Las Vegas Springs Preserve
Among the endless attractions in Las Vegas, there are few for nature lovers and outdoorsy types. Well, now they too have a place to visit here in Vegas. The Las Vegas Springs Preserve opened on June 8, 2007, four miles northwest of the strip and hopes to be the centerpiece of future non-gaming attractions. The preserve is located on US-95 and Valley View Boulevardand cover 180-acres of land including eight botanical gardens spread throughout the preserve. The focal point of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve is the ORIGEN Experience, a “playducational” museum featuring three interactive galleries that tell flowing stories of the Las Vegas Valley’s natural history past, present and future. There are animals as well and young and old alike can learn about how the different species live.
The Desert Living Center (DLC) teaches about sustainability and the different things we can do to help preserve our desert environment. This emphasis on sustainability is evident in the ‘Smart Shopper’ exhibit, where you can wander the aisles making sustainable consumer choices and seeing their impact on our environment. You can watch the journey household trash makes to become rich fertilizer and find out why environmentally friendly cars are the wave of the future.
The eight botanical gardens scattered throughout the preserve contain a wide range of desert flora and offers interpretive stations and hands-on activities for all ages. There are 2.5 miles of trails meandering through the native and non-native landscape leading to a desert wetland that is home to hundreds of species of plants, birds and animals. Near the Springs Amphitheater, you will find the Children’s Playground, where kids can climb on a partially buried wooly mammoth skeleton, a giant Peregrine Falcon or a huge sidewinder rattlesnake.
For more information, or to find out about upcoming events, visit the Las Vegas Spring Preserve website at SpringsPreserve.org.
