Wednesday

CC Spring Road at Lovell Canyon

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This page last updated on 10/04/2017
EFP-P1010129-P1010131
(Fig. 01)
05/23/2013 Trip Notes: Today’s trip to the Lovell Canyon Trail with the rock-hounds from the Henderson Heritage Park’s Senior Facility was my fourth trip to this area in the past two years. As several of us had hiked the Lovell Canyon Trail more than once, four of us decided to hike to CC Spring Road in search of the CC Spring. This hike on this road heads west from Lovell Canyon Road and starts out shrouded by trees. However, less than a quarter of a mile out it opens into a large valley (Fig. 01) that is surrounded by mountains on every side. Turning around in the same location where I took the picture in figure 1, the shot in (Fig. 02) was looking east, back at the area we hiked up to get to this spot. After about another third of a mile, a large wash crosses the road, heading in a south easterly direction (Fig. 03). About a quarter mile past this large wash were suppose to leave the road and head up a smaller wash towards CC Spring. Unfortunately, we missed this turn and ended up hiking the roadway for another good half mile that led us up a rather steep hill that offered some really nice views (Figs. 04 thru 06), but not the spring we were hoping to find. After taking this picture (Fig. 04) of Buster, Blake and Robert to prove we were there, we admitted defeat by deciding not to hike any further out and turned around and headed back the way we came.
          
EFP-P1010125-P1010126
(Fig. 02)
EFP-P1010225-P1010227
(Fig. 03)
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(Fig. 04)
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(Fig. 05)
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(Fig. 06)
On the way back Bob and I decided to take a short detour by hike up the large wash that we had passed on the way out. Though we probably only hiked less than a thousand feet us the wash, we came across several plants that were still in bloom, as well as a lizard. The flower in (Figs. 07 thru 09) is a Penstemon palmeri, commonly called Beard-tongue or Palmer's Penstemon. I first found this plant in a garden behind the Red Rock Canyon visitors center back in 2012, however, this is the first time I have ever seen one in bloom in the wild. Read more about it here … Beard-tongue Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri). The flower in (Figs. 10 & 11) is a Showy Goldeneye (Heliomeris multiflora)  Though this is a relatively common desert sunflower, these two had a couple of interesting bugs gathering nectar from its center. I still haven’t identified the flower in (Fig. 12). If you can help, send me an email [kccandcj@yahoo.com].  Because there are so many different species, identifying lizards can be quite difficult. My best guess at the one shown in (Figs. 13 thru 16) ) is a Great Basin Fence Lizard. Click here to read more … Great Basin Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis longipes). All-in-all, considering that we never made it to CC Spring, we still had a very good hike; cool clear mountain air, beautiful scenery, and good people with which to share the experience. What more can one ask for?
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(Fig. 07)
EP-P1010148
(Fig. 08)
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(Fig. 09)
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(Fig. 10)
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(Fig. 11)
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(Fig. 12)
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(Fig. 13)
EP-P1010179
(Fig. 14)
EP-P1010183
(Fig. 15)
EP-P1010222
(Fig. 16)
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