Eslinger goes so far as to consider himself the “keeper” of Nipton. He also oversees the Hotel Nipton and its eco-cabins, the only accommodations for non-residents. But Mayor Jim Eslinger makes sure the former metropolis about two miles from the Nevada border and an hour’s drive from Las Vegas still buzzes with life.Įslinger runs the Nipton Trading Post, the only store in town. And, yes, the town is rife with ramshackle buildings from more vibrant times. Sure, its major industries of mining and ranching pulled out years ago. Nipton – population 16 – is no ordinary ghost town. Visitors to Nipton can learn more about the small town at the Trading Post. River Mountains Loop Trail, Boulder City, NV admission is free A great spot for rentals in Boulder City is All Mountain Cyclery, which charges about $40 for an all-day rental with helmet and tire pump. The best way to experience the Loop is by bike. Locals call these rises the “Three Sisters.” Perhaps the most treacherous portion of the trail comes between Lake Las Vegas and Henderson – three successive hills, each taller and more challenging than the last. Another highlight: A spur trail to the Hoover Dam that follows an old railroad right-of-way created to help build the dam itself. It opened formally in 2012, the result of a public-private partnership more than 20 years in the making.Ībout one-third of the route winds through Lake Mead National Recreation Area, hugging the shores of the glimmering manmade lake and snaking around rumpled hillsides. The paved trail skirts the River Mountains about 45 minutes southeast of the Strip, connecting Boulder City, Henderson and the wilderness between. Regional trails don’t get more scenic than the 34-mile River Mountains Loop Trail. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV, 89005 +1 702 902-0431 admission is free Four female members of this group – all over 70 years old – fought tirelessly for park designation until it happened. Tule Springs has two other claims to fame: It was one of the first parks set aside to tell the story of Pleistocene paleontology, and it was the first site where scientists first applied radiocarbon dating in the United States.īecause it’s so new, Tule (pronounced too-lee) Springs doesn’t have any designated trails or facilities instead the park service distributes maps that take visitors on walking tours.Īs you roam the site, look out for volunteer docents from the nonprofit Protectors of Tule Springs. Located 30 minutes northwest of Las Vegas, the area is teeming with fossils that date back all the way to the Ice Age – mammoths, lions and camels, to name a few. The past is present at this site, which in 2014 became a National Park Service site. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument While the bridge comes off as a bit cheesy, there’s no denying its beauty. The lake also is a popular destination for golfers, as it’s surrounded by three different courses including Reflection Bay, which has been ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the world by Golf Magazine.Īt the far western edge of the lake, near a tiny (and contrived) “village” named MonteLago, the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa stretches across on a bridge with archways, a modern-day homage to the Ponte Vecchio in Italy. Flanked by resorts and pricey homes (Celine Dion has one here), the 320-acre Lake Las Vegas, about 40 minutes southeast of the Strip, is a recreation hotspot, with local outfitters renting kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and rowboats to poke around the shoreline.
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