Sunday, April 22, 2012

GREAT BIKING/HIKNG TRAILS IN BOULDER CITY

Thursday, April 18 - Paul rode his bike on the Historic Railroad Tunnel bike path this afternoon.

A look from above at one of the entrances to a tunnel.looking-down-on-tunnel

You park near the Lake Mead Visitor's Center where the 35-mile River Mountain Loop Trail splits off toward the Hoover Dam. This is one of two most difficult sections of track to construct.

map

riding-down-trail

riding-down-trail-2

The gravel trail passes through five tunnels carved through the mountain. The first tunnel is about a mile down the trail and then passes through the other four within the next mile. All tunnels are approximately 300 ft. in length, and 25 ft. in diameter. The tunnels were oversized to fit penstock sections and large equipment being transported to Hoover Dam.

tunnel-different

These are old railroad tunnels that were dug through the mountain prior to construction of the Hoover Dam so gravel, concrete, and parts for the electrical generators could be delivered to the construction site.

tunnel-different-2

Being a former railroad bed, Paul assumed the trail would be fairly level. Like most of the roads and trails in the Boulder City area, this trail has some challenging hills. They get the lungs and heart working overtime.

approaching-tunnels

going-through-tunnel

This unique and historical trail is a must for hikers and bike riders while in the area. It takes about an hour to ride from the Lake Mead Visitor's Center to the Hoover Dam area. Don't miss it if you visit the area!

Paul dropped Marsha off at the airport at 8:30. She is taking the red eye to Canton, Ohio with a layover in Atlanta. She is going to be one tired girl. She will lose three hours once she reaches Ohio. Maybe a little nap is in her future.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day!