Clark County & Las Vegas
Without a doubt, there is no other place in Nevada that sparks more debate and controversy than Clark County, Nevada's southernmost county, state oddball and declared by some as, the Entertainment Capitol of the World. Clark is Nevada's newest county, created from southern Lincoln County and named for Senator William A. Clark of Montana, builder of the San Pedro/Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railway. Historically, Clark is a rich location, crossed by one of Nevada's earliest trails and first ever route across the state. The city of Las Vegas itself, Spanish for "The Meadows" was an oasis in the desert, a rich land of grasses, marshes and a perennial water supply. It quickly became a necessary stop on the Old Spanish Trail and then later railroad lines, including the newly completed Southern Pacific Railroad. Mining also played a significant role in what would become Clark County; small 'hole in the dark' mining camps proved to be worth more than just the raising of a miner's eyebrow and camps grew into full fledged towns. Towns such as Searchlight, Goodsprings and Potosi were known for their rich mineral deposits that to this day, still continue to contribute to the county's financial income, albeit, a small contribution. These 'outposts' (as they're dubbed), are remaining proof that there is the real Nevada still lingering somewhere within Clark's confined county lines. This is good... because one can only take so much of Las Vegas.
Clark a county of two faces, a place still fastened to its mining roots while the other cares about nothing else but being a bustling tourist center. It LIVES to be a tourist center. Clark's very establishment into Nevada's cartography holds a love-hate relationship with the rest of the state. Las Vegans would disagree. Here's how it works, so pay careful attention: Like Hollywood is to California, lobster is to Maine, oranges are to Florida...
1) If you don't live in Nevada, the first thing that comes to mind with the word "Nevada" IS "Las Vegas".
Again, Las Vegans would disagree.
"Lost" Vegas?
The Markers
1) "The Mainland", which will take you the longest to conquer, is the county comprising everything NORTH of Lake Mead. This includes the I-15 corridor, a few spur markers such as #102, the SR 160 corridor and the highlight of your trip, #150 and #168 within Valley of Fire State Park! When you're ready move onward to...
While all three areas were great fun for me, I paid careful attention to conquer each area before moving onto the next to conserve my gas mileage. In 3 days, I spent only $40 in gas with Clark's average price in March 2009 at $1.99/gallon! However way you plan to tackle this wild piece of Nevada, you'll have lots to see and hopefully, lots of great stories to bring home with you.
A word of importance:
~ The Las Vegas Strip, "Entertainment Capitol of the World"
~ Most populated county... Largest metropolitan area in Nevada
~ Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir and outdoor destination
~ The Hoover Dam, "Engineering marvel"
2) Anyone who lives outside Nevada thinks all Nevada is IS Las Vegas.
3) However, the rest of us who live anywhere else in Nevada think the only part of the Nevada that is NOT part of Nevada IS Las Vegas. To us, it's more of a suburb of Los Angeles.
It is this point that Nevada struggles with a North VS. South relationship, even to this day! If you ever needed proof Nevada was founded during the Civil War, here it is boys and girls: The North is considered, "the rest of Nevada"... EVERYWHERE EXCEPT Las Vegas. Las Vegas is of course the South, and the South is Las Vegas alone. Clark's "outpost communities" remain steadfast in their traditions and tend to relate more to "the North" than to its own controversial county seat. Lost Vegas is just one word coined to describe the ultimate bearer of bad news (more on this in a minute). As one drives the three miles of the Las Vegas Strip, they'd probably never think about the following... the Strip's purpose and future. No other city in America sparks more controversy than the queen of no-conscience, the cynical heiress, 'Sin City'. Quite apt I say. In a state where every drop of water is priceless, the city offers no compromise. Las Vegas is forever caught in a love-hate relationship with the rest of Nevada. The 'love' factor is easy to grasp: nearly over half of Nevada's economy derives from Las Vegas' gambling and tourist base. People worldwide flock to the Strip's dazzling casinos and nightlife extravaganza to partake in that all familiar line, 'What happens in Vegas...' Unfortunately, to accommodate for Vegas' high income and contribution to Nevada, things and places are sacrificed and the rest of Nevada (the North) takes a back seat. This ladies and gents, is the 'hate' factor. The truth is, Las Vegas requires 350 gallons of water per person, PER DAY to sustain its 'paradise in the desert' scheme; water and power to feed those dazzling lights... water they just don't have. In the ways of the cynical, Las Vegas fueled Nevada's strong North VS. South relationship even further when in 2005, the city underwent efforts to run pipelines into Basin country. The pipelines tap into pristine mountain ranges and watersheds of 'the North', buying water rights from Nevada's rural areas whereever deemed possible. The impact, not only ferocious, not only tremendous, but outright devastating enough that even other states have fallen under attack by the city's thirst and 'necessity' for water. Long generation ranchers in Utah's West Desert, small outposts like Ibapah and Callao are losing battles to keep their land and water rights, all for the silly sake of jumping dolphins and dancing fountains. Delicate ecology, inaccessible canyons, remote springs and untamed wilderness no more. Indeed it only take a year for man to destroy what taken eons for Nature to patiently create. In short, it seems that 'What Las Vegas wants, Las Vegas gets.' There is rarely any compromise and it is this reason, Nevada itself HATES 'Lost Vegas'. In terms of culture, the two regions are two different worlds. Partly due to its distance away from Nevada government, and Nevada roots, much of Vegas' mindset leans toward California's arrogance, urbanization and materialism. However, leave the city's limits and you re-enter Nevada's 'Twilight Zone' of desert: remote, untouched, proud... quiet and independant. The Las Vegas culture lives in the moment and revolves around the minute. It very well acts like a suberb of Los Angeles. North VS. South? Again, Las Vegans would disagree. We hope your dice always craps.
Ramblings aside, this is SOME promise for Clark. In terms of markers, it rates as one of the best counties for conquering! Unfortunately, it's also home to more MIA's than any other part of the state. These are all due to the extreme urbanization mindset I described above. Generally, for all the ones that ARE present, less than half of them are located within city limits, vastly spread out across the Mojave Desert. In other words, game on! Prepare to face open roads, kick back and let the Creosote tag along. Don't expect to conquer Clark in one day. Although you can conquer the markers in two, three days is a MUCH BETTER plan. Spend an entire week if you can. This will allow you to split the county up into parts, visit a few parks and see other things of interest at the same time. I like to think of Clark as three individual regions...
2) The Cities of Las Vegas and Henderson themselves. I took a full day to tackle these annoying markers to account for traffic, freeways and pit stops. Although both Vegas and Henderson aren't difficult to navigate, the markers' distribution make them a challenge. Expect to go back and forth a few times, especially if you wish to scout out any of the MIA's for yourself.
3) "The Needle" is the actual 'point' of Nevada, the piece of Nevada that extends south from the cities along US 95. This is a relatively easy drive, but prepare to drive it twice. There is no alternate return route unless you want to come back through California or Arizona. Here you'll find a few MIA's and some of Clark's more interesting markers, including Superlatives!
Please note that in the above column, I am in no way badgering the city of Las Vegas, it's people, or the county of Clark. In truth, I am sounding both fact and opinion, based on a local's point of view who lives in Nevada's government center and grassroots North. After all, the capitol IS NOT Las Vegas. No matter which part of Nevada you reside in, city, rural, North or South, awareness is key to not only our own preservation, but the very soil we love and enjoy. Compromise is a MUST, beneficial to ALL Nevadans, not just one city. This is something Las Vegas has a long way to go if they even wish to achieve it. I would hope so.
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