Spring Break in Valley of Fire

The first Monday of spring break we took a drive to Valley of Fire State Park. We took the back road to get there, around Lake Mead. It took a very long time, but it was intresting to watch the foliage change every hundred yards or so. There are small red rock mountains mixed with meadows of sage brush, multi-colored hillsides, and lots of space. It was so open and relaxing...very nice to be out of the city for a while.

 

On the way we stopped to eat a picnic lunch at Echo Bay, on Lake Mead. We saw some road construction there, and Gideon was freaking out with excitement. There's a video of that at the end.

Ayla isn't wearing any pants because she had a blowout and I was unprepared with extra clothes.

Our first small hike was to this place, Elephant Rock.

The next stop was the Cabins. A group of three cabins built in 1935 so people coming and going to Hoover Dam would have a place to sleep.

Each cabin is one room with a fireplace in the corner. There's not much space for more than a few people.

At the visitors center we found some rocks to climb.

Holes to look in

Holes to get in

And bushes to touch.

There was even sand on the floor of some holes to play with.

Sandstone mountains were all over the place.

Petroglyphs on the Mouse Tank hike. It was about a mile round trip with lots of drawings and small caves to see.

I can't remember how old the drawings are, but I do remember how Mouse Tank was named. An Indian named Little Mouse went on a killing spree in a village and then ran from the law. He also killed two prospectors and after about six months of searching he was finally found here by a farmer.

This is the tank part. It's a little canyon-type thing that fills up with water when it rains. Because of all the holes and caverns in the sandstone mountains it acts like a water tank for a while after rainstorms. Animals come to drink here.

White Dome

I forgot what this one was called. They went up the huge staircase below to look at some petroglyphs. I was with Ayla who was sleeping.

Arch Rock

A face in the mountain we found on our way out of the park. Can you see it?

Video of the tractors.

On the wat home there where lots of dips and turns in the road. The kids thought it was hilarious.