Spring Mountain Ranch State Park

This 520-acre park is nestled at the bottom of the Wilson Cliffs, sheer buff-colored sandstone bluffs that are 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, as are the lower temperatures (the park is at 3,800 feet, 10-15 degrees cooler than the valley).

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). But it's a fine place for visitors that make it out this far (15 miles from Las Vegas and five miles from Red Rock Canyon) to take in an oasis in the desert.