Southwest Vacation Feb23 - Red Rock Canyon, NV

We checked out of the Trump this morning, stopped at "The Egg and I" for breakfast and then headed west.  The plan was to tour Red Rock Canyon, and then drive to the east side of Death Valley park.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservative Area requires reservations for a timed entry.  These are easy to get over the internet and we had one.
   
We started off at the Visitors Center.
   

Looking out the Visitors Center back window at some red rock.

Red Rock Canyon is basically a Scenic Drive consisting of a one way loop road of about 13 miles.   You can see the one-way road at center right.  That outdropping of red rock dead ahead is called Calico Hills and is the highlight.  It looks small from here but it isn't.  You could easily spend the whole day just hiking around Calico Hills.
   
Now we are on the road heding for Calico Hills.
   
We soon came to the Calico One overlook.  It had a big parking lot but it was full.  We were lucky to get a spot.   I understand why they have timed entry.
 
It was worth the effort as the rock was spectacular.
   
 
   
 
   
Calico One is a popular spot for rock climbers.
   
Looking at the right end of Calico Hills.
   
You could spend all day here just poking around the rocks.
   
People were all over the place.
   
 
   
See what I mean?  Calico Hills is plenty big enough once you get up close.
   
We continued on the loop road and parked at the trailhead for the Turtlehead Peak and Calico Tanks trails.  Apparently there used to be a sandstone quarry here.  These massive sandstone blocks are all that is left.
   
That is Turtlehead Peak. It's a five mile hike rated difficult.  Calico Tanks was a 2.5 mile hike rated moderate.  We decided to go with the Calico Tanks trail.  Big surprise.
   
I have learned to take a picture of the trail map with the smartphone before setting off on the hike.
   
At first the Calico Tanks trail was flat with a gravel surface.  But soon the trail turned into a climb up through a narrow ravine with lots of big rocks to climb around or over.
   
An elaborate cairn towers overhead.
   
Taking a break, looking backwards the way we came.
   
Continuing up, and up.
   
Looking to the side of the trail.
   
Looking back, and down.
   
I don't bend as well as I used to.
   
Made it!
   
Near the end of the trail was this frozen pond.  It turns out that this is Calico Tanks  -- seasonal wter present in a natural tank (tinaja).
   
We continued on a little further and discovered the real highlight of the Calico Tanks trail:  a nice view of the Las Vegas valley.
   
 
   
The Visitors Center is at center, with the Calico One parking lot at lower center.
   
You could go higher if you wanted to.  But we had had enough and chose not to.
   
Coming back down, another look at the Tinaja.
   
We thought we saw a coyote on a ledge, at center.  But then we noticed a climber to his right.  So it must have been the climber's dog, not a coyote.
   
Some big rocks.
   
A good look at Turtlehead Peak.
   
Turtlehead Peak from another vantagepoint.
   
A nice shot of Calico Hills with Las Vegas in the background.
   

One last look at Calico Hills.  Again, it looks small, but now we know that it is not. 
 
   
The center of the loop road was all scrub-desert.
   
There were rock hills on the western side but unfortunately they were in the shade as the sun was no longer behind us.
   
There were lots of hiking trails on the west side.  We were hiked out, though.  Some other day.
   
Ice Box Canyon.
   
Parked at one of the overlooks.
   
P52
   
P53
   
 
   
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