Hike, bike, or ride, that's easy to do here in the Las Vegas Valley, and Henderson has plenty to offer and more planned for the future. Henderson won the 2008 Las Vegas Review Journal's 'Best Place to Ride a Bike' in it's 'Best of Las Vegas' awards this year. This Saturday, October 18, from 9 AM - 2 PM at the Events Plaza on Water St., they're having their National Trails Day Celebration with speakers, information, and vendors of trail supplies on hand.

The trail system is part of Henderson's Parks and Recreation, and there are several trails to chose from. The largest of them underway is River Mountains Loop Trail. When the last few sections are completed in 2009, it will be 35 miles long and wrap around River Mountain from Henderson to Boulder City, through the Lake Mead Recreation Area and back into Henderson by Lake Las Vegas.

The trail is paved for hikers, joggers, bikers, and equestrian traffic has a parallel gravel trail. They are also some interesting spurs that come off of it, including the old Hoover Dam Railroad Line Trail with it's 5 - roughly 300' long, 25' diameter tunnels. This is the section of rail spur that was abandoned after the dam was built, the remainder used for historic train rides from the Nevada Railroad Museum's Nevada Southern Railway. These last sections of the loop that are set to be completed in Spring 2009 will run alongside the NSR tracks from Railroad Pass, cross over them below Cascada Golf Course where a 100'+ long span pedestrian bridge will go above Cascada Drive and continue on to Bootleg Canyon Trails and Boulder City.

Of course our crazy Jack Russell, Sparky, is always ready for some exercise. She was all fired up to take in a few miles of trail today, so off we went. This was on the Pittman Wash Trail that extends from Arroyo Grande Sports Complex, that I mentioned in my blog on Whitney Ranch, and runs to East Pebble near Eastern and the 215. This trail is also paved and lighted, with benches, picnic tables, 'doggie bags', and trash cans along the way. Many different neighborhoods back to either side of the wash, from single family and condo units to large custom homes. It also passes under the UPRR spur line that services the Black Mountain Industrial Park, that will also have a future trail running beside it.

Here's a few pictures from along the trail today, and you can see a few of the homes and neighborhoods along that stretch. We're getting into our 'second spring' with some of the ground cover desert plants changing from browns to greens, and others like some of the cactus near ready to bloom their large flowers that look almost like roses. To view full screen, simply click the HD / Full Screen button on the bottom of the player, and when finished click it again or use the ESC key to return.

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If you are interested in relocating to Las Vegas or would like information on Las Vegas real estate, please email me, Roberta LaRocca, at roberta@search4lasvegashomes.com, or call me at 702-354-8988. I look forward to hearing from you!

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