It’s true that Spring Mountain Ranch State Park gets little publicity in local-area travel publications, especially compared to places like Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, and the Grand Canyon. But it’s also true that there’s a lot of Southwestern desert surrounding Las Vegas Valley and if you look, you can find spectacular natural areas, such as Valley of Fire State Park, Black Canyon (below the dam), and Spring Mountain State Park.
This 520-acre park is nestled at the bottom of the Wilson Cliffs, sheer buff-colored sandstone bluffs, part of the Spring Mountain range that hems in the west side of Las Vegas Valley beyond Red Rock Canyon. The area’s relatively cool temperatures, plentiful water, bountiful bottom land, and gorgeous setting have attracted travelers since the 1830s. By 1869, a ranch had been established, with a stone cabin and blacksmith shop, both of which are still standing. Three generations of the Wilson clan owned the ranch from 1876 to 1948, after which it changed hands several times, until Howard Hughes bought it in 1967. The Nevada State Parks Division acquired the acreage, including the ranch house and outbuildings, in 1974 for $3 million.
The bright white picket fences, red ranch house, long green lawns, and tall trees are a surprise if you’re not expecting them. Mostly locals go to the park to hang out, have picnics, toss Frisbees and footballs, attend living-history presentations by the park docents, and take in a theatrical presentation at Theater Under the Stars (June through August).
It costs $8 to get in, but it’s well worth it for an outdoor experience only 25 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. Take West Charleston Boulevard, which turns into NV 159; the park is on 159, five miles past Red Rock Canyon. For the whole story, go to http://parks.nv.gov/smr.htm.
