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Hidden Beauty Page 12
For individuals who want to experience the thrills of strenuous rock
scrambling, the Calico Hills o er several possibilities. One of the favorite
scrambling destinations for local hikers is a deep red sandstone forma-
tion at the north end of the Calico Hills known primarily as Red Cap but
also called Turtlehead Junior. .
The high ridge of the Calico Hills south of Red Cap includes a number of Mushroom Rock
unique tanks. Some of these are totally surrounded by rock and lose water only through evaporation. Others
have outlets that release water when full, allowing for occasional waterfalls down the sides of the sandstone,
Organized hikes to these locations in the Calico Hills are o ered several
times each year through the auspices of Red Rock Canyon Interpretive
Association. If you have the desire to experience the beauty of the Calico
Hills rst hand and are in suitable physical condition, consider participat-
ing in one of these guided RRCIA o erings, which are free to the public.
You can obtain hike information and schedules by accessing their web
site at www.redrockcanyonlv.org and checking out "The Trail Source" or
"Hikes and Programs." Information is generally presented a few months
in advance so you can mark your calendar.
Red Rock
Re ections
Calico View
Page 7
convincing their neighbors that the regulations required for protection are not heavy-handed government
intrusions but guarantees of a better, sustainable future for everyone.
There is still much work to do. But on its tenth birthday, let’s make a wish for the National Conservation
Lands as they blow out the candles on their cake. Two hundred years from now, here’s hoping that Meri-
wether Lewis’s words still apply, and it will seem as if those scenes of visionary enchantment will never have
an end.
Dayton Duncan is author of a number of books about the American West and most recently wrote and produced Ken Burns’s
documentary on the history of the national parks. He is board member of the Conservation Lands Foundation.
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