Feb - March 2023
Thousand Trails Las Vegas
Las Vegas Nevada

I booked 14 nights at the Thousand Trails Las Vegas as part of my Winter Program in preparation for the National Parks to the north. Little did I know the mountains surrounding the Las Vegas valley would have two snow storms during my stay. Southern California has it's first blizzard warning in decades. I was able to see pretty much everything I came to see in the area just well below 70 most of the time. The 205 site Thousand Trails Las Vegas doesn't have the best reviews so I was a bit apprehensive but as a Thousand Trails member, the price was certainly right. The campground has very limited amenities but it did have a good dog area, laundry facilities throughout, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Also, there are no permanent trailers there and the rental cabins look very nice. There are many traveling RVs that appear to be there long term however. The utilities were stable and my power pedestal looked new. My Verizon hotspot had a great signal and I was able to stream any content. All in all I couldn't call it home but it was a comfortable launch pad for activities in the area.
Thousand Trails Las Vegas Site Map

Feb - March 2023
Red Rock Canyon
Las Vegas Nevada

Stunning Place! Located only 20 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and part of the National Parks system. Red Rock Canyon is best known for the towering sandstone peaks, ancient Native American petroglyphs, and the 13 mile scenic loop. There are a number of pull-off parking areas alone the loop to take photos or head to the closest trailhead. There are 21 hiking trails within the Scenic Drive Loop and the Scenic Drive Map defines each as Easy, Moderate, or Difficult. There are another 5 hiking trails found outside the Scenic Drive. Due to the popularity of Red Rock Canyon and the Scenic Drive, the BLM now requires reservations from Oct. 1st - May 31st. Log into or create your recreation.gov account, search for “Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive Timed Entry”, select a one hour entry window, and pay the fee. If you already have a National Parks Pass, you will still be required to pay the $2.00 registration fee and the website will email a PDF pass for your admission during the one hour entry window you have defined. Look, if you're in the Vegas area, take time to see this place. It's just that special!
Scenic Drive Map & Trail Descriptions

Feb - March 2023
Las Vegas
Las Vegas Nevada

It may sound Goofy but I spent 2 weeks in Las Vegas and never stepped foot into a Casino. I've done all of that on other trips to Las Vegas and this time I wanted to learn the area as an RVer. There really is a lot more to Vegas besides the gambling. The wide world of sports has really grown over the last decade with the NFL Raiders relocating here and the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team forming as an expansion team in 2017. It's almost certain the Oakland A's will move here in the next 3 years. Oh, and Nascar was here at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway during my second week. I've never been here in the dead of winter so I was surprised to learn how cold it can be. We even saw Snow twice and what the local meteorologist call Graupel, which is small pellets formed when supercooled water droplets freeze onto a snow crystal. Sounds like sleet to me. LOL All in all, there is more to Sin City and I'm glad I had the chance to explore Vegas in a new and different way.

Feb - March 2023
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Southeastern NV & Northwestern AZ

Located in southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area is operated by the National Parks Service and encompasses 1.5 Million acres and includes Lake Mead and Lake Mohave which was highlighted in Blog 17. Lake Mead was created by the Hoover Dam in Bolder City, and Lake Mohave was created by Parker Dam in Laughlin NV and Bullhead City AZ, again highlighted in Blog 17. As a National Parks property, the National Parks Annual pass will gain you entry at no additional cost. There are 7 no-hookup campgrounds within the park at a cost of $20 per night with a 50% discount with a Senior Pass. There are areas designated as Swim only, Paddlecraft, and mixed use areas. There appear to be 14 official hiking trails ranging from easy to very strenuous. There is a vast amount of backcountry area for the most advances hikers. The Rangers recommend Bonelli Landing and Christmas Tree Pass. There are 6 main entrances to Lake Mead are as follows: Northshore, Lake Mead Boulevard, Lake Mead Parkway, and Boulder, Temple Bar and Meadview. Spend some time here!

Feb 2023
Hoover Dam
Bolder City Nevada

The Hoover Dam was constructed between 1931 and 1936 on the Colorado River mainly to produce produce electricity. As a result the dam created Lake Mead which is the largest reservoir in the US by volume. During construction the Colorado River needed to be diverted and four diversion tunnels were driven through the canyon walls, two on the Nevada side and two on the Arizona side. I saw those diversion tunnels on my visit. I approached the dam from the Nevada side and went through a security point. Because my truck has a tonneau cover over the bed, I was escorted over to a secondary search where I had to open the tailgate and lift my bed cover. The whole process only took a couple of minutes. Just after the security checkpoint I parked at the Mike O'Callagan Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge Plaza where you can walk up a long set of stairs to a pedestrian walk across the Interstate 11 bridge overlooking the dam. This really is the best place for photos of the dam. If you really want a deep dive into the construction and history of Hoover Dam, there are tours available.