Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

metropolis, do stop off at Inside Scoop , 395 S. Moapa Valley Blvd. (& 702/
397-2055), open daily from 11am to 6pm. It’s a sweet, old-fashioned ice-cream
parlor run by extremely friendly people, with a proper menu that, in addition to
classic sandwiches and the like, features some surprising choices—a vegetarian
sandwich and a fish salad with crab and shrimp, for example. Everything is quite
tasty and fresh. They also do box lunches, perfect for picnicking inside the park.
We strongly recommend coming by here on your way in for a box lunch, and then
coming by afterward for a much-needed cooling ice cream.
At the southern edge of town is the Lost City Museum , 721 S. Moapa Valley
Blvd. (& 702/397-2193), a sweet little museum, very nicely done, commemorating
an ancient Anasazi village that was discovered in the region in
1924. Artifacts dating back 12,000 years are on display, as are clay jars, dried
corn and beans, arrowheads, seashell necklaces, and willow baskets from the
ancient Pueblo culture that inhabited this region between A.D. 300 and 1150.
Other exhibits document the Mormon farmers who settled the valley in the
1860s. A large collection of local rocks—petrified wood, fern fossils, iron pyrite,
green copper, and red iron oxide—along with manganese blown bottles turned
purple by the ultraviolet rays of the sun are also displayed here. The museum is
surrounded by reconstructed wattle-and-daub pueblos. Admission is $2, free for
children under 18. The museum is open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Closed
Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.
Information headquarters for Valley of Fire is the visitor center on Nev. 169, 6
miles west of Northshore Road (& 702/397-2088). It’s open daily from 8:30am
to 4:30pm and is worth a quick stop for information and a bit of history before
entering the park. Exhibits on the premises explain the origin and geologic history
of the park’s colorful sandstone formations, describe the ancient peoples who
carved their rock art on canyon walls, and identify the plants and wildlife you’re
likely to see. Postcards, books, slides, and films are on sale here, and you can pick
up hiking maps and brochures. Rangers can answer your park-related questions.
For Web information on the park, surf over to http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm.
There are hiking trails, shaded picnic sites, and two campgrounds in the
park. Most sites are equipped with tables, grills, water, and restrooms. A $12-
per-vehicle, per-night camping fee is charged for use of the campground; if
you’re not camping, it costs $5 per vehicle to enter the park.
Some of the notable formations in the park have been named for the shapes
they vaguely resemble—a duck, an elephant, seven sisters, domes, beehives, and
so on. Mouse’s Tank is a natural basin that collects rainwater, so named for a
fugitive Paiute called Mouse who hid there in the late 1890s. And Native American
petroglyphs etched into the rock walls and boulders—some dating from as
early as 3,000 years ago—can be observed on self-guided trails. Petroglyphs at
Atlatl Rock and Petroglyph Canyon are both easily accessible. In summer, when
temperatures are usually over 100°F (38°C), you may have to settle for driving
through the park in an air-conditioned car.
3 Red Rock Canyon £
RED ROCK CANYON 285
19 miles W of Las Vegas
If you need a break from the casinos of Vegas, with their windowless, claustrophobic,
noisy interiors, Red Rock Canyon is balm for your overstimulated soul.
Less than 20 miles away—but a world apart—this is a magnificent unspoiled
vista that should cleanse and refresh you (and if you must, a morning visit