Valley of Fire and Hoover Dam day trip!

 We decided to head to the desert again while the temps are still good there and warmer than the higher elevations this time of year.  We had gone to Valley of Fire in NV a few weeks ago and spent a great day there, but ran out of time and missed a couple more things on the map that we still wanted to see.  Today that was our first stop.  We came in at the west entrance this time and saw Atlatl Rock, Arch Rock and some amazing petrified logs.  We also checked out the campsites there which were really great!  

Next we drove a new, very beautiful and full of amazing geology highway down to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.  We drove through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area for the first time I think.  We went down one road to view the lake and then stopped by the Visitor's Center and got more information and watched a little movie and found out about a Historic Railroad Trail Hike below the Lake Mead Visitor Center.  

The 2.6 (one way) Historic Railroad Trail takes us back to 1931 when the federal government partnered with Six Companies, Inc., a consortium of six major western construction firms, to build nearly 30-miles of railroad connecting the Hoover Dam and Boulder City with cement mixing plants, quarry pits, a gravel sorting plant, and other resources in Las Vegas needed to build the dam.  The railroad tracks were dismantled in 1962. This trail was established in 1992, and connection to the Hoover Dam became open to the public in 2007.  The trail includes 5 tunnels.  We loved doing it and the views of the lake from it are beautiful.  

After that we drove over to the dam and walked out onto Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman bridge to view the dam.  It is really amazing.  Then we tried to go to the dam visitor's center, but it is being remodeled and isn't open.  But, we did get to go on the last dam tour of the day which was really interesting and then we walked out on the dam itself!  It turned out to be a really fun, interesting day seeing new places and learning about them.  We stopped in Mesquite on the way home for dinner.  It was a full day that we really enjoyed!