Synopsis
The Red Rock Canyon Visitor Guide is the go-to guidebook for all things Red Rock. The full-color book merges three sections into an easy-to-use, comprehensive resource that presents need-to-know info at a glance through captions, photographs, illustrations, and maps while more in-depth details are presented within the well-researched text. The three sections, which could each stand alone as a publication, are: history, field guide, and activities.Within the history section, the reader is introduced to the geology of Red Rock Canyon with beautiful artwork and photographs that answer common questions and provide insight to the area. The guidebook transitions seamlessly from geology into Native American use through the story of Pleistocene megafauna, which inhabited the area some 12,000 years ago. Euro-Americans first explored the area in the early 1800s and traversed Red Rock Canyon via a route of the Old Spanish Trail. The colorful history of mining, ranching, and even bootlegging during Prohibition, is described in a way that highlights the interconnectedness of the region while providing interesting, factual content. The history of modern times is also presented with a focus on major efforts and political events that have shaped the management of the area. Popular with locals and tourists alike, the history section contains descriptions of the movies that have been filmed at Red Rock and the exact locations where scenes were filmed.Covering the most conspicuous and dramatic plants and animals to be found within Red Rock, the field guide includes stunning color photographs of each species described and details on when and where to look. While popular animals, such as bighorn sheep and mule deer, receive full page descriptions, less obvious species are given appropriate page space. Species are logically arranged to aid in finding descriptions within the book and a subsection is dedicated to the fossils commonly found at Red Rock. This hard-to-find information is clearly presented and of particular interest since recent discoveries of dinosaur-age animal track sites within the limits of Red Rock Canyon.The activities section ties the book together by, not only describing what to see and do at Red Rock, but what to look for while there. Whether sightseeing, mountain biking, hiking, or engaged in other activities, the book informs visitors what each trail or tour offers by using easy-to-follow bulleted points for each aspect of every activity. Both self-guided and commercial tour activities have been selected for inclusion based on what most people enjoy to do while visiting. Auto tours, for example, are a popular undertaking and an entire section is dedicated to getting the most out of a car trip in the area.The Red Rock Canyon Visitor Guide is sized to be out in the field and constructed to withstand years of abuse in backpacks and purses. Reasonably priced at $19.00, it is a must-have guidebook for local Las Vegans as well as casual visitors to the area.
About the Author
Growing up in rural Maine, Tom Moulin gained an appreciation for the outdoors at an early age. At 15, he skipped a semester of high school and hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. In lieu of schoolwork, he was assigned to observe, identify, and write about the species of plants he encountered along the trail.The practice of careful observation has continued into his adult life and mixes with a healthy dose of patience and attention to detail, traits he needed for the long hours of studying required to receive above average marks in college, since he was not an especially gifted student. In 2002, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and came to Las Vegas for an engineering job, knowing that Red Rock, a world-class rock climbing destination, was only minutes away. After working for a few years, he decided that rock climbing was of more interest than engineering and pursued other job options that allowed him free time to explore Red Rock. During these years of exploration, he stumbled upon traces of history, learned about the plants and animals, came to know the geology, and asked plenty of questions.The Red Rock Canyon Visitor Guide is a product of those explorations and questions. The author hopes it will enhance others' appreciation of the natural treasure we have so close to Las Vegas.
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