At 8am, the wheels were rolling! We were en route to the Hoover Dam, located about 50 minutes from our hotel in Las Vegas. We were so excited for our tour... only to arrive early and discover that the tours were not operating due to elevator maintenance. (How dare they maintain their infrastructure?!)
So, as all good travelers do, we pivoted. In the visitor's center, we enjoyed short films, presentations, and exhibits about the Hoover Dam. We then went for a short walk along the dam, only to see two very familiar faces (Mrs. Escalante & her husband) waving to us from their car. This was completely unplanned and such a welcome surprise! After a quick hello & photo (see below), we rounded out our Hoover Dam experience with a supremely retro light-up-diorama exhibit about the Colorado River.
Next, we were off to Valley of Fire State Park, which was about a 1.5 hour drive from the Hoover Dam along the coast of Lake Mead. First, we enjoyed a picnic lunch behind the Visitor's Center and then were off to the Fire Wave Trailhead. We hiked about 3/4 of a mile to the iconic rainbow formations. We spent a long time just sitting and appreciating the beauty around us before continuing on to the Seven Wonders Loop (not well marked, but we were expert navigators and problem solvers). The final part of the hike was a slot canyon that opened out into vast towers of rock formations. The trail contained so much variety in such a short distance, and we couldn't have asked for a better day of exploring.
We completed our hike just after 5pm as the sun was beginning to set. We drove about an hour and a half back to Vegas and had dinner at Peppermill -- a glam diner with Vegas-sized portions. Last but not least, we were off to the strip for some late night Ben and Jerry's. The strip was bursting with lights and activity, but it didn't take long before the unrelenting crowds took their toll on us. And so, ice cream in hand, we headed back to the hotel.
Today was such a busy day, but every moment was full of joy, adventure, and camaraderie. Next stop, Arizona!
