| LAS VEGAS OUTDOORS LOCAL NATURE ACTIVITIES Away from the man-made excitement of Las Vegas is a world of natural beauty unlike any place else on this earth. People who love nature appreciate the central location of desert living in the Las Vegas Valley. Las Vegas is ideally located to wonderful recreational areas. Within an hour’s drive, you can be in areas such as Lake Mead National Recreational Area, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Valley of Fire State Park, Spring Mountains National Conservation Area, Toiyabe National Forest, and Mt. Charleston. Lake Mead National Recreation Area Within minutes and attracting more than 8 million visitors annually, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area containing some 1.5 million acres and 500 miles of shoreline offers great opportunities for boating, sailing, jet skiing, fishing, water-skiing, camping, and windsurfing and happens to be one of the most frequented National Recreation Areas in the United States. Created by Hoover Dam, the lake is the largest man-made lake in the world and extends 110 miles behind the Dam. Fishing is open year-round, and anglers harvest large numbers of game fish each year. Hoover Dam In the 1930s at a cost of $160 million, Hoover Dam turned the raging waters of the Colorado River into the still waters of Lake Mead. The dam is located 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas past Boulder City where government guides conduct various tours year-round. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Escape to the red sandstone formations at Red Rock Nature Conservation Area along the 13-mile loop road that wind along the western border of the Las Vegas Valley. These beautiful red rock formations and desert scenery attract rock climbers, hikers, auto tourists, and even thousands of bicycle enthusiasts. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park Located within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and beneath the colorful cliffs of the magnificent Wilson Range is Historic Spring Mountain Ranch. Providing water for Paiute Indians and later mountain men and early settlers, the many springs in these mountains were a 520 acre oasis. Later the area was developed into a combination working ranch and luxurious retreat by a string of owners who have given the area a long and colorful history. Valley of Fire State Park In 1935 Nevada's first state park (Valley of Fire State Park) was dedicated. This 56,000-acre wilderness area features colorful, extraordinary rock formations, Native American petroglyphs and year-round campsites. Just as at Red Rock, rock climbers, hikers, tourists and campers flock to the area. You can even practice your rock climbing or horseback riding. Mount Charleston Being located just 10 miles northwest of the Las Vegas Valley; you can escape to enjoy the mountain views, hiking, horseback riding, as well as various winter sports and cool summers. Located 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Mount Charleston is situated among some 300,000 acres of forestland in the Las Vegas Ranger District. The area includes 52 miles of hiking trails, 160 picnic spots and 150 campsites in seven campgrounds and RV camps. Recreational activities include horseback riding and snow skiing. Beautiful peaks with redwood forests in the surrounding mountains provide an opportunity to get away from the desert heat in the summer. Winter provides the opportunity to get into snow country with just a short drive North to Mt. Charleston offering residents the opportunity to snow-ski from November to April at Lee Canyon. Hiking, camping, and other activities can also be enjoyed at Mount Charleston year-round. Floyd Lamb State Park As an early water stop for Native Americans originally known as Tule Springs, Floyd Lamb State Park became a Las Vegas favorite park being located in the northern region of the Las Vegas Valley. Once a privately-owned working ranch, as well as a guest/dude ranch in the 1950s, the park offers tree-shaded groves alongside four small fishing lakes. The park is available for day use only. Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park The first permanent non-native settlers in the Las Vegas Valley were a group of Mormon missionaries who built an adobe fort along Las Vegas Creek in 1855. They successfully farmed the area by diverting water from the creek. Today, the park includes a remnant of the original adobe fort, which serves as a visitor center with interpretive displays. REGIONAL NATURE ACTIVITIES Within 2-4 hours, you can even be in some of the most beautiful areas in the world including Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Death Valley, and of course, the Grand Canyon. The awesome Utah ski country is also a short distance away where one may enjoy some of the best skiing anywhere in the country. Death Valley National Park Death Valley is located less than 2 hours from Las Vegas and offers breathtaking landscapes, colorful history and the lowest elevation point in the Western Hemisphere. Consuming 3,000 square miles of desert in California and Nevada, Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 48 states. Grand Canyon National Park Located in northern Arizona, close to the borders of Utah and Nevada, this national park is home to the Grand Canyon, created by great erosional forces of biblical proportions and encompassing 1,904 square miles. Visitors to the Canyon can approach it from either the more well known South Rim or the lesser known North Rim. The Colorado River, which flows through the canyon, drains water from seven states. Recreational pursuits are extensive including but not limited to hiking, camping, biking and fishing. Commercial air carriers, helicopter flights and tour buses provide service from the Las Vegas area. Zion National Park Zion is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary Zion contains within the park's 229 square miles a dramatic landscape of sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs. Zion is located within a 2 – 3 hour drive where you can enjoy hiking the canyons and the narrows, camping in the valley and enjoying the wildlife. The unique geography and the variety of life zones within the park make Zion significant as a place of unusual plant and animal diversity. Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park is another area that has used erosion to shape its colorful Claron limestones, sandstones, and mudstones into thousands of spires, fins, pinnacles, and mazes. Named "hoodoos," these colorful and whimsical formations stand in horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters in Southern Utah and are about 4 – 5 hours from Las Vegas. | 
