November 18, 2022

SPRINGS PRESERVE

333 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89107

“Las Vegas Springs Preserve consists of 180 acres dedicated to nature walks and displays and is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. The Preserve is located approximately three miles west of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada.” - Wikipedia

The Springs Preserve was a great diversion from the usual Las Vegas tourist sites.  On the edge (or possibly in the middle) of the Mohave Desert, the preserve had a nice botanical garden with many species of native southwestern U.S. plants.  I also thought the signage pointing out ways locals could landscape their lawns and gardens while conserving water and other resources very interesting.  The most popular spot in the garden and preserve was the Butterfly Habitat, with several species of butterflies.  A cold morning was giving way to a warm afternoon, so the butterflies were just beginning to get active as I entered.  Beautiful.

The Preserve also houses two museums.  The Origen Museum is a natural history museum with many interactive exhibits, most dealing with the local area.  The Nevada State Museum is your typical state historical museum with exhibits covering the area’s prehistoric era, settling Nevada, industry, and of course, Nevada’s museum had a history of Las Vegas and gambling.

I enjoyed my visit to Springs Preserve.