Nevada and California National Park Tour With Georgia State University

On March 17th, Hailey (our supervisor) and I flew out to Las Vegas to meet the ten participants of our spring break outdoor recreation trip. Our plan was to camp and climb at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for two nights, head to Death Valley National Park for two days, and end our trip back in Nevada at Valley of Fire State Park, with a stop at the Hoover Dam along the way.

Things started to go wrong before we even left Atlanta. Three participants had their flights canceled due to weather, a wind advisory in Red Rock forced us to find a new campsite and rearrange the schedule, and van rental issues also caused a delayed start. Despite the challenges, we sorted everything out, went grocery shopping, picked up our stove rental, and headed to Las Vegas Bay Campground in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. After arriving, we made it to the Hoover Dam just after sunset. We explored the bridge and rushed back to camp for dinner, but the wind was too strong to use the stoves—so we ate lunch food inside the van and headed to bed.

The next morning, we woke up bright and early. Hailey had picked up the final three participants at the airport at 1 a.m., so our first stop was back at the Hoover Dam so they could see it. We then drove to Valley of Fire State Park, which blew us away. Every rock formation was bigger and more colorful than expected. We saw a bighorn sheep at the visitor center and then did a short hike nearby. After that, we explored Mouse’s Tank Trail, known for its petroglyphs, followed by lunch and a hike on the White Domes Loop, which included a small slot canyon. Our final hike was to the Fire Wave, a beautiful, swirled sandstone formation. Valley of Fire was a great way to kick off the trip. That night, we drove to Red Rock Canyon and set up camp.

The next day, we woke up to a stunning sunrise and packed up to head to Death Valley National Park. The drive took us past salt flats and fields of Joshua trees. We stopped at Zabriskie Point before arriving at Furnace Creek Campground. That day, we hiked the Mesquite Sand Dunes (where parts of Star Wars were filmed), walked around the rim of Ubehebe Crater, and ended with an interpretive hike at Harmony Borax Works.

On day two in Death Valley, we woke up before 6 a.m. to catch sunrise at Zabriskie Point. Then, we explored Badwater Basin salt flats, the lowest point in North America, and hiked to Natural Bridge, where we saw dried waterfalls. Driving through Artist’s Palette, we admired the vibrant rock formations, then continued north to Mosaic Canyon. This 4-mile hike through slot canyons was a trip highlight. We wrapped up with long-overdue showers at Stovepipe Wells Hotel before returning to camp.

Our final full day was dedicated to climbing at Red Rock Canyon. The banded mountain ridges and red, pink, and orange hues were breathtaking. Hailey and I, both climbers, were especially excited, and it did not disappoint. We started at Hamlet Wall, where most participants climbed either their first-ever route or their first outdoor route. Everyone pushed themselves. Later, we moved to Amusement Park Wall to escape the sun. This shaded area was perfect for lunch and relaxing. We met two groups of climbers and spent the rest of the day encouraging each other through tough routes and cheering each other on. Everyone agreed this was the best day of the trip.

Despite the rocky start, this trip turned out to be unforgettable. The landscapes were incredible, and the experience was extra special because half our group were international graduate students—many of whom had never seen the desert or been out West. Watching a group of people ranging from their early 20s to their 40s come together to share these firsts was truly rewarding. Thank you to National Park Trust for making this trip possible.