cathedral gorge

 

CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK

 

Close to 2000 acres of land that was once home to the Fremont, Anasazi and Southern Paiutes, is now a Nevada State Park preserved for visitors to experience and enjoy.  Cathedral Gorge became one of Nevada's first four state parks in 1935.

 

The spires and buff-colored cliffs are the result of geologic processes occurring over tens of millions of years.  The beauty enjoyed today had a violent beginnings, starting with explosive volcanic activity that, with each eruption, deposited layers of ash hundreds of feet thick.

During our stay, we were on the lookout for black-tailed rabbits, cottontail rabbits, packrats, kangaroo rats, mice and gophers.  We did manage to see lots of rabbits, of all types.  They were everywhere it seemed.  The animals we did not see but do visit the park are mule deer, coyotes, kit foxes and skunks.  The park also enjoys is home to several species of nonpoisonous lizards and snakes.  Rattlesnakes are seen here in spring through fall.

 





 

We did have some motorhome problems while we were at this park and we stayed a few days more than planned.  It is a beautiful park with some real nice hiking trails.  We also met some very nice folks who helped us get our rig running so we could take it and get it fixed.  Great park and a nice campground.

 

PAHRUMP NEVADA

 

We once again spent some time in Pahrump, Nevada.  Its a good size city with plenty to offer, in the way of hiking, day trips, bingo and shopping.  The hiking is what I liked about our month in Pahrump.  We managed to hike with Keith and Charlotte at the China Date Ranch and on the BLM land that surrounds Pahrump.  John Halverson and I had some good adventures on the BLM.  We hiked in the snow on the days we could and explored several canyons where we thought the wild horses would be.

We did see some of the different animals, birds and reptiles that inhabit this area.  The coyote we encountered was a pair that had been feed along the road that runs through Death Valley.  Its a shame, they tell you to not feed them because they will become a pest and have to be destroyed.  The reptiles were everywhere on the warm days but no snakes were seen.

I enjoyed my first DATE SHAKE at the China Date Ranch with Keith and Charlotte, it was as good as the Date Ranch  promised.  If you ever get to this area I recommend you try one for yourself.















When were here before we visited the Dublin Gulch caves, it was fun visit them again.  They are dug from volcanic ash from a Lava Creek eruption in Yellow Stone National Park, over 600 thousand years ago.  It is unknown when the caves were dug out and first inhabited, however they estimate that it was likely in the late 1870's.  The caves remained occupied at some extent well into the 1970's.

 

 Anytime you visit this area, and you are looking for a good hike, I recommend hiking the Wallace Canyon, its located out on the BLM land.  Keith and Charlotte hiked it with Linda and I, its was one great day.  Part of the hiking experience is navigating the snow when you go to 9000 feet.  We managed to get as far as anyone could go.  After the hike ended at the parking area, we enjoyed our picnic lunch while looking at some wonderful vista's.

 

We spent a long day at Death Valley National Park.  It is a land of extremes, it's characterized at the hottest, driest, lowest national park.  Extremes in temperature and elevation create scenic vistas and ecological niches that host startling biological diversity.  We hiked Mosaic Canyon as far as we could go.  It will always be one of my favorite canyons.  It is a popular hiking trail up a narrow polished marble-walled canyon.  The first half mile  is narrowest section.  Some slickrock scrambling is necessary.  "Mosaics " of fragments or rocks cemented together can be seen in canyon walls.  Bighorn sheep are frequently sighted in the canyon.

We did the tourist thing and drove around and viewed everything that is Death Valley.  The very floor of the valley is not what one would expect.  Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, its a surreal landscape of vast salt flats.