The road to the Grand Canyon

We Left Lake Havasu City yet again at around 08:30, today en-route to Las Vegas and return to dear old Blighty. Decided to take the backroads this time, that’s to Kingman, AZ then to Dolan Springs, Lake Mead and finally Henderson on the outskirts of Las Vegas. We had seen signs to the Grand Canyon on interstate 40 around Kingman stating it was 200 miles ahead. That, of course is to the South Rim and National Park. If you instead go via Dolan Springs the road leads to the Skywalk and various tours. The road is interesting enough for most though.

The road to the Grand Canyon from Dolan Springs

Snow and a Wigwam

The edge of the Grand Canyon from afar.

Snow and the Grand Canyon Escarpments

The Joshua Tree Forest

 

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Nipton – California

Nipton – Gateway to the Mojave National Preserve. An historic Mojave Desert town having its roots in the nineteenth century mining and ranching industries of the western United States and is located on the northern boundary of Mojave National Preserve.

There’s … A stage coach line from Searchlight, Nevada, it was established to carry passengers and freight to the town and the railhead. … Post Office records for the period of 1907 – 1909 show a S.D. Karns as the Postmaster in Nipton.

The history of Nipton is on the plaque. Joshua trees and railhead show here

The history of Nipton, California

No this isn’t the ‘Hotel California’ featured in the Eagles song……but it could have been

Nipton railroad and solar farm in the distance

A Bit of Arizona

From Lake Havasu City Arizona to just below Boulder City Nevada. A journey of around 150 miles through some rugged high desert country to the staggeringly beautiful mountain scenes of southern Nevada.

Joshua tree and arid high desert landscape

Hillbilly gas station at Yucca near Kingman Arizona

Some old trucks stored outside in the desert of Arizona

Lake Mead a lake on the Colorado River, about 24 miles southeast of the city of Las Vegas. It is the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity and located in Mohave County, Arizona and Clark County, Nevada.

The lower Colorado river that runs into Lake Mead. From US93 and the recreation area

Having fun at the Imperial dunes near Yuma AZ. close to the the border with Mexico

 

The Mohave Desert

Still hanging around in this area of California. The Mohave Desert has cast some sort of spell over me. I can’t get enough of the place for some strange reason, it’s arid and barren with some unusual plants and cacti including the Joshua Tree, it’s hot and dusty yet strangely beautiful.

This vast desert which straddles 3 states, namely, California, Arizona and Nevada has a bewitching effect on many who travel through it. Travellers pitch tents, build shacks and homes in odd places, leave personal objects, mainly old trainers and shoes or names spelt out with stones seemingly to prove they been there.

Hanging shoes and railway wagons in the Mohave desert.

Abandoned tv and a desert view

State road 62 through the Mohave

The momento’s left behind in the Mohave desert.

Wreck of an old gas station

 

 

Lake Havasu to Joshua Tree

Wild Burro’s  were first introduced into the Desert Southwest of the USA by Spaniards in the 1500’s, they have long ears, a short mane and reach a height of up to 5 feet at the shoulders. They vary in colour from black to brown to grey.

Wild Burro’s on the road from Parker, Arizona to the Joshua Tree State Park, California.

Morning thought and information at the hotel in Lake Havasu City, Arizona

The Mojave Desert is an arid rain-shadow desert and the driest desert in North America. It is located in the southwestern United States, primarily within southeastern California and southern Nevada, and it occupies a total of 47,877 sq miles (124,000 km²). Very small areas also extend into Utah and Arizona, Its boundaries are generally noted by the presence of Joshua Trees.

Desert shrubs in the Mohave.

Arizona to California

Monster Energy cup race at Phoenix on Sunday 11/03/18

The road to Salome, Arizona

On the ferry from Lake Havasu City, Arizona on Lake Havasu

Cibola and the desert

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River between Arizona and California and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. Just 60 or so miles from the Mexican border and as hot as red chilli’s in the summer. Luckily we visited in March and the temperature peaked at 85*F so we managed to go for a walk and stop off at the lake.

A walk in the woods taking great care to watch out for rattlesnakes and bobcats

Wildfowl on the lake at Cibola

The Algodones Dunes is a large area located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of California, near the border with Arizona and the Mexican state of Baja California. This image was taken after leaving Cibola heading to Yuma via the backroads.

Part of the Imperial desert preserve off interstate 8.