Talking about Wildlife

WILD LIFE REIGNS IN LAS VEGAS. The clubs throb, the stage shows are libidinous, and the liquor is freeflowing. Everybody’s got a story of late-night gambling——as well as tales you’re not supposed to tell.

It won’t go against protocol, however, to talk about the wildlife I observed. Indeed, Vegas is surrounded by some of America’s most spectacular wilderness areas. A 30-minute drive from my accommodations at the Strip’s New York–New York Hotel & Casino is scenic Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area. The heart of this area is the bright red Calico Hills. The red coloration of the cliffs comes from the iron oxide they contain. (On a car, we more commonly refer to iron oxide as rust.)

For $5, you can drive the 13-mile scenic loop, which has car turnouts and markers that explain the fascinating geology. There are also great hikes——both easy and challenging. Rock climbers love the place. They show up as dots on the giant red cliffs. (No matter what you do, bring lots of water here.)

Wild horses and burros are common. Although not native species, they are protected by law. I spot a pair of wild burros by the road and stop to take pictures. Burros are wild animals that should be given distance, since they will bite and kick. These burros just approach, and then wander off. Soon, so do I.

Back on the Strip, I escape to the Venetian’s Canyon Ranch SpaClub. This massive facility has a three-story rock-climbing wall, and offers belly-dancing lessons. The Canyon Ranch Café features fresh-squeezed juices and health-conscious dishes, like my barbecued salmon on a bed of sautéed vegetables and organic long-grain brown rice.

Later, a friend and I catch the interactive The Sopranos’ Last Supper at the Krave Theater at Aladdin. We eat with our “family”——in our case, the “Rigatonis”——and we’re visited occasionally by members of the Sopranos, making us feel like a part of a kinder, gentler mob family.

OF THE NUMEROUS TIMES I’ve been to Vegas, this is my first 7 a.m. wakeup call. Wild life has segued back to wildlife.

Latte in hand, I meet guide J. Michael Tracy for a Pink Jeep Tour into the spectacular Valley of Fire. An hour’s drive brings us to the park’s entrance, where the cliffs are so red my bleary eyes appear white in comparison. The area’s name is derived from these fiery red cliffs, not an actual fire.

The area is best known for its ancient rock carvings——and they’re everywhere. These petroglyphs are up to 4,000 years old. They depict a variety of subjects: footprints, people, ladders, big-horn sheep and other animals. The general consensus is these are hunting scenes; whether they actually tell stories is not known. Younger petroglyphs are easy to spot due to the inclusion of horses, which weren’t brought to America until the 1500s.

Although a desert, there are a number of water sources here. The most interesting are called “tanks.” These naturally occurring, small-pool-size depressions in the rock catch rain runoff and usually have water year round.

As we drive, red gives way to an area of yellow, orange, white and purple rocks. Rainbow Vista, named for the huge variety of colors in the rocks, even has a section of cliff that matches our pink Jeep.

After the tour, we reimmerse ourselves in the Strip over some sake at Shibuya at the MGM Grand. Shibuya offers more than 80 premium sakes. We choose a chef’s sake sampler to try with a variety of food.

Following dinner, we head to Bellagio for O. This waterworld show is both funny and breathtaking. I had been advised to take a date to any Cirque du Soleil show——and to have a hotel room nearby afterward. O yes. That’ll have to suffice. We all got the “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” memo.

But now we know the exception to the rule: It’s okay to talk about the wildlife.

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Jeffrey Lehmann is host and producer of the Weekend Explorer TV series, which airs all over the world and on 210 PBS stations in the United States.

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