Red Rock Canyon is one of the natural wonders in the Las Vegas area and I really do enjoy spending time out there.  Every time I find something new and surprising, and this time was no different.  Red Rock Canyon is just a short drive west from Las Vegas, some of it can actually be seen from the Strip if you are awake at the right time of day.  For those that want to venture out for a pleasant escape, there is a thirteen mile scenic drive which is an amazement all on its own.  Several parking areas along the scenic drive provide ample and spectacular photographic opportunities.   Each of the parking areas, are situated at trail heads with a variety of hikes ranging from easy to strenuous.

Each of these hikes can provide you with a different view into the ecology of the Red Rock Canyon area.  Some of the hikes are at a higher elevation, meaning you are likely to see more greenery than some of the lower elevations.  The plant life at Red Rock Canyon varies throughout the seasons.  Early on in the year Joshua Trees display a beautiful bloom of flowers to extend their height.  Spring brings a variety of wildflowers, some of which will show up on this blog from time to time or in my website portfolio (which is about to get an overhaul).

Despite hiking there several times, I had not yet seen the seasonal waterfall at the end of the Lost Creek Trail – this really is due to not coming at the right time of year or after a dry winter.  Over the last few months we have had more rain in the Las Vegas area than the last several years combined, so the possibility of the waterfall actually flowing was pretty great.  Our first peek came about 3/4 of the way up, this first image inviting us to climb higher to find the source.

©320photography Nikon D300 ISO500 f/5.6 200mm 1/25th sec (handheld)

From this vantage point we could hear the rushing waterfall, almost drowning out the calm trickle this mini-waterfall provides.  Crossing a few more streams and up a bit more in elevation and you come upon the seasonal waterfall on Lost Creek Trail.

©320photography Nikon D300 ISO500 HDR of five images at 18mm

Finally, I can say I have seen this waterfall.  Water is such a precious commodity in the desert, it is treasured and something that causes desert dwellers a great deal of excitement.  When the rains come, we celebrate.  I grew up in the land of 10,000 lakes, so this certainly is not the first body of water or waterfall I have experienced in my lifetime.  Living in the desert for the past 11 years has made me appreciate and miss the water at a greater level than I had ever anticipated.  I feel honored to have seen this natural part of life and will treasure the personal experience for a long time.

The best surprise of the day actually came after visiting the waterfall.  Generally it is expected to see the beauty of natural rock formations, desert plant life and probably small rodent or reptilian wildlife when visiting Red Rock Canyon.  We were blessed with seeing some burros early on the scenic drive (unfortunately the photographer was not quick enough to get the camera out in time).  On the descent from the higher elevations, approaching the end of the scenic drive, we saw something moving out amongst the brush.  Stopping the vehicle to try to get confirmation that something was really out there provided us with a sight so glorious that the visit to the waterfall was briefly forgotten.  A family of deer was wandering through the brush, eating while in the midst of a slow migration towards the mountains.  Five of them total, at least two (if not three) of them young bucks, with their antlers roughly double the height of their head.  Each time a car would rush by, a head or two would pop up to make sure the coast was clear.  The passengers of these cars have no idea what they were missing.  We followed them for roughly thirty minutes, watching them trek and eat.

©320photography Nikon D300 ISO 500 f/5.6 200mm 1/500th sec

I have never been disappointed with a visit to Red Rock Canyon and go back frequently.  The wildflowers will begin blooming soon, turning the brownish ground into a bed of orange flowers.  I look forward to coming back.

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