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I am always on the lookout for books and websites that will make my job of providing site write-ups easier by helping to identify and describe things that I have photographed, such as birds, plants and vegetation, wildlife, geology, rock art, etc. As a result, I have created this reference library as well as a list of point-and-click access to a variety of helpful websites. The more you learn about the desert, its wildlife, its fragile ecology, and its history, the more you will want to help protect and preserve it for future generations. If you have a desire to learn more about the places you have visited or things you have seen on this website, I encourage you to check some of these out. What follows is an outline of the references found on this page.
Table of Contents for this Page
Section I - Site Specific Pages
Section II - Photography Reference Books I Own
Section III - Rock Art Reference Books I Own
Section IV - Books About Nevada
Section V - Subject Specific Internet Sites
1 - General info on the Mojave Desert:
2 - Specific Info on Nevada Insects & Bugs
3 - Specific Info on Birds, Plants, Flora, Butterflies, etc.:
4 - Desert Flora and Plant Species Around Vegas:
5 - Butterflies of the Spring Mountains:
6 - Mojave Desert Wildflowers:
7 - Identifying Fossils:
8 - Rock Art Reference Sites:
Section VI - Locating and Identifying Mines & Hikes
Section VII - Identifying Nevada Wilderness Areas
Section VIII - Mapping Sites
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Section I - Site Specific Pages
Here are some links to specific reference pages that can be found on this site: Cryptobiotic Soil The Atlatl Mining Terms Rock Art of the Nevada Great Basin Terms Commonly Associated with Rock Art Study | ||||||||||||||
Section II - Photography Reference Books I Own
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 Transcending Travel - A guide to captivating travel photography: What if you could spend time being coached by one of the top travel photographers in the world? Transcending Travel is an eBook designed to give you the skill and inspiration to take riveting travel photography images, ones so striking you’re friends won’t be able to stop talking about and sharing them. This book provides advice on preparing for your trip; how to communicate effectively to those who view your images through principles of photographic composition; how to use light creatively to tell your stories, communicate your emotion and evoke emotions in others; as well as discussing the numerous aspects involved in the making of a good travel photograph. The great thing about it is that it’s just as applicable whether you’re traveling near or far from home. Purchase it here today for just $19.97 … http://digital-photography-school.com/book/travel/. | ||||||||||||||
 Photo Nuts and Post – A Guide to Post Processing: Taking a picture and obtaining the best result are two different things. Obviously, the decisions you make when you frame and take a photo have a great bearing on how the image will look. The fact is that what happens after an image leaves your camera can be just as important. The creative choices and opportunities in ‘post-editing’ are almost as great as they are in the capture of the photo itself, and almost every photo can be improved with a little post-processing. The question for most people is where to start. This book, by professional photographer Neil Creek, tackles post processing head-on and gives you the tools and the courage you need to make it work for you. This comprehensive, 110 Page, downloadable eBook covers topics such as: Why even process your photos?, how do image files work?, how to manage workflow and thousands of photos, the cull and select of a photo shoot, how different processing tools work, common problems and how to deal with them, creative processing, and the output process. Download it today for $29.99 at http://digital-photography-school.com/book/postproduction/. | ||||||||||||||
Section III - Rock Art Reference Books I Own
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 The Rocks Begin to Speak Hardcover – June 1, 1976, by Lavan Martineau (Author). Glyphs carved on rock have been one of the greatest mysteries known to archeologists. Mr. Maritneau believes he knows what they are all about. Mr. Maritneau is a Native American who is skilled in the sign language used by the various groups of Native Americans to communicate with each other when the spoken word failed them. To the uninitiated it is full of obtuse gestures and hand forms, but to the adept, it is clear as words. Mr. Martineau shows, through a multitude of examples, that most rock glyphs are representations of the hand signs used between people. He makes a case for the glyphs as "signs" to someone looking for something (like a water source) or as directions or warning signals to others, or as simple stories. The book is well organized and easy to follow. It takes the reader through all areas of the USA, Canada and many other parts of the world. The premise is very convincing, but I have not seen much else from professional archeologists to compare it to. Most simply say the glyphs are a mystery! It can be purchased at Amazon for $20.89 Used; http://www.amazon.com/Rocks-Begin-Speak-Lavan-Martineau/dp/0916122301. | ||||||||||||||
 A Guide to Rock Art Sites: Southern California and Southern Nevada Paperback by David S. Whitley – 1996: Length 218 pages, This unique full-color field guide is essential not only for the visitors to any of the 38 sites covered but also for anyone who seeks to understand why shamans in the Far West created rock art and what they sought to depict. As one of North America's foremost authorities on prehistoric art, Whitley is on the cutting edge of dating and interpreting the images as well as describing the cultures that created them. It can be purchased at Amazon for $14.99 Used; http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Rock-Art-Sites-California/dp/087842332X | ||||||||||||||
 The Rock Art of the North American Indians (The Imprint of Man) Hardcover by Campbell Grant - 1983: 128 pages. This splendidly illustrated book provides the first general intorduction for non-specialists to the rock art of the North American Indians. The art expreses accurately the harmonious relationship that existed between the Indians and nature, and reflect their awed sense of an all-prevading spirit world. The author fills in the stylistic, technical and chronological background to the art, and presents a detailed but concise analysis of the art’s characteristic features in each major geographical area. It can be purchased at Amazon for $8.50;http://www.amazon.com/Rock-North-American-Indians-Imprint/dp/0521254434 | ||||||||||||||
 Sacred Sites: Rock Art of Lincoln County, Nevada Paperback by P. Clabaugh (Author), R. Clabaugh (Author), is a collection of fifty special rock art sites located in Lincoln County, Nevada. All of these sites likely had a spiritual meaning to the ancient Native Americans who made them many years ago. Southern Paiutes involvement, Puha, Water Babies and Pahranagat Man are also discussed in this book of sacred sites. The authors concisely explain why these sites are sacred to the native people, and thus, why they should revered by other peoples. This book is clearly not a how-to-locate manual for a pretentious rock art site-bagger (though I guarantee - they will never find all the sites). But it does serve as an contextual introduction that illustrates the unique style found in Lincoln County, Nevada. It can be purchased at Amazon for $24.95; http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Sites-Lincoln-County-Nevada/dp/1490502173
 afoot&afield – Las Vegas & Southern Nevada (A comprehensive hiking guide) by Brian Feffort; published by Wilderness Press: Beyond the bright lights of one of the city's fastest growing metropolitan areas is some of the most rugged, beautiful, and remote country around. Popular destinations such as Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Death Valley, and Mt. Charles are covered, plus lesser-known areas such as Anniversary Narrows, Arrow Canyon, Bowl of Fire, and the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness. Each trip showcases the diversity of this region, from the geological wonders and rare life forms surviving in Mojave National Preserve to ancient petroglyphs. The hikes range from easy strolls to challenging treks and include distance, time, elevation change, difficulty, and trail-use notes. A custom map accompanies every description, and GPS waypoints are given for key locations. Purchase at Amazon for $12.76 - http://www.amazon.com/Afoot-Afield-Southern-Nevada-Comprehensive/dp/0899976514. Can also be found at the Henderson Public Library.
 Geologic Tours in the Las Vegas Area - Expanded Edition by Joseph V. Tingley, Becky W. Purkey, Ernest M. Duebendorfer, Eugene I Smith, Johathan G. Price and Stephen B Castor, published by Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno: Provides 5 trips, 4 loop trips that begin and end in Las Vegas and 1 trip with points of interest that you can visit in any order, each with maps, descriptions and highlights of each trip including detailed geological history and descriptions of the areas being viewed. Purchase at Amazon for $26.99 - http://www.amazon.com/Geologic-Tours-Las-Vegas-Area/dp/1888035129. Can also be found at the Henderson Public Library.Geology Highlights of Red Rock Canyon: Red Rock Canyon Geology Mines of Clark County by William O. Vanderburg, published by Stanley Paher: Provides data on mining and milling operations in Clark County as of 1989. Purchase at Amazon for $13.77 - http://www.amazon.com/Mines-Clark-County-William-Vanderburg/dp/0913814709 . Can also be found at the Henderson Public Library. | ||||||||||||||
 Mining Districts of Nevada (Second Edition) by Joseph V. Tingley, 1998 – 128 pages, is the most complete list of Nevada Mining Districts available. Its lists of mining districts is organized alphabetically and includes a description of each district, map location, as well as descriptions of historic districts for which no exact location could be determined. Information given with each district listing includes other names; county; dates of discovery and organization, if known; commodities present; comments concerning location and history; and references used. With the exception of newspaper citations, references cited are listed in standard format in the reference section at the end of the report. Historic maps, some included as figures in this work, were an invaluable source of information for this report, and most presented no special referencing problems. A color, 24” x 34” foldout map titled Mining Districts of Nevada” is included in the rear of the book. The information contained herein has been drawn from numerous historic and contemporary sources. District names and boundaries were determined using historic data tempered by current usage. District boundaries shown on plate 1 were determined using descriptions mainly from the most recent literature, but the trend in some recent county reports to define districts by the rectangular public land grid has been avoided. Districts were never formally described by rigid rectangular grid lines but were usually laid out to include centers of mining activity and, at best, boundaries followed features such as mountain crests and stream drainages. District names used herein, with only a few exceptions, follow those used in the most recent county studies. It can be purchased on the NV BUREAU OF MINES WEB for $22.50’ http://pubs.nbmg.unr.edu/. | ||||||||||||||
 A PDF Guide To Nevada's Historical Markers has its roots in Nevada's official roadside history program that began with the installation of one historical marker in each of the state's seventeen counties in the early 1960s as a prelude to the state's centennial celebration on October 31, 1864. It provides information on the locations of the physical markers and shows the marker texts for 270 statewide historical sites. A free PDF download can be found at … Guide To Nevada's Historical Markers. Another great resource for Nevada's historical markers is ... Nevada Landmarks. |
A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crust of Western U.S. Drylands: Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are an intimate association between soil particles and cyanobacteria, algae, microfungi, lichens, and bryophytes (in different proportions) which live within or on top of the uppermost millimeters of soil. These communities have been known by a variety of names, including cryptobiotic, cryptogamic, and microbiotic soil crusts. They are found in all dryland regions of the world and can comprise over 70% of the living ground cover. The photosynthetic components of these crusts are dominated by cyanobacteria (formerly called blue-green algae), mosses, and lichens, with some green algae present as well. Cyanobacteria are one of the oldest known life forms. The most identifiable forms being lichens and bryophyes. You can get a free PDF download at … A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crust of Western U.S. Drylands.  Clark County - Images of America: Clark County outlines the history of the county with more than 200 specially selected b&w photographs. In 1902, Sen. William Clark purchased a large portion of the Las Vegas Ranch to create a rail stop for his latest business venture, the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad. On May 15, 1905, a land auction was held, officially marking the birthday of Las Vegas. Situated in Lincoln County, Las Vegas was located over 200 miles from the county seat of Pioche, making it difficult to conduct official business from so far away. Politicians lobbied for the creation of a new county, and Clark County, named after Senator Clark, was established in 1909 with Las Vegas as the county seat. In the following century, the county developed again due to the construction of Hoover Dam, the growth of the gaming industry, and the later introduction of Basic Magnesium Industries in what would become Henderson. More than a tourist destination, Clark County is now the most populous county in Nevada and represents a diverse cross-section of the United States. The book can be previewed and purchased here … Clark County. |
Section V - Subject Specific Internet Websites
1 - General info on the Mojave Desert:
Mojave Desert [http://mojavedesert.net/] The Mojave Desert stretches from the wedge-shaped Antelope Valley eastward across the Colorado River and into Arizona. Bordering the Sonoran Colorado Desert and running north to and along the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range, the land in between is anything but what we first imagine a desert to be, flat and featureless; including its national parks and preserves, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave Preserve, Redrock Canyon NCA, Lake Mead NRA, , Yosemite, and Grand Canyon. This site features its Ghost Towns, Gold Mines, Natural Features, Sand Dunes, Dry Lakes, Craters & Lava, Water, Wildlife, Wildflowers, Views & Vistas, and Rock Art and more.Digital-Desert: Mojave Desert [http://digital-desert.com/] Feature info on What & Where is the Mojave Desert?, its Ecology, Geology, flora, fauna, Desert Wildlife & Desert Plants. Parks & Forests, Wilderness Areas, Geology & Natural Formations, Points of Interest, Regional Map Guides and its People & History and Native Cultures.
Desert Geological Features [http://www.desertusa.com/thingstodo/geo/geology.html] Rocks are all around us. They make up the backbones of hills and mountains and the foundations of plains and valleys. Beneath the soil you walk on and the deep layers of soft mud that cover the ocean basins is a basement of hard rock and minerals. Below is a listing of the many factors that make up the deserts of the Southwest.
Geology Terminology [http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/wildamerica/desert/desertgeolgy.html]
Read more: http://www.desertusa.com/thingstodo/geo/geology.html#ixzz4iI9fmdys
2 - Specific Info on Nevada Insects & Bugs:
Nevada Insects & Bugs [http://www.insectidentification.org/insects-by-state.asp?thisState=Nevada] There are a total of 250 Nevada Bugs in the Insect Identification database. Entries are listed in alphabetical order. 3 - Specific Info on Birds, Plants, Flora, Butterflies, etc.:
Birds, Wildflowers, etc. http://www.birdmom.net/index.html
4 - Desert Flora and Plant Species Around Vegas: |
All Plant Species around Vegas [http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/_Veg_Species.htm] Trees, cactus, grasses, shrubs, desert wildflowers, mountain wildflowers, yuccas, forbs, etc.
[http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/plantae/sonoran_desert_flora.html] Pictures for flowers on this site are shown by color. Clicking on the family name will bring up pages of all plants belonging to the family discussed here.
[http://www.summitpost.org/flowers-of-the-sierra-nevada/198189]
The Sierra range in California is home to an abundance of beautiful wildflowers. This album is intended to serve as a refernce guide for identifying flowers.
[http://freese895.freestarthost.com/yelloworange.html] Pictures for flowers on this site are shown by color.
Desert Flora [http://www.desertusa.com/flora.html] Provides links for identifying the flora (Cactus - Grasses - Shrubs - Trees – Wildflowers) found in the deserts, with photos and information about each plant.
Pocket Guide to Sagebrush [http://www.sagestep.org/pubs/pubs/sagebrush_pock_guide.pdf] Identifies more than 27 different kinds of sagebrush found throughout the Western United States.
5 - Butterflies of the Spring Mountains:
Butterflies of the Spring Mountains
[http://www.butterfliesofthespringmountains.com/] Including residents, migrants and strays, 109 species of butterflies have been recorded in the Spring Mountains. Nine of the resident species are endemic to the Spring Mountains, another four species are possibly endemic but additional research is needed to determine their exact taxonomic status. No other location of comparable size in North America has that many species of endemic butterflies. Beyond the endemic species this unique butterfly fauna includes species that are rare and or that have very restricted distributions within the Spring Mountains, and species not found elsewhere in southern Nevada or in Nevada.
Additional Links for Identifying Birds, Wildlife, Plants and Flora
6 - Mojave Desert Wildflowers:
Additional Links for Identifying Wildflowers, Birds, Wildlife, Plants and Flora
7 - Identifying Fossils:
Fossils Around Las Vegas: Fossils are most often found in carbonate rocks (e.g., corals, shells), but sometimes are found in sandstone (dinosaur and early mammal tracks), mudstone (petrified wood, animal tracks), and shale (trilobites). Invertebrate fossils (e.g., corals, brachiopods, crinoids, and sponges) are common in the sedimentary rocks that make up the mountains around Las Vegas, and trilobites and gastropods can be found in a few places in these mountains too. For a descriptions and examples ... http://www.birdandhike.com/Rocks/Fossils/_Fossil_index.htm.
Fossils Around Las Vegas: Fossils are most often found in carbonate rocks (e.g., corals, shells), but sometimes are found in sandstone (dinosaur and early mammal tracks), mudstone (petrified wood, animal tracks), and shale (trilobites). Invertebrate fossils (e.g., corals, brachiopods, crinoids, and sponges) are common in the sedimentary rocks that make up the mountains around Las Vegas, and trilobites and gastropods can be found in a few places in these mountains too. For a descriptions and examples ... http://www.birdandhike.com/Rocks/Fossils/_Fossil_index.htm.
Pictures for identifying Fossils:
http://www.safossils.com/idlinks.html
Fossil Identification:
http://fossilidentification.weebly.com/corals.html
There are hundreds of Internet sites that discuss petroglyphs and rock art. Here are a handful of sites that will get you started on the subject. That last link is to a book I wrote on NV Rock Art in & Around Clark County.
Rock Art TerminologyWhat Did it Mean to Its Creators and Audiences?
[http://www.arara.org/Understanding_Rock_Art.html]
Rock Art of Nevada
http://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/rock-art-nevada
Rock Art (Petroglyph) Guide
[http://lincolncountynevada.com/images/RockArtGuide.pdf] This PDF brochure contains detailed information on seven major Petroglyph/Pictorgraph sites located within Lincoln County, Nevada. It provides helpful GPS coordinates, BLM markers at entryways,gates or the site itself, metal registers, and often numbered trail markers with corresponding descriptions.
Southern Nevada Rock Art Sites [http://www.forsythlv.com/] Provids links to many southern Nevada sites including Gold Butte, Red Springs, Whitney Pockets, etc.
More Petroglyph Information:
[http://www.petroglyphs.us/petroglyphs_links.htm]
Nevada Petroglyphs & Pictroglyphs: Pictures of petroglyphs of dozens of Southern Nevada sites. [http://www.kayplaza.com/collections/rockart/nevada.php]
Nevada Rock Art Petroglyph Sites In & Around Clark County: This link takes you to a site where you can purchase this book.
[http://www.blurb.com/b/5658163-nevada-rock-art?ebook=511026]
Section VI - Locating and Identifying Hikes
Each of the sites listed below lists dozens of well know hiking trails within the specified area. Selecting any of the individually listed hikes will provide an overview of the hike, trailhead information, and any specific information relative to special points of interest, etc. In addition, I have listed some Internet site that provide information on abandoned mines in Southern Nevada.Tips for Rating a Hike: Hike/Climbing Ratings
Death Valley - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/DEVA/_DEVA_Over/_DEVA_Over.htm]
Gold Butte - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/GoldButte/_GB_over/_gb_over.htm]
Lake Mead - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/LAME/_LAME_Over/_LAME_Over.htm]
Mt. Charleston - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Mt_Char/_Mt_C_Over/_Mt_C_Over.htm]
Red Rock Canyon - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/_RR_Over/_RR_over.htm]
Sloan Canyon - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Sloan/_Sloan_Over/_Sloan_Over.htm]
Zion National Park - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Zion/_Zion_Over/_Zion_Over.htm]
Listing of Nevada's Local Hikes - [http://www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_4120.asp]
Henderson Trails - [http://www.cityofhenderson.com/parks/parks/trails_and_bike_lanes.php]
Southern Nevada Mine Information -
http://www.vegasunderworld.com/Home_Page.html
Section VII - Identifying Nevada Wilderness Areas
Links below provide overviews of the 20 Clark County wilderness areas are presented below with links to detailed information. Click for an overview map of the Wilderness Areas around Las Vegas and information on hiking in the Wilderness Areas around Las Vegas. Other wilderness area around Las Vegas are also included in this list.
Southern NV Wilderness Areas - [http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Wilderness/_Wild_Hiking.htm]
History of Nevada Wilderness Areas [http://davidson-law.net/blogs/jeeplaw/2011/05/26/ wilderness-areas-in-nevada-a-history-part-1/] This series provides a brief overview of the laws that designated wilderness areas in the state of Nevada, the impact of the Federal Wilderness Act, the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989, the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, which created the Death Valley Wilderness Area, a portion of which is in Nevada, the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002, the Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004, and the White Pine County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2006.
Reference & Travel Guide by State and County [http://www.sangres.com/index.html] This site provides a vast amount of info on Nevada's National Parks - Scenic Byways - National Forests - Nevada's Wilderness Areas - National Wildlife Refuges - Towns and Places - and more - all searchable by county.
Section VIII - Mapping Sites
Free Topographic Map Site: Free Topo Map Site
Free Nevada Quad Maps: Nevada Quad Maps - Available Quad Maps: The NDOT Cartography section creates 30 Minute Quad maps that cover the state. Click on the grid below to view the map you are interested in. Once a 30 Minute Quad map is open, view adjacent maps by clicking the grid on the bottom of each map. Click on the enlarged dashed area to view a town map. (The files are in a PDF file format)
Mapquest.com [http://www.mapquest.com/]
Google Maps.com [https://maps.google.com/] You can view Google Maps in 2-D illustrated, 3-D photographic or satellite modes. Standard 2-D map viewing is the default setting, but can be changed by selecting the Earth or Satellite icons in the upper right corner of each map. To view maps using the 3-D Google Earth application, a special plug-in, which can be downloaded from Google, must first be installed. Features for map viewing come in several forms, including webcam, terrain and real-time traffic flow. These views are enabled by selecting from the listed features that appear while hovering your mouse over the Map, Earth or Satellite icons.
Signing up for the AllTrails App will allow you to browse or search for trails closest to you, read and write trail reviews, view topo maps, satellite maps, and terrain maps for 2000 of our most popular trails. You can share trails with friends, access your trails without an internet connection (Before you head out, save a trail to download its topo maps, photos, and reviews for offline use). Check it out.
http://alltrails.com/
