Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge — Attraction in Caliente

Wildlife preserves and wildlife refuge areas are some of my family's favorite places to go...

For those not aware of this refuge's importance, within its confines is an isolated aquifer that has an underground cave system where there a species of fish that exist nowhere else in the world... specifically a species of pup fish... The caves that this aquifer and these fish are located in is inaccessible because of the fragility of the ecosystem within... This is a very small park but very well laid out the trails that are meant to be walked have a different color of gravel on them so you can see where you are going easily... I made sure to get pictures of the cabin which has been on the preserves property since 1930s and The stone house which is also dating back about 80 years... It was actually quite a warm day out ( Although a good 15ﾟ cooler then Las Vegas) so we didn't walk around as much as we would have liked. We are looking forward to going back later in the month since there is a campground that is labeled primitive which means it has no other services than pit toilets. The campground is small at 15 spaces but those spaces are fairly large. Alamo which is the town near it is a beautiful little town with a very storied history. This wildlife refuge is definitely worth the trip and is quite beautiful. Aside from the review of the wildlife refuge one thing I recommend if you are going to eat in Alamo is going to the Sinclair gas station ... within it is a Chester's chicken which is where we picked up lunch and it was...

Highly recommend Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge as a 1-4 hour stop off Highway 93. Or you can camp near there and make an overnight of it. As you are driving up highway 93 through the dry desert terrain, suddenly you begin seeing a green swath of growth that is breathtaking in the midst of the barren land. This land is fed by the water that runs off the mountain snow melt and makes a beautiful water way that has become a critical stop for birds migrating along the Pacific flyway. The nature center is beautiful inside and the volunteers that help run it are kind and a wealth of knowledge. I am very excited to go back in the fall to see the peak activity of bird migration. An absolute must for birders! And this is a great place to stretch your legs on a walk and has clean bathrooms!

Helpful Travel Safety Tips: Cell phone service is often spotty or nonexistent. When preparing for travel through desert terrain and roads I suggest you take the following: a topography map of the state, 1 gallon of water for each occupant, nuts/dried fruit, sunglasses, large brimmed hat, sunscreen, long sleeve shirt, long pants, close toed sneakers/hiking footwear, a roll of toilet paper with a good garbage bag (always pack out your trash), flashlight with fresh batteries, and a blanket. Also, I recommend that you get gas regularly, keeping above 3/4 of a tank as there are areas without gas for many miles between...

Well worth the 2nd try! These 15 Lakeside camping spots are first come, first serve and free. So, of course, they can be challenging to get. On my way to the Great Basin NP, I tried to get an overnight spot at 8pm and didn't have any luck. I ended up staying across the highway, where there were about 10 other overnighters. And there was still plenty of room for others. On the way home, I tried again at 2 pm and snagged Camp spot 10. This is a beautiful place to unwind. You can't beat the views, the sound of the lake, and animal noises. It seems like most of the people here, just want peace and quiet. Most of the campsites are pretty spacious. They have a picnic bench, fire pit, and barbecue. There are volt toilets available. To reach the campsite, you do need to go down a dirt road for about a mile. The road seems to be well maintained and was easy to tow my 13-foot travel trailer on it. Both times I tried to get camp spots, there was a sign at the entrance that said the campground was full. I would recommend checking anyway. That's how I was able to snag a spot. Ignored the sign and...