Recreation
Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge |
|
Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge Details
- Hours of operation: Visitors Center is usually open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Call ahead as hours vary because of limited staff.
- Cost: Free.
- Payment options: Not applicable.
- Location / Distance from Las Vegas: About two hours from Las Vegas. From the Strip, take I-15 north to U.S. 95 north to southbound Nevada Route 160. Three miles from Pahrump, turn right on Bell Vista Road to the south entrance of the refuge.
- Travel options: Bus, private vehicle.
- On the way: Enjoy the desert scenery as you head to Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge.
- Amenities: None.
- What you'll need: Be sure to bring plenty of water, sun screen, and hats during the hot summer months. Also, make sure to have a full tank of gas before leaving Las Vegas.
Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge Review
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is one of those unexpected Mojave Desert surprises.
Barely an hour by car from the hottest and driest place in the continent -- Death Valley -- Ash Meadows is an extensive oasis of over 23,000 acres of pure spring water-fed marshes and blue-green streams and pools.
Located about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Ash Meadows is filled with wildlife, from birds like the desert Phainopepla and insects like dragonflies to reptiles like the Chuckwalla and mammals like coyote. But Ash Meadows is most famous for its fish - the rare pupfish that dart about its waterways. Tiny and glinting, the pupfish are among the 24 Ash Meadows ecosystem animals that are found nowhere else in the world.
Stroll along the wooden boardwalks that run along Ash Meadow's Crystal Spring main viewing area and peer into the transparent waters. A number of interpretive signs explain the environment to visitors. Rangers are sometimes available for questions and further information.
Other areas of Ash Meadows include the dramatic Point of Rocks, Jackrabbit Spring and Crystal Reservoir.
This is a fantastic area for nature lovers and photographers.
-- Review by Greg Thilmont
