Nevada and Utah

Today, Andy and Terry will hit the road again. Andy wants to visit some more National Parks. He's never been to Great Basin National Park near the Nevada - Utah border. It's located a few hundred miles north of Las Vegas; it lies between Reno and Salt Lake City, in the middle of nowhere. Andy likes to go places he's never been to before. It's time to visit Nature!

They head their car toward I -15 and climb up Cajon Pass which puts them in Victorville, in the High Desert.

Their first stop is Barstow, where Terry likes to visit the Outlet Malls.

The next part of the road trip will take them to Terrible's Resorts in Primm Valley at the Nevada Stateline. Terry wants to visit the casinos there.








They also have a large indoor Fashion Outlet mall next to one of the hotels.




The next day, Terry and Andy drive through Las Vegas, then, 28 miles past Las Vegas they get off of
I -15 and travel north on Highway 93, The Great Basin Highway, to see places they've never seen before.

They drive for a hundred miles, gaining elevation the whole time. They stop for lunch in Caliente, Nevada, miles from nowhere. Several pairs of hunters stop by at the restaurant wearing camouflage suits. They talk about "the deer that got away."




The old Caliente train depot.





By late afternoon they arrive in Ely, Nevada, where they spend the night. There is snow on the mountains nearby. The elevation is around 7,000 feet.




Ely's mountains.






Andy and Terry finally reach Great Basin National Park, near tiny Baker, Nevada. There is a lot of scenery to enjoy up here.









Now it's time to make their way over to Utah, taking the back roads. Eventually they reach I - 15 again, at Cedar City, Utah, home of Southern Utah State College.



The following day, Andy insists on visiting his favorite park, Zion National Park, down near Saint George, Utah. The morning air is very cool here. They decide to take a hike up along the Virgin River.






Andy, at the Zion Visitor's Center.






The Virgin River is beautiful today, and pretty cold.



























End of the Trail.


After the hike, Terry and Andy take another drive. They fit in one more stop to Pipe Springs National Monument, an old Morman fortified settlement, just across the border in Arizona. This place is in a pretty isolated location, on Indian land.



They finally stop for the night in Saint George, Utah. They rest up for the four hundred mile drive home the next day. Their Great Basin, Nevada & Utah Adventure has lasted for five days.