stargazing in the desert, where can I go?

[HorizonSeekerII]

If I am in vegas and want to go out into the desert somewhere away from the city life for half a night and be able to see the stars, are there any good spots?

here are some needs:

1) little/no ambient light, quiet area.

2) accessible by your average front wheel drive sedans,

3) not too far, don't really want to drive hours, 45 min or under would be best

4) detailed directions please.


many thanks.

david.

 

[Ameesh]

up or down the 15 freeway for 45 minutes will get you out of the city lights

 

[EagleKeeper]

Just get outside the valley itself.

15 North past Nellis - do not need to get over the pass
95 North past the 215 beltway
95 South over the pass
15 South over the pass.

Lake Mead east over the pass.

 

[yukichigai]

Heading North on 95 for a while gets you pretty far away from the lights of Vegas. Unfortunately the Luxor's light will still cast some light no matter what direction you go in. (at least from 45 minutes away Fortunately Vegas is in a valley. If you can get behind a few hills and mountains the glare is pretty minimal. I'd suggest going past Cactus Springs a ways, a mile or so past where the road becomes 2 lane. I seem to remember a little dirt road you can turn onto that's away from the lights.

Of course I don't live in Vegas, I just visit a lot.

 

[HorizonSeekerII]

thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to look into the lake mead. I'm not a vegas native (not even nevada native) so I'm very vague on the directions to some of these places.

yuki:if you remember anymore about the place in your post, please do let me know.

 

[Raincity]

Lovell canyon about 30 miles out of Vegas on the way to Pahrump NV. The turn off is about 2 miles on the right side of the highway after passing over Mt Springs. The LV astronomy club meets there the third Sunday of every month.

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: Raincity
Lovell canyon about 30 miles out of Vegas on the way to Pahrump NV. The turn off is about 2 miles on the right side of the highway after passing over Mt Springs. The LV astronomy club meets there the third Sunday of every month.

That's probably a better bet than mine. Or it could be the same thing. I dunno.

 

[paulney]

Originally posted by: Raincity
Lovell canyon about 30 miles out of Vegas on the way to Pahrump NV. The turn off is about 2 miles on the right side of the highway after passing over Mt Springs. The LV astronomy club meets there the third Sunday of every month.

I told that foo' it was a bad place to rest this high-roller... But he just wouldn't listen! Next time you are up there guys, could you pick up a bunch of .45 shells? I don't think we swept them all.

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: paulney

Originally posted by: Raincity
Lovell canyon about 30 miles out of Vegas on the way to Pahrump NV. The turn off is about 2 miles on the right side of the highway after passing over Mt Springs. The LV astronomy club meets there the third Sunday of every month.

I told that foo' it was a bad place to rest this high-roller... But he just wouldn't listen! Next time you are up there guys, could you pick up a bunch of .45 shells? I don't think we swept them all.

Next time save yourself the drive and just dump the body in the Blue Diamond Mine.


Directions to Lovell Canyon, Sorry I forgot in the first post. Go south on the strip and turn right at Blue Diamond Highway and follow it until its meets up with interstate 160 and the turn off to Lovell is justy past the Sandy Valley turnoff.

 

[EagleKeeper]

There is a LakeMead exit just after you clear town going northbound on I15.

Follow it east for about 5 miles. You then climb over a pass. Once over the pass, you should be protected from the LV city lights.

You can keep going down to Lake Mead itself and come out in Henderson (SW of LV) if you choose. Bump into US95 and then take it back to downtown of take I215 over to I15.

The Parump option is further out.

 

[HorizonSeekerII]

cool, many thanks raincity and eaglekeeper, I'll take a look at the map and plot a way out there on my next outing.

on lake mead: is there parking close to the side of the lake so you can walk down there? I'm just fishing for answers, I looked at the lake mead site and is a little confused by the maps. probably the best thing to do is to see it in person.

I'll have to check out the astronomy meeting place, if they are meeting there, must be a good place blacked out from vegas.

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: HorizonSeekerII
cool, many thanks raincity and eaglekeeper, I'll take a look at the map and plot a way out there on my next outing.

on lake mead: is there parking close to the side of the lake so you can walk down there? I'm just fishing for answers, I looked at the lake mead site and is a little confused by the maps. probably the best thing to do is to see it in person.

I'll have to check out the astronomy meeting place, if they are meeting there, must be a good place blacked out from vegas.

It is, You have the Spring Mt Range blocking out the light from Las Vegas. Lovell Canyon was previously Jacobs Ranch Canyon but was renamed in the mid 70's in honor of NASA astronaut Jim Lovell.

 

[hevnsnt]

I don't know if I would go stumbling around the desert around LV..

You might stumble on something that you don't want to be a part of..

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
I don't know if I would go stumbling around the desert around LV..

You might stumble on something that you don't want to be a part of..

All the bodies that Joey Spilotro whacked and buried now have houses and roads built on top of them. It's called Summerlin.

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
I don't know if I would go stumbling around the desert around LV..

You might stumble on something that you don't want to be a part of..

All the bodies that Joey Spilotro whacked and buried now have houses and roads built on top of them. It's called Summerlin.

Are there bodies under Summerlin Parkway as well? 'cause that thing goes for miles. That's a lot of bodies!

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: yukichigai

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
I don't know if I would go stumbling around the desert around LV..

You might stumble on something that you don't want to be a part of..

All the bodies that Joey Spilotro whacked and buried now have houses and roads built on top of them. It's called Summerlin.

Are there bodies under Summerlin Parkway as well? 'cause that thing goes for miles. That's a lot of bodies!

Well Joey had a short temper.

 

[HorizonSeekerII]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
I don't know if I would go stumbling around the desert around LV..

You might stumble on something that you don't want to be a part of..

that's whay they said about the angeles national forest here, the best place to dump and the coyotes will take care of the rest.