Pahrump

Before we leave Pahrump and head on down to Lake Havasu City, we want to let you know a little about the area. Pahrump is 60 miles west of Las Vegas over the Spring Mountains. About 45 miles east of Death Valley, and about 100 miles from Area 51. Pahrump serves as the eastern gateway to Death Valley National Park. Tucked into a long, narrow desert valley, Pahrump is surrounded by public land with Charleston Peak and the Spring Mountains to the east. The mountains to the west of town are the Nopah Mountains which you drive thru on your way to Death Valley. From Vegas you drive the Blue Diamond highway west, and climb up to 5,400 ft and go over the Spring Mountain range. Once over the summit there is a long valley ahead of you leading to Pahrump. The town is at an elevation of 2,725'. The name Pahrump comes from the Southern Paiutes. Pah meaning water, Rimpi meaning rock. Pah Rimpi became Pahrump, the Paiute description for springs or flowing water emerging from rock. There are springs here and at the turn of the century they grew cotton in the valley. The valley is 26 miles long and about 12 miles wide. The population of Pahrump was 24,631 as of the 2000 census, and is presently estimated to be in excess of 32,000. There are several large casinos, and gambling is available just about everywhere. Pahrump is also the location of the closest legal brothels to Las Vegas, including perhaps its most famous, the Chicken Ranch. However brothels are not allowed within the city limits. At one time Heidi Fleiss wanted to open a brothel here for women! We are staying at Terribles Lakeside Casino & RV Resort with 159 RV sites surrounding a spring fed seven- acre man made lake, about 5 miles from downtown. Modern Pahrump is a rambunctious little city, one of the fastest growing communities in the west. It attracts refugees from Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and much of it is still the modest pioneer amalgam of mobile home, cinder block and crackerbox homes. Lately, though, new urban features are conspicuous — there's a two-story bank building, three bright casinos now compete for attention along the highway (Nevada 160), and the tasting room at the Pahrump Valley Winery on Winery Road is busier than ever. There are three traffic lights, city-sized supermarkets, a Wal-Mart Supercenter, and a brand new Home Depot (can Lowe’s be far behind?). The first light is bordered by the Nugget Casino, Terrible's Downtown Casino, Walgreen's, and the Bank of America on the 4 corners and that is the main intersection. The Casinos have on-going buffets which are quite good and very economical. Teddy and I had dinner at the Nugget Casino on Wednesday evening 10/8 (2 for 1 night) for $9.60 total. There is also a sizable retirement community here. Honeysuckle is highly recommended by local nurseries as a great plant for your yard. Grows easily and likes the desert! The mountains are rock, rocks of all colors, no vegetation, and they loom so beautifully. The light bouncing off the many colored rocks changes the colors. It is never the same. The sunrises and sunsets are spectacular. The mountains show them off so well. Few houses have "lawns." Most yards are landscaped in desert rock, cactus of all kinds, mesquite, and cowboy/western motif! Very low maintenance! No wasted water here.
We really like this park and have already made reservations for the month of April after we leave Lake Havasu City.