Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast
Adventures in the U.S. National Parks and public lands with Matt and Karen Smith.
14 Outdoorsy in Vegas
Come on seven! Mama needs a new pair of shoes! Yep, you’re in the right place, this is still The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast. Except, this episode has a bit of a twist. In it we explore many of the great public lands that are within day-tripping-distance from—that’s right—Las Vegas. During our many visits to Sin City over the years, we’ve managed to take a few breaks from the general debauchery of The Strip to explore some of the magnificent outdoor attractions in the area. And there are many. So leave the sequined dress and sharkskin suit in your hotel room closet and join us as we get outdoorsy in the desert just beyond the glare of the neon signs.
Some topics and places we discuss include:
- How and why we got started collecting National Park passport stamps
- Red Rock Canyon - a desert beauty with towering red cliffs offers an escape for hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and even drivers who just want to cruise along the 13-mile scenic drive
- Valley of Fire State Park - this amazing park has a little bit of everything: petroglyphs, petrified wood, amazing rock formations, a slot canyon, and even an “elephant” arch
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area - America’s first and largest national recreation area boasts two lakes and nine wilderness areas with miles of hiking trails, showcasing its spectacular scenery whether you’re on the water or on a trail
- Mojave National Preserve - Covering a whopping million and a half acres, this preserve has sand dunes, cinder cone volcanoes, and the world’s largest Joshua tree forest
- And, of course, at the end of the episode we answer a question from the mail bag
Links to more information:
- Link to our blog post Outdoorsy in Vegas
- Red Rock Canyon homepage
- Valley of Fire State Park homepage
- Lake Mead NRA homepage
- Mojave NP homepage
- To see our photos from this adventure, click here.
- Where to learn more about our books and travels
- Join the conversation on Facebook - we want to hear from you!
- Check out our Instagram account
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More episodes from Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast
16 The Wave in Northern Arizona
We had all but given up on ever getting a permit to hike to one of the most sought-after sites in the American Southwest: The Wave in Northern Arizona. But in the fall of 2019, an email …
Bonus Episode: How much it costs to visit all 62 national parks
It is by far the most frequent question we get from readers and listeners: How much did it cost you to visit all 62 national parks? This bonus episode is essentially a detailed mail bag …
15 Our Favorite Places in Yellowstone
Few places, if any, in the lower 48 states have remained as wild and undisturbed as Yellowstone National Park. Sure, there are roads and boardwalks throughout the park to accommodate the …
13 The Great American Bison Road Trip
Who doesn’t love an end-of-summer road trip? Few activities compare to the joy of packing a duffel bag full of stuff, filling the snack bag with …
12 Misadventures in Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Over 120 years ago, the Klondike Gold Rush attracted more than 100,000 people from around the world with the lure of wealth and adventure. All that …
11 Beyond Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks
The five national parks in Utah are spectacular and draw millions of visitors each year for a good reason. But the public lands surrounding these …
How you can listen to this podcast
You can listen to episodes right here on the website, or if you prefer, in a podcast app. Listening in an app makes it easier to keep track of what you’ve already heard, listen without using your data plan and many other conveniences.