Thanksgiving in Las Vegas. When I told people that was my plan for the holiday, I either got “…by yourself?” or “…stay out of trouble.” And staying out of trouble is right! The one night I spent on the Strip doing a little gambling at the Cosmopolitan, Aria and Bellagio, I was approached by no less than 9 hookers. So no matter what the law says, prostitution is alive and thriving in Clark County. Yet, I didn’t go to Vegas for gambling and hookers, I own a time-share at a place called South Point about 5 miles off the Strip, and my week fell during Thanksgiving. So I came up for a week of chilling, relaxing, sleeping, and eating at the great restaurants around Vegas. But in the daytime…
With the weather comfortable 65 degrees in the daytime and beautiful clear days, exploring the incredible outdoor life of the Las Vegas Valley was on the agenda. I first heard of Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area from a local in a drinking establishment aptly called The Bar. He told me it offered pretty easy hiking and some amazing rock drawings along the walls of a narrow ravine.
The park is located in Henderson which is about 20 minutes from my place, but about 30 minutes from the Strip. The hike to the petroglyphs is about a 4.5 round trip through a dry creek bed covered with fine gravel that makes the trip a bit of a slog. There a couple of places where you have to climb up dry waterfalls that block the canyon, but this is really a very easy trail. However, it is not for anyone with a cane, crutches or a wheelchair. There are no walkways or paved areas or seating areas of any kinds.
The rock art is amazing with about 300 rock panels and something like 1700 individual designs – etched by native Americans along the walls of the ravine. Some of them date back to the Archaic Period of the Southwestern Pueblo Indians (6000 to 500 BCE).
Bring good hiking shoes, thick socks, at least two liters of water and sun protection. There is no shade anywhere. The ranger station is usually closed but the toilets were open. However, the day I went, the gate to the visitor center was closed so I walked up to the station adding about an extra .4 of a mile to the round trip journey.
Totally recommend this hike. Good steady workout but nothing incredibly difficult. The drawings are totally amazing and serve to point out that people have been coming to spend time in Las Vegas for about 6000 years. Now that is a vacation resort for the ages.
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