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8 Friends oF red rock canyon

While You Were Gone...

By Sharon Schaaf
and Pat Williams

ince March 21, Red Rock Canyon Na- utive Director, Erin McDermott, have recently been
tional Conservation Area (RRCNCA) has recruiting volunteer teams to assess the damages on
S been closed in compliance with Governor the hard hit trails, collect trash, locate and eliminate
Sisolak’s “Stay Home for Nevada” guidelines. The graffiti and provide some much needed red brome
closure of the Scenic Drive resulted in hundreds of removal in the tortoise habitat.
cars parking along State Route 159 on any given
day with people still determined to hike the Rock. The normal work of the Graffiti Removal, Light
The Calico Basin area, a residential area as well as Trail Maintenance, Natural Resources, Cultural
the access point for Red Springs Picnic Area and Resources and Canyon Cleanup teams had been
the Kraft Mountain Loop trail, was overwhelmed
with hundreds of cars (containing thousands of
people) parking wherever they could find a spot.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Las
Vegas Metropolitan Police Department jointly
made the decision to close Calico Basin Road to
non-residents on April 4.

However, many people have been working
behind the scenes to make sure that Red Rock
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
Canyon is ready for the announced Scenic Drive
opening on June 1.

To keep the area safe and secure and to see what
needs to be done prior to the announced
opening, newly appointed BLM Assistant Field
Manager Josh Travers and the staff rangers have
been patrolling the Scenic Drive and the trail heads
in the conservation area. Travers and Friends Exec-

Above: Masked volunteers preparing to remove red brome from the Tortoise Habitat. Photo by Erin McDermott
Below: New Graffiti in First Creek documented by Susan Murphy

the Rock - Volume 10 Issue 4