Red Rock Canyon lies just 15 miles west of Las Vegas.
What a switch from all the hustle, bustle and bright lights of the city.
Red Rock offers awe-inspiring views and lots of hiking trails...
among the towering red cliffs and desert vegetation.
The mountains in the Red Rock area were formed along fault lines in the earth's crust...
a very long time ago.
Some of the cliffs are 3,000 feet high...
made of sandstone which gets it's crimson colour from the build up of iron oxide over the centuries.
Red Rock Canyon is part of a national conservation area...
and has a large visitor center.
Here we learned all about the plants, animals and people...
a history of this part of the Mojave Desert going back thousands of years.
It was at the visitor center that we began our 13 mile scenic drive...
stopping at viewpoints along the way.
(Red Rock Canyon 1993)
We had visited Red Rock before...
nearly twenty years ago with our friends...
Dave and Janet.
So we knew sort of what to expect.
We expected wild burros...
running free and wild....
and coming to see if we might possibly have treats for them!
That's how it was in 1993.
That's not how it is in 2012.
We never saw any burros this time...
and were informed by a park volunteer that they are still there...
but have gone into hiding in 'them there cliffs'.
It seems too many people have been touring this area...
some 1.2 visitors every year.
We never saw any snakes either.
Good thing.
The sky was blue.
The air was fresh.
The scenery was awesome.
The company was the great...
and so was our rental car.
Red Rock...
check it out if you ever visit this corner of Nevada.
Ah shucks about the donkeys no longer greeting visitors. They are/were so cute.
ReplyDeleteBernie will be disappointed that no snakes were to be seen. I suppose they are in winter Hibernation?
They've gone into hiding? Well that's what I would do with that many visitors I'm sure. Loved seeing the 1993 pictures!
ReplyDeleteSo they're breeding shy donkeys now? I'm not very fond of coming upon snakes. How fun to have those before and after shots!
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying your tour of Las Vegas and beyond!
ReplyDeleteNever been to this canyon! Loved the panoramic stitching! then you can see the massive grandeur!
ReplyDeleteJudy, What a neat place to visit. Think I would enjoy sight seeing here and spending some time away from the bright lights.
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
d
The best trips are sometimes done right here in Blogland! Thanks for taking us along!
ReplyDeleteIt is a pretty place. Just remembered that we were there in Jan, too!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting to compare the two trips and see the difference, Judy!The Red Rock Canyon looks beautiful. I'm glad to hear the burros did not disappear because of other means. I've never seena snake in the wild..and hope to never see one!
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful there...enjoyed seeing your photos now and back then.
ReplyDeleteI've had a fine time reading about your trip - what a great time!! So many different experiences. What are those men planning for 65?? :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a day trip I'd love to make. I'm glad to know that there are no snakes, as that would be a deal-breaker for me!
ReplyDeleteWhat drastic differences between two locations. I think it would be refreshing to experience the quiet of nature after experiencing the opposite in the city. Great pictures!
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