Starting my Nevada tour - driving East from Las Vegas

As you know by now, I try to spend a month in each state (even if I have to do it in sections).  I'm just starting Nevada and my first impression is Wow.  I had no idea.  I'm in the Las Vegas area for my first week.  Think casinos and shows.  Not so .... first of all, Las Vegas is huge.  I drive 20 miles in any direction and I'm still in "Las Vegas."  and the scenery is spectacular.

Lake Mead is beautiful.  I found myself taking so many pictures .... I couldn't get enough of the lake or the recreation area. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, water impounded from the Colorado River by Hoover Dam, is the first NRA
and was established in 1936.

Hoover Dam:  This massive engineering marvel stands 726 feet tall and weighs more than 6.6 million tons. It was constructed during the Great Depression from 1931 to 1936 to generate power as well as control flooding and foster irrigation. In the process, the dam formed Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir, with 759 miles of shoreline.


Hoover Dam (they search your car when you enter) was so crowded I didn't bother to try for a tour.  The lines rivaled any at Disneyland during Spring Break.  They wanted $10 to park if you could find a spot.  One advantage to all the people was that I got to take pictures while I waited for them to cross the road.  I tried to go through to the Arizona side, curious if you could enter from both sides, but found it blocked.


 And the Valley of Fire State Park.  Valley of Fire derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago.  Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created the present landscape.

Boulder City is a nice town.  In the historic downtown area, they have these metal sculptures everywhere that are delightful. 

I also made a stop at the Acacia Demonstration Garden.  Like most demonstration gardens, the City of Henderson's Acacia Demonstration Gardens aim to inspire homeowners with ideas for their gardens at home. In this case, the city-sponsored facility provides examples of drought-friendly trees, shrubs, and flowers that are perfect for Nevada's desert climate. Meandering pathways throughout the garden lead visitors from one area to the next, bringing them face-to-face with species such as crate myrtles, quail bush, feathery cassia, and ocotillo flowers. Different individual areas highlight different types of plants—in the Allergy-Free garden, for instance, all of the plants have little pollen; the Wildlife-Friendly Garden features plants that historically have attracted desert birds and other kinds of wildlife.  I was disappointed that everything was still dormant, but the day was beautiful and the walk was pleasant.

Lastly, I attempted to take a picture of the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign, but there was no place to pull over, so settled for this one.