Sober in Vegas: Spring Mountain Ranch State Park

~ Sober In Vegas

Hello sober friends!

Before I get to today’s alcohol-free activity, I wanted to give a shout out to my favorite local Vegas podcast Latinos Who Lunch and a video just released featuring the hosts.

The link for the video is here (which you can watch even if you don’t have Facebook…like me…) and is just such an incredible reminder of the many histories Las Vegas carries.

Spring Mountain Ranch is the subject of today’s alcohol-free adventure.

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A view from the entrance to Spring Mountain Ranch

Spring Mountain Ranch has hundreds of years of history to share.

It’s been everything from an alternate route for the Spanish Trail to a site for the Paiute Native Americans to a luxury resort for movie stars to a retreat location for early american corporations.

Today, it’s an amazing spot to picnic, enjoy the outdoors, and during the summer even see a show!

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Mountain view at the ranch

Today, you can enter the park for $9 and enjoy a day learning about Nevada history and being outdoors.

Spring Mountain Ranch is home to some of the oldest buildings in the Las Vegas area, and the main ranch house (pictured below) has volunteer docents who are eager to give the history of the park.

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Sunshine on the main ranch house
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An interior view of the furnished main ranch house

Guided tours are available when there are enough volunteers present, and they always offer self-guided tours.

There is also a small but well stocked gift store that has a great selection of books featuring local history, plants, rocks, and culture in addition to snacks and beverages.

In addition to the historical element here, there are also some really nice outdoor opportunities.

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One of the trail options at SMR

We did a few of the trails here, and all were relatively easy-moderate, and each of them were between one and three miles.

There are a few longer and more challenging options, but I wanted to mention that there is opportunity to do low key hiking/walking here if you only have an hour or two to explore.

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A view from the Ash Grove Trail
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Further in the Ash Grove Trail

The Lake Harriet loop was probably my favorite.

It has a good amount of foot traffic, but offers opportunities to still feel isolated and quiet while looking onto the beautiful water here.

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Walking the Lake Harriet Loop
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A view of all the lush plant life around Lake Harriet

We also enjoyed walking the Overlook Trails.  This trail system went past an old historical cemetery!

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The entrance to the Overlook Trails
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The view along the Overlook Trails

And finally, there are still some livestock living at the ranch.

There are 2 or 3 beautiful and happy cows enjoying the sunshine and grass of Spring Mountain Ranch–and they are friendly and happy to have you give them a pet on the nose!

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Oh, hello friend…

This is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon.

I recommend packing a picnic lunch, your hiking shoes, and your notebook to learn about Nevada history, get some sunshine on a walk, and in the summers–make sure to come back and see a show at Super Summer Theatre!

Thanks for reading and Happy Sobering friends!

16 thoughts on “Sober in Vegas: Spring Mountain Ranch State Park”

  1. When were these shots taken? I love those skies. The last time we were here was a couple of years ago and it was a little too hot. But I loved seeing those old buildings. And the hikes we took were not difficult at all. I might visit this week if the skies cooperate. And the temperature isn’t too high.

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    1. We visited earlier this year! It was not too hot and the overcast weather was really nice. 🙂 We especially the ranch house–I had no idea it was there! And if you haven’t seen a show during the summer nights–that’s a great time to enjoy because it’s never too hot up there in the evening! 🙂

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      1. Again, it was years ago. How much do the shows cost now? And you can bring your own food and drinks, right? I remember sitting on the grass, but others had seats.

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        2. Why would anyone want to watch a play with a pet? Ours won’t even sit still when we watch a Netflix movie! 🙂 Thanks for the info.

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  2. I’m pleased to discover your site. Haven’t gotten to the Vegas area for some time, but I’m delighted to have some new hikes to investigate. We never get tired of Red Rocks, but we do need to branch out! Thanks for visiting Under Western Skies.

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  4. I’ve been meaning to comment for a few days, but finally have a chance 🙂 I just wanted to say that I love reading your posts and your writing style. Thanks so much for sharing these lovely places with all of us!

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