The journey begins at the Lake Mead Visitor Center. From there, you’ll pass the Lake Mead Marina, a vibrant hub of recreational activities. As you drive on, take in the array of colored rocks astride the cliffs! You’ll learn about the area’s fascinating geologic history which encompasses billions of years.
Then delve into the Colorado River. Contemplate the methods they used to divert water to crops, including hand-dug ditches and canals! You’ll also pass the hot springs which first native people who inhabited the Americas towards the end of the Late Pleistocene period found therapeutic and sacred. Look for traces of beaver dams along the river! The journey nears its end with further tales of the water wars, the murderous secrets of Lake Mead, the B-29 crash, and the devastating impact of the Mega Drought.
You might make a detour to the right to pass the St. Thomas Trail. Or you might head on straight to the famed Valley of Fire with its sandstone outcrops, the culmination of shifting sand dunes. Pass by the Historic Cabins built by the CCC, which hold petroglyphs behind their foundations. The journey comes to its end after the White Dome trail, with its supposedly turtle-like formation.
