed up to the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, home to Mt Charleston. There is a significant gain in elevation so temperatures were a bit cooler and there was significant snow in places. We grabbed a campsite and then hiked a short 2.8 mile trail to Mary Jane Falls, which would have been more appropriately named Mary Jane drip, but it was a beautiful day. It got pretty cold at night, just below freezing, Joe slept in his tent, while I had Enzo.
Mary Jane Falls
Tuesday, we did the Bristlecone Loop Trail, 6.8 miles with some incredible views and deep snow on the north facing slope. We were fortunate that someone had already broken trail and post holed through the deep sections. We finished the hike, grabbed a couple of great sandwiches in Vegas and then headed back to Joe’s.
I was struck by the fact that, one hour north of Vegas I was hiking in desert sand in blazing heat and one hour west of Vegas, I was hiking through 2 feet of snow and it was the end of winter.
Wednesday, April 7th, I headed out early and made it to the free campground at El Morro National Monument. Nancy & I have spent a lot of time here, because it was close to one of our AGS work assignments in Grants, NM. It was also the very first place we camped in Elmo and how it got its name. ELMO is the abbreviation for El Morro.
Thursday, I walked to the visitor center and did the hike to the Pueblo ruins and Inscription Rock.
Stairs to Atsinna Ruins
The Atsinna Ruins
View from the top
It was a great road trip. In addition to seeing friends, I fulfilled Nancy’s wish to give her art supplies to Amaryllis, I got to explore two new places, did some great hikes, spread some of Nancy’s ashes in a place that meant a lot to her and thanks to Joe………. I learned that when the truck’s low fuel light activates, I still have four gallons of fuel remaining.
Tight lines and safe travels.
Great to read about your road trip! We camped up on Mt. Charleston when Katie lived in Vegas. Amazing from desert floor to towering Ponderosa Pines. Better fuel mileage returning to Vegas than climbing out of the valley!!! There has to be more to the story about the low fuel light... Spill it!!!
ReplyDeleteWHAAAA? So that's what you were doing going through Pie Town! Sheesh, just a few more miles west and we could have connected.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great trip and loads of fun!
Forgot to say that Jim and I went along that very same route on the way to Colorado. Check out our post tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteWe love El Morro. Only now our 27-foot rig is too big for the campsites. Waaaah!