Our New Most Favorite Place on the Planet

April 12 - 13, 2016
Boulder City, NV

U.S. 93 is one of those nearly flat, nearly straight, highways that make for a nice, uneventful drive - with just enough pretty scenery to keep us interested for the short, 80 mile, trip to Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

We're always early getting to our next stop, usually before the "official" check-in time. It's no different this time except we have to wait 15 minutes for the park host to come on duty at noon. Then we can move to our site two hours early (yay).

Boulder Creek Campground is a terraced park with the every-other-one set-up for each row except the lake view sites at the bottom. Our site faces the lake from the top row and our views are amazing. 

I'm taken back by the beauty here. Like other places I've read about and seen photos of, there's nothing like seeing it in person. I guess this is why we decided to travel instead of buy a bunch of videos :-)

For the first time since November we sleep with all the windows open, the low is 58 degrees overnight (our high last week). 

The first place I want to see here is Valley of Fire State Park. We leave at 10 AM and return after 6 PM.

In between we find the most spectacular place we have ever seen. Really. It's number one on our ever-growing list. 

The 40-plus miles of scenic drive on the way there take forever as I pull over so many times to take photos.

We find a pull-off to a small arroyo

with an amazing red rock wall

and our first signs of desert flora.

Finding shells in the multi-layers of the wall

The highway provides endless color

Red Mountain is a destination of its own

with arches in the distance

and holes along the trail

We can't believe we aren't "there yet".

Side note: fill up your fuel tank before taking this route. 

A happy sight at Echo Bay 

with an opportunity for anyone seeking a middle-of-no-where position (no lake access)

At the park entrance we pay our $10 fee and can't believe we're going to see anything more amazing than we've already seen today. Ha!

Half way through the park we are long out of adjectives. By the time we leave we're making plans to spend a week next Spring.

The first thing that captures us is the intense color

Built by the CCC in 1935, using native sandstone, The Cabins housed visitors to the park for several years. 

Amazing views from the little windows

You never know who's going to show up at the door.....

The small creek nearby makes a lovely setting

A large wall of petroglyphs behind the cabins are hard to capture in this light - some are dated at 5000 years old.

We pull over several times just to enjoy the long views

Rocket Rock

There are numerous "handle" arches throughout the park

One of the Seven Sisters.  This Day Use area provides picnic tables and pit toilets.

Red Rock Doggie

Hanging out by the Visitors Center

As if the rocks and vistas aren't enough, there is a bounty of  spring flowers

The landing party was no where in sight.....

Chocolate and vanilla ice cream melting into a creek bed

Mind-blowing colors

in every direction

No words......

We drive through the campground. There are 22 w/e sites and we pick #'s 32 and 35 as the best. We want to be here next year at this time and spend days exploring this incredible place. Unfortunately the sites are all first come-first serve which is challenging because it is 40 miles in both directions to find another place if none are available. We'll probably take the chance - because it's the most beautiful place we've ever seen.