Red Rock Canyon Road
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, NV

This state park is located within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and is 520 acres. Unlike many state parks, Spring Mountain Ranch has had a long and colorful past. In the beginning, the many springs in the area provided water for Paiute Indians and later mountain men and early settlers. It began as a campsite in the mid-1830s and a welcome oasis for travelers. Travel around the area picked up and in 1876 the property was bought and a ranch was formed.

In 1948, Chet Lauck (Lum of the "Lum and Abner" radio show) bought the ranch and built the main ranch house. His ranch became a vacation retreat for his family, and he opened a boy's camp on the property. Lauck also built a large reservoir and named it "Lake Harriet" after his wife.

In 1955 German movie actress Vera Krupp bought the ranch. She was the longest residing owner and expanded the business of ranching. She also added a swimming pool and expanded the house. It remained her principal residence until 1967.

Today, the historical sites at the park include the main ranch house, Wilson Cemetery, Sandstone Cabin, Board and Batten bunkhouse, Blacksmith's Shop, Hay and Horse Barn/Corral, Two-Hole Outhouse, Chinchilla Shed, and many more. Visitors can take a self-guided tour through the main ranch house, as well as gather information about the ranch and the surrounding area.

The park is a haven in the desert. Located at 3,800 feet, the ranch is usually ten to fifteen degrees cooler than Las Vegas Valley. Because of this higher elevation, the ranch houses a diverse range of plant and animal life. Plants typical of the desert, as well as the woodland, can be seen. Since rainfall is adequate, the spring brings a burst of brightly colored wildflowers. Most animal life is nocturnal, so they are more difficult to see. Animals typical to the area include a variety of lizards and snakes, antelope ground squirrels, cottontails rabbits, kit fox, coyote, badger, and bighorn sheep.