RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA, Las Vegas
http://www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov

Gambling isn’t my thing (unless you count being in a business based upon the weather), but nature is. During a recent (and my first) trip to Vegas, my husband and I were lucky enough to visit the Mojave Desert during its spring wildflower season. Unfortunately, a housing development is up to the edge of the wilderness area. In speaking to a volunteer at the site, I learned that this steady encroachment on Red Rock Canyon has created many issues for the wildlife as well as the plants. This volunteer worked at a tortoise-rescue plot, one of the many new initiatives established to preserve habitat and wildlife in the face of new development. Constantly reminding the current administration of our conservation priorities is a good thing in my book. Politics aside, visiting Red Rock Canyon can make you feel more connected, not just to nature, but to an even more-profound energy.

Harsh light & shadow made me appreciate our more gentle, Midwestern environment.

click on photos for larger view [1]		[2]		[3]
[4]		[5]		[6]
[7]		[8]		[9]
[10]		[11]