River Mountains Loop Trail

Wildflowers of Railroad Pass, Nevada…..April 24, 2010

April 24th, 2010 Earth Day  Weekend –  The photo’s posted herein were taken on Saturday April 24th, 2010.  We were doing our “Trail Watch”  work along the trail from Railroad Pass Casino (MM 0.0 east to MM 32.5).  We started early at 6:30 a.m. to beat the heat and to get the best color contrast for photos.  We found the best flowers not far from the trail and best over the first mile over to the Cascata Bridge.  We also parallel the railroad tracks for most of the first two miles also.   With camera in hand, a five gallon bucket for trash, grippers, and a small street broom for sweeping rocks we set out….while picking  up trash along the tracks & trail the sun on the tracks called out to me…..  

Rails to Boulder City early morning 4-24-10

Beaver tail cactus were all along the trail most with just a bloom or two opening the best yet to come.  We also noted up on the mountain side in gullies and drainages lots of yellow brittlebush in full bloom, the entire area yellow from a distance…. the yellow contrasted with the dark brown and black volcanic rocks were awe-inspiring. 

Cresote Bush in bloom with Brittle Bush on hillside 42410

Along with the wildflowers we found the droppings  of nature’s worst insect, “The Litterbug”.  In our opinion the trash came from the freeway and not trail users based on location and droppings found.  The worst item repeatedly found this day was t-paper, unrolled and stuck in bushes, you ever try to pick up t-paper?  This stuff was not used, but allowed to unroll in the wind of a speeding car then let loose…  Here is a photo of the days “litterbug’ harvest… 

Litterbug droppings harvest along trail 42410

 Despite the litterbug sightings we did enjoy all the wildflowers along the way.  The “Stone Hedge” trailhead at Bootleg Canyon proves to be a very  interesting photo backdrop along the trail.  We discovered several small barrel cactus in full bloom on our way back to Railroad Pass…..they were on the uphill side of the trail. I’ll include one here and more in the photo gallery below.  There is much color to be seen out there and you have two weeks before it has peaked (Mothers Day); so get your camera, your hiking boots on and get out there.  Don’t just take my word for it… 

Barrel cactus two blooms RRpass 42410

We finished our day by viewing the Southern Nevada Railways train pulling into Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino at 10:20 a.m. followed by a great breakfast at the hotel coffee shop.  Saturday mornings  in  the April desert don’t get any better….:) 

Photo Gallery of Desert blooms Railroad Pass, Nevada:

 

 

Wildflowers – “Take Photos, Leave only Footprints”

April 17th, 2010 – This quote applies to wildflowers, too.  Which means take pictures and do not pick!  This a.m. on an early morning trek on the River Mountains Loop Trail within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, we came across a nice collection of Giant Sunrays, Enceliopisis argophylla, when to our amazement we saw where someone had picked at least ten (10) flowers out of the grouping of three or four plants.  What a shame and waste….not to mention it is illegal to pick and remove any wildflowers or shrubs from a National Recreation Area.  Here is a photo of the Giant Sunray: 

Giant Sunray, Enceliopsis argophylla, April 17, 2010

This April morning was just perfect for wildflower viewing.  My wife and I entered the trail at Mile Mark 12 near the NPS fee entrance station on Lake Mead Parkway and walked east along the trail taking photos and enjoying the morning. We hit the trail at 6:15 a.m. just at sunrise so shadows were long and contrasts were good.  The creosote bush was dark green and full of yellow blooms everywhere along the trail.  We came up on a Pigmy Cedar, Peucephyllum schottii, all covered in this yellow/orange web stuff called “dodder” which is a parasite.  Here is a photo of cedar and “dodder”: 

Pigmy Cedar, Peucephyllum schottii, with "dodder" parasite growing April 17, 201-

 

WE found the desert about as green as it has been in recent memory and its sparse at that.  the soils are very harsh so plants  have to produce quickly before the summer heat cooks them.  We found lots of yellow flowers, several in the white and one in purple which I’ll identify in the gallery that follows.  We hiked in 2.5 miles and turned around at Mile Marker 14.5 which offers a grand overlook of Lake Mead from the Las Vegas Wash/Marina area.  The Muddy Mountains are off in the Northeast some 15-miles, Lava Butte just north about 4-miles, and southeast across the lake is Fortification Hill and Mt. Wilson.  During our 2.5 hour adventure we greeted 27 cyclists on the trail, one jogger, and one walker.  No dogs, no coyotes, no snakes, no tortoise, but it was very quiet.   I did note a lot of scat on the edge of the trail, mostly coyote I would guess. 

PHOTO GALLERY OF APRIL 17TH, 2010 WILDFLOWERS: 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Camera…….Action…..On the trail this spring

March 19, 2010 –  By tomorrow winter is over and spring is here.  Get your camera’s out and hit the trail.  With the wet winter, well over 3″ of rain, our desert trail will look like a trail through green fields.  Well at least for the next month or two. Wild flowers and wild life should be abundant.  And remember, Henderson has a photo contest each fall during National Trails Day for the best trail photos taken in Henderson.  I’ll be out this weekend with my camera and hopefully next week I can post a few green photos here to prove my point.

Wildflowers Spring 2009

You can ride your bike, but I prefer to walk/hike it that way you would miss anything….Tortoise will be out soon and so will snakes so watch out.  I got a great photo last fall of a brown Tarantula on the trail; spring last year several tortoise photos.  Other friends have photos of big horn sheep on trail etc.

RMLT Desert Green Mountains at Railroad Pass 3-20-2010

 

Here is a photo I took in Spring 2010 which I entered into Henderson’s Trail photo contest and won second in this category…

Wildflowers & bike riders Lake Mead April 2011

Discovery Trail – History, Wildlife, Forces of Nature, Educational Tool

 

DISCOVERY TRAIL –  Yes, I believe the River Mountains Loop Trail is a discovery trail.  It is a great place for families to discover the desert world around them.  Young kids need a chance to explore and discover the world around them.  This is free for the taking sort of speaking.  At the various trail heads history or nature is intrepreted  for the user.  Along the trail waysides are being designed an installed telling about the history, wildlife, plants or some force of nature.  Plus there is the experience of discovering nature for yourself right there on the trail.  I tell many of my friends and hiking buddies that if they really want to see the world around them, then “Take a Hike” in it. 

Trails are all about discovery….what is around the next bend?…over the next hill? under the next tree or bush?  what is that old structure over there?…where do those power lines come from….where are they going?…what type of cacti?…bird, rabbit, snake, bug, lizard, rock, bush, etc? is that.  Do animals really live in the desert?  What types?

If one does a little reading and research before heading out on the trail you will be amazed at the local history right here in your back yard.  One of the goals of the River Mountains Trail Partnership is to help all trail users discover what the River Mountains has to teach us.   Take a little time read some of the BLOG categories and discover.  I have been at this about 18 months and have only discovered the tip of the iceberg.

Many of you ride the trail on bikes for recreation and exercise, but you are missing the discovery.  It is my personal goal over the next year to walk/hike every mile of the trail and personally discover all it has to offer.  How about you?

Here are just a few things along the trail to be Discovered and in no particular order:  HOOVER DAM…SADDLE ISLAND…FISH HATCHERY…RED MOUNTAIN…ALUNITE MINE…RAILROAD PASS…BOOTLEG CANYON…FLOOD CHANNELS… POWER LINES…GOLD MINES….THREE KIDS MINE…MOVIE FILMED HERE…MAGIC TREE…BMI WATER LINE…WATER RECLAMATION…COYOTES…BIG HORN SHEEP…BEAVER TAIL CACTUS…CRESOTE BUSH…TEXAS ACRES…SIXES COMPANY…HISTORIC RAILROAD…DESERT TORTOISE…MANGANESE MINING…AND SO ON.

Wild flowers of The River Mountains Loop Trail

 
Blazing Star -Mentzella tricuspus 2009

Blazing Star -Mentzella tricuspus 2009

 Mentzelia tricuspus in the Blazing Star Family.The common names are blazing star, desert corsage or velcro plant. The last two names are derived from the stiff re-curved hairs on the leaves that makes the plant stick to clothing. Its common throughout the Mojave Desert in gravels at low elevations.  Photo by rmltman 3-21-09

 

Desert Senna @Railroad Pass 2008

Desert Senna @ Railroad Pass 2008This wildflower specimen was show casing fall of 2008 near Railroad Pass. Diane is doing her Trail Watch trash pick up near by. ÂÂ

 

Desert Senna Boulder city April 2009

Desert Senna Boulder city April 2009

The Desert Senna abounds in the River Mountains foothills along the trail.  The Desert Senna (cassia armata) in this photo taken April 28th is found near the trail below Cascada Golf Course in the Boulder City foothills.

Wildflower Gallery:

 

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