Another Visit to Ash Meadows…

Wasn’t much going on, so I had plenty of spare time on my hands.

Which made for a great reason to make another visit to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)

As you may recall, I’d already visited here a couple times, and each time, I’d gotten distracted and didn’t visit the visitor center of the refuge so I missed a bunch of the park. What I’d done before is visit the Pup fish habitat and nearby areas on one trip, and the next trip here, took the unimproved road to Crystal. Didn’t see any lake or trail as my friend John had chided me about missing. Of course I took his ribbing in good humor because I wasn’t really looking for the trail or lake or visitors center on my other two visits to the NWR, I was just getting out of the house for a few hours.

Anyway, wth, nothing better to do one day in April so I traveled over there again and this time, determined to see that trail, lake, and visitor center. The park is only 33 miles away from Pahrump. Checking online, I did find out that the center is closed to the public, but the NWR is still open for wandering around in, just like my previous visits. Weather this day was perfect for a day hike and park visit.

A mile or so beyond that sign the road ‘T’s and previously I’d turned right, but this time I turned left. Kind of a wilderness of desert out here. Except for the road and those ‘T’s I’d call it a wilderness.

Hey, lookie there, just as promised, a lake!

Lots of crusty white minerals surround the shoreline. I wouldn’t drink it.

And then I arrived at the Visitor’s Center (VC) and parked under a nice awning in the shade. Walked around the building to access the trail and there’s this sculpture. Pretty cool. Probably scares the crap out of visitors who aren’t paying attention to their surroundings.

Looks dry out there. Oh well, it’s an easy hike.

Off in the distance are some peaks and beyond them is the tiny town of Crystal.

Looking back at the VC. See that mountain way in the background? That’s the range where the springs get their water. Snows up there percolate into the ground and end up here as water. Hot water.

Has a certain stark beauty to it. Those trees might look dead but they’re just waiting for spring.

And after a leisurely 1/2 mile stroll along this nice boardwalk, there’s this…

You could easily see the water flooding up from the spring making swirling patterns in the clear water. The picture shows the waters underground exit, making a nice pool. Of hot water. And then it creates a stream and heads off into the distance…we’ll be following that stream.

After enjoying the pool for 30 or so minutes…yes, it is intriguing, I wander on the loop and spied these cement stands for the boardwalk. Note how they are crusty on the tops. That’s caused by winter water levels. Much of this area will be, on occasion, a shallow lake.

And the boardwalk follows the creek. The water cools as it travels and creates differing habitats for different flora and fauna. Kinda interesting. Hey, the sign says there’s predatory mice in the area!!

I don’t know what kind of animal these are in the next picture, but I warned them there’s an alligator heading their way…

They told me that the water is around 92 F at this distance from the spring, where it’s over 100 F. Imagine what a valuable resource this would be to plants, animals, and even humans during a cold winter.

Pretty interesting. I was snapping pictures just because I want to remember this. This following pic is from the final viewpoint of the creek. The creek does travel on of course. I guess it feeds a small lake a few miles off in the distance that you can visit but I didn’t do that.

And then you’re permitted to return to the VC via the boardwalk.

When I got back to my car, took this shot of some buildings off in the distance.

And then off to the right, the slim line of green that to a frontiersman or woman, indicates a source of water. So there is likely another spring over there.

Well, anyway, backtracking, I stopped at the lake again and drove a bit further along it’s shore line this time. It’s man made. Actually, this entire area was slated to be a housing development with something like 300 homes and business, with several man made lakes. There was a large map showing how much land was going to be bulldozed. The ecology of the valley would have been ruined and the springs all capped off as a supply of water for the buildings. So many objected to the plan, which was sweeping in it’s scope, that the government stepped in and saved the place. If you’re old enough, you probably remember the endangered pup fish problem? That is what got people involved here, protesting, marches, letters to their congresspeople and whatnot.

Entire family of ducks out there on the lake. Well, at least the mom and a gaggle of baby ducks. Staying offshore due to the snakes and foxes and coyotes.

And after that look at the area, time to head back home. Enjoyed that visit. Thanks to John for mentioning it all.

And soon enough, back on the outskirts of Pahrump.

Thanks for reading!