Amazing place! A bizarre road, a natural attraction all by itself twisting around and through rock formations, leads down to the bottom of a long canyon to where the Amargosa River rises up from underground. When you arrive, enter the little store and order a Date Shake, which is a milkshake with dates and is Amazing Fantastic! Family owned and operated date growing farm, ships dates all over, and has a small retail operation for the few people who manage to find the place. read more

China Ranch Date Farm - The "driveway" to the China Date Ranch, a natural wonder. - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

The shake!!! No one greeted and didn't speak until spoken to. I was the only person in the store and I was treated as if I was invisible. This shop has so many trinkets, snacks, gifts and dates. A back room with clothes was an added bonus. I didn't ask the price, which was reasonable, I just came with an expectation and it did not disappoint, The trail is an added bonus in season read more

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When visiting Death Valley National Park, a side trip to the China Ranch Date Farm & Bakery is always a must do for us. Nearby are hiking trails along the Amargosa River, exploring the Old Spanish Trail and historic railroad bed while enjoying the scenery of a lush, green oasis in the Mojave Desert with a rustic, welcoming feel. Even better, our dog is able to come on the hikes with us as long as he is on a leash. The wide variety of dates (Medjool, Black Beauty, etc.), date shakes, date nut bread, muffins, and cookies are available for purchase at their bakery/gift shop. Highly recommend the date shakes! read more

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Back in January 2024, The Writer's Block hosted Sarah Lohman, author of Endangered Eating: America's Vanishing Foods, which featured dates from California's Coachella Valley. The samples provided were delicious. So one day, two and a half years later, I got the wild idea to visit the much closer China Ranch Date Farm & Bakery in Tecopa. Atmosphere: Remote, sparse, picturesque, throwback. Within a hiking area for the Amargosa River. Picnic tables and facilities were available. Of all the times Google Maps' route preview would have been useful, it would have been for this trip. Alas, Google didn't give the option. I was frankly white-knuckling climbing the last couple of miles up a very winding single lane gravel path, praying some hotdogger in an ATV wasn't barreling in the other direction. Due to location, probably not a place I'd recommend traveling to in winter, high heat, or the rain. The Gift Shop stocked a full complement of date-related products, including free samples of the fruit itself. Thanks to the latter, bought one pound each of the Black Beauty and Honey dates (each $9). The store also carried stuff like polished stones; picked up a green Calcite ($3). Service: Polite from David at the register. Value: Prices seemed fair to me, for such a lonely spot at the end of a lonely trek which might induce the sunk cost fallacy. read more

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Where can you find a better date place than a date farm! Took my husband there on a date 8 years ago, came back today with our two little ones. This place is special all around. Little creek with fish that can not be found anywhere in the world. Dates that are so delicious! So beautiful. We went during flowers super bloom- flowers everywhere! Drive is majestic and scenery is breathtaking. Do yourself a favor and take your date on a date farm. read more

China Ranch Date Farm - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

About an hour outside Henderson Nevada heading towards Pahrump. Long drive but beautiful scenery! Expected more but interesting! read more

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Far from the maddening crowds of Las Vegas, there is a beautiful date ranch in Tecopa, California. I have had this place bookmarked for a long time and finally had an opportunity to check it out. We made the short drive out here (1.5 hours) into the world of date palms. Towards the end of the drive, the landscape changes into this mini oasis of lush greenery. The turn off into the farm is clearly marked. You wind your way down into the ranch on a dirt road that leads into the canyon. Be aware that other drivers will be coming from the other direction. As we drove in, we witnessed a worker pollinating one of the many date palms. I found this interesting to witness. How does pollination occur? There are both male and female date palms. Initially both trees produce brown flower pods in in the spring. These pods split open to reveal flowers inside. The long stems of the male flowers are placed inside the female flowers to assure complete pollination. One male tree can supply enough pollen for 40-50 female trees. Isn't nature fascinating? We made our way down into the canyon and found parking easily as we were one of the few people there. There are picnic tables to sit at and they offer a little shade. It was relatively warm the day we came so I would advise visiting in the fall, early spring and winter. The date farm is huge and is family owned and operated. It offers a small gift shop with lots of Native American items and of course lots of date items. The date shake counter is within the store and you can also order your shake from the patio and the date shake counter. There is a tiny museum offering insight and historical information. They are in the process of renovating the museum. So much history here from Kit Carson sleeping here to Antonio Armijo (the first European visitor) arriving here and establishing the Old Spanish Trail. There are four hiking trails in the area. These trails include a small slot canyon, a waterfall, old abandoned mines and beautiful desert views. We didn't hike on this day as my friend was not prepared. The farm itself is only twenty miles to the Death Valley National Park entrance. Be sure to bring closed toed shoes and your hiking day pack with plenty of water. We witnessed the China Ranch creek flowing which ultimately leads to the Amargosa River. Yes, there is a lot of water here all from underground of course which makes this area so lush and oasis like. Surprising I know. The area is home to many animals and over 225 bird species have been recorded. The date shakes were so yummy. We even added chocolate to our shakes which enhanced the taste even more. My friend bought some date bread to bring home. I plan to return for a second date in the fall/winter to check out the hiking in the area. read more

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LOVED our random adventure to the date farm. Came across it on tik tok & decided to check it out. Customer service was great, date products were delicious. Including the Date shake. So yummy ! We hiked to the slot canyon. Bit of a hike, but not hard. Recommend wearing appropriate shoes & hiking attire & plenty of water. Overall, I'd go back to check out all the other trails too! Such a cute interesting spot! read more

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China Ranch Date Farm & Bakery is located in Tecopa, California, on the southeastern edge of Death Valley National Park. There is a small museum on the property as well as a gift shop that sells date shakes, packaged dates, and a wide variety of wares & other date products. There is also a well-maintained trail system connected to the property that follows the Amargosa Wild & Scenic River, the only free-flowing river in the Death Valley region of the Mojave Desert. I visited China Ranch Date Farm & Bakery during the 2024 winter holidays, when I was seeking new road trip options from Henderson/Las Vegas. I thoroughly enjoyed this off-the-beaten-path adventure. Highlights from my trip included hiking to the Amargosa River waterfall, savoring a coffee date shake from the farm store, and taking a scenic drive along Old Spanish Trail Highway to Highway 127 & Highway 178. Attractions along that route included natural hot springs, badlands, the towns of Tecopa & Shoshone, and the Nopah Range Wilderness. read more

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Who would have thought a lush area of land outside of Las Vegas would have so many date trees, especially in the desert! This was worth the 1.5 hour drive from Las Vegas, even with the winding dirt roads. Even on a weekend, it was not super busy and we were able to find parking near the bakery and gift shop. Of course, all the visitors were in line for their date shakes; my husband got the Date Shake (has ice cream, dates, and vanilla extract) and I got the Vegan Date Smoothie (dates, almond milk, cashews, mesquite flour, and frozen banana). You have to go inside the bakery to order the shakes, and then pick-up is outside the building. I was impressed with the Vegan Date Smoothie as it was cold and easy to drink, with a date and banana taste (rating is 5 out of 5). The Date Shake tasted more like vanilla ice cream with a very very subtle date taste, but my husband loved it (4 out of 5). I would definitely get the Vegan Date Smoothie again. They also have a Vegan Coffee Date Frappe and Hot/Cold Coffee. Prices were pretty fair, especially for the size of the cups. There is seating right outside the bakery and picnic tables scattered throughout the farm. The bakery smelled really really good. All date products used dates grown on the farm. They had samples of dates we could try; I sampled all the ones that were available and my favorite is the Honey Date, so I grabbed a container of it for $9. They sold raw dates, date candies, date bars, and a variety of date baked goods like brownies, cookies, and bread. My husband bought one of their $4 date brownies and the chocolate flavor overpowered the taste of the dates, but it was sooo moist and sweet (rating 5 out of 5). I also pursued their Date Pecan Cookies and Date Nut Bread, both which were delicious and didn't have seed oils in the ingredients. I highly recommend their Date Nut Bread. We got to walk around for a bit and saw that a walking/hiking trail is directly connected to the parking lot, where there is a shading area with tables and seating. We also walked through the rows of date trees and enjoyed the clean air. read more

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It's a long and winding road to the some of the best dates and date shakes you'll ever have in your life, right in the middle of groves of dates. First, the vegan date smoothie: this is the best date shake and definitely the healthiest shake I've ever had. Made from cashews, mesquite flour, almond milk, frozen banana and of course dates, it's luscious, nutritious and as far as I know, only made here at China Ranch. The dates themselves are fantastic, fresh and sweet, packed into paper boxes for easy transport home. There's also date bread and a ton of souvenirs to browse through. There are several hiking trails available starting out from the store as well, featuring amazing views of the Mohave desert. I completed the Slot Canyon trail featuring (you guessed it) a slot canyon. Stunning views and very interesting plant life along the trail. You'll feel like you're on another planet. China Ranch Date Farm is a must-see. Free parking in the lot. read more

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The cookies were fresh and there is a variety of merchandise to choose from. Glad there is more signage as the place can be tricky to locate. If you don't mind the drive, you can take it the beautiful scenery along the way. read more

We stopped at China Ranch, a working date farm, on a recent trip from Vegas to Death Valley where we had a date shake while enjoying the scenery,. It seems as if it hasn't changed a bit in the 30+ years since I was there last. There's a small store where you can buy souvenirs or a tasty creation from their bakery; I selected a couple of loaves of the date nut bread they make onsite, which was delicious. I highly recommend a quick stop at China Ranch on your way to or from Death Valley. Trying a date shake is mandatory! read more

This is my all-time favorite place near Tecopa, California and in the desert it's a must stop. You absolutely have to try the coffee date shake. It is incredibly delicious. I stop here every single time I go through TeCopa to enjoy the Hot Springs. I bring all my friends and family here and I absolutely love this place. I've been coming here for over a decade and I am just so grateful that this place exists. Thank you for a wonderful family owned business. You guys are so much appreciated. read more

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They have tasty date bread, brownies, protein date bars, date shakes ... EVERYTHING !! A hidden gem for sure.

Whether or not it's worth driving out of your way for this spot is debatable, but you'll be rewarded with some solid date options. Staff was friendly and I appreciate they offer a restroom... very handy after driving for a few hours out here. I actually went with the vegan date smoothie to be less guilty on the choice and it was still very flavorful. Not overly sweet in a good way with nice date flavoring. The date bread is also very moist and tasty! Makes for a nice grab for the road. Warning the road in is pretty sketchy. While you don't need 4WD, it's not paved and high clearance is probably preferred. Our Civic made it in fine but definitely had a bunch of brake warnings with the inclines going down and it's one way, so you gotta be careful going in and out. Makes for an adventure just getting here. read more

China Ranch Date Farm - Vegan date smoothie - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

This place still has the same charm. I was visiting Death Valley again and China Ranch was on my list of must-visits before heading home to the east coast. They have the same menu items of baked goods, shakes, and smoothies. The vegan date smoothie is the best thing I've ever tasted. If you're in the area, definitely stop in and buy too many things like I did! read more

China Ranch Date Farm - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

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My family and I took a day trip to Pahrump and Tecopa CA vicinity and definitely to stop by this ranch farm as a lot of people from Pahrump recommended it. We were very pleased with the self guided tour and to see the trees up close, and as all the visitors mentioned, the date shake was a must try. It was absolutely delicious! (a bit thick like ice cream, but nonetheless amazing!) we got a few boxes of assorted dates to go and the experience was serene. Just taking off one star for the unpaved road not sure if the farm owners can asphalt the road but it was a little bit rocky/gravelly getting in to the main entrance, a sedan can get thru but I would not recommend a sports car or a low profile vehicle, I should have brought my crosstrek instead but overall a great experience. read more

Possibly the best dates I've ever had. Wonderful. Dateland in AZ is a close second. The date shake is great and should not be missed. Friendly, courteous service. Open 9 a.m. everyday. Quick directions: Make the turn to Tecopa, 5 miles south of Shoshone, CA. Worth the road trip! read more

Recommended! Beautiful drive to this spot that had beautiful grounds and surroundings! Purchased a date iced frappe coffee and date cookies, and chowed down under the shade of the many sitting spots. Very cool gift shop with interesting finds. Go check it out and lemme know whatcha think of it! read more

Great place to visit in the middle of nowhere beautiful farm with dates you can hike many hiking trails enjoy dates shake

Another Death Valley region gem! In summer of 2016 I took my first ever trip through Death Valley. It was a hot 114 degree day and I had to take a break from driving, so I happened arrive at Stovepipe Wells Village. Badwater Saloon was open, so I pulled over and ordered a cold beer to settle my thirst , then hunger hit! One of the items I tried on that day was what they called "China Ranch Stuffed Dates". These were dates stuffed with goat cheese and jalapenos wrapped in Applewood bacon and a touch of prickly pear syrup; del-freaking-icious!!! So I asked the bartender where China Ranch was and he told me. A couple of months later when I had more time to explore Death Valley, I picked up my Mom in Las Vegas and we hit the road! One of our stops on that trip was China Ranch Date Farm. The location is amazing by itself! You would never know it is there because it is hidden amongst hills and surrounded by desert. You drive on a dirt road that is cut amongst barren hills and as you make the last turn there is a green oasis full of palm trees! Believe it or not humans have lived in this area for at least since the Shoshone and Ute people first arrived in the area around 1,000 A.D. Then came the Spanish ranchos, mining and railroad! The name "China Ranch" comes from a Chinese mine worker named either Quon Sing or Ah Foo who settled in this oasis in the late 1800s, built the irrigation system and developed a fruit garden and planted vegetables, and raised meat for the local mining camps. Then came a nasty roughneck named Morrison who illegally chased him off the property. The legend goes that Morrison may have even killed the Chinese owner and disposed of his body, because no one ever saw him leave. Morrison eventually sold the property, but the name "China Ranch" had stuck. Ever since then the property has had many owners who turned it into a fig farm, cattle ranch, hog farm, alfalfa farm, and others. Finally in 1970, Charles Brown Jr. and Bernice Sorrells purchased it and to this day it remains in these families. China Ranch offers numerous delicious date products, such as breads, pastes, syrups, delicious date shakes made fresh to order and of course plenty of varieties of dates, including Deglet Noors, Medjools, and Honey dates. Depending on the season, they also sell other varieties including a China Ranch exclusive hybrid date. My personal favorites are Black Beauty Dates. They also have a gift shop and a small museum. There are a few picnic tables outside in case one wishes to sit and enjoy the surrounding for a while. For hikers, there are a few hiking trails to choose from. SO there is a little bit of everything for everyone! If you are ever in the area, do not miss the opportunity to visit, you will be pleasantly surprised! read more

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I absolutely loved it, beautiful little hiking trails a wonderful gift shop absolutely love their date shake. A little rough getting down the hill, but it's well worth it. read more

I loved this place. We stopped on the way to Joshua tree and I was thrilled that they had a vegan date smoothie, which was tasty. They had free date samples, and gift shop and you could see how dates grow. Museum was ok. Would love to come back and do some of the trails. The road to get there was scenic too. read more

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A bit of a drive from Tecopa, but absolutely worth it. The best dates and date baked goods I've ever tried. The Black Beauty variety is especially delicious and less sweet than others. And there's nothing more decadent than having a coffee-infused date shake for breakfast. The staff is friendly and the gift store is large and well stocked with all kinds of unique products. It's incredible to see such lush beauty in the middle of the desert in what feels like the middle of nowhere. The Amaragosa Trail is steps away from the farm and provides a long hike along the river. The area has a fascinating and tragic history-- it is the traditional homelands of the Shoshone and Paiute and was later founded by a man named Quon Sing who tragically disappeared--but is now a serene and beautiful oasis. read more

Beautiful date farm well worth the drive. The roads wind down the valley are breathtaking. The milk shake and vegan smootie were both fantastic after a mile hike. The trails were well maintained. The water trickles down stream and makes the daye farm a paradise. We will definitely go back. read more

China Ranch Date Farm - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

Love this place! The fresh dates are most delicious. They also have some amazing bakery offerings and of course the decedent date shakes made with love. We enjoy walking around the gift shop and surrounding land. The hikes are really special. If you are in the mood to wander for several miles, you'll run into signs of the olden days. Including an old mining operation and the remains of an old railroad bed. We visit at least four times a year from Vegas, and always make sure to bring our guest out to this very special spot. read more

China Ranch Date Farm - Think we can get her running? - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

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Worth the drive from Las Vegas. Beautiful, relaxing, and straightforward drive. It is such a quaint place. Very cool to see the date palm trees. There's a little bit of dirt road but not a rough terrain to go through. Love the little gift shop they have. Had some date shake. Super delicious! We also bought dates from here and it is amazing and flavorful! It's also very nice to be able to support their business. There are places you can hike. Make sure to bring lots of water on hot days! And I have spotted a coyote within their date farm so be watchful. read more

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Get your date shakes!!!! In spite of the fact that we are in the middle of the desert, this oasis is open during COVID-19 with all precautions in place, which is great. There's no guide on what to do- you're just here to wander the date farm or gift shop or trail. Follow the Old Spanish Trail Road past Tecopa from 127. Then follow the signs for China Ranch Date Farm. It's about .5 mile of paved road, then 1.5 miles of unpaved for the rest of the way. It's pretty fun and can be done with a 2WD but go slow if you do as parts of it is one lane. Though I didn't try the hike since it's August and it's about 110F, it's definitely something to try next time! The gift shop has a lot of trinkets and fabrics that I haven't fully checked out, and they have quite a lot of products made in the farm, such as dates (of course), salsa, pickled quail eggs, etc. I ordered a date shake with banana and given that it was 110F I think I rate it higher than it actually is, but still good overall. It's a bit too sweet for me, and I feel like the ice cream melts too fast, but nonetheless it tasted good in this scorching weather. If they used better ice cream than I'd give it a 5. Ate some refrigerated dates at the picnic tables near the trailhead, and man it was pretty good. Got the assorted just to see how all of them tasted. Personally, I thought the dark brown/blackish looking dates were the most tender, delicious of the assorted batch. Just my 2 cents. Just keep an eye out on the gigantic flies when picnicking here! Overall, fun little side trip for first time goers. I might be back in the winter when temps are cooler to hike the trails and explore more, but overall I felt satisfied making the trip here from Death Valley! read more

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Well... it's definitely this little oasis out in the middle of nowhere (Tecopa, CA) about 65 miles away from The Vegas valley... BUT that's about all it was. Granted it was 95 degrees so there wasn't much to do to escape the heat. I wanted to do their small hike to the slot canyon but it was way too hot. So we went back to the farm and hardly anyone was there. We went into the shop and I tried three of their varieties of dates which were delicious. I then ordered one of their date shakes and that was good too... albeit it VERY VERY sweet. Other than that, it was a one and done trip for me and my bf... we drove back and were just like, "yeah... there was no point to drive all the way out there." Just personal preference. The three stars are for the date shake. I should've got the one with cold brew coffee added to cut the sweetness a bit. BUT to drive about 120 miles around trip for an ice cream? Nah. read more

Totally unexpected. Feels like you are going the wrong way but keep going. When the paved road ends and the dirt road goes between a canyon, keep going. Keep going until you get to an oasis of amazing date shakes, variety of dates, and baked goods. Then walk towards the trail head and walk to a bubbling brook and a small waterfall. It is beautiful, full of history, and relaxing. read more

Best mother's day ever! The date farm is the place to go for amazing date shakes, date bread, date muffins! But also for the little hikes among the trees and shady spots. Highly reccomend u attend in spring winter or fall...its too too hot otherwise. And the horse flys rule. read more

Would highly recommend a day trip out here from Las Vegas! The drive is beautiful and the farm is its own beautiful oasis! If you have the time and it's not too hot, definitely do the hiking behind the farm and finish the day with date ice cream! read more

Unbelievable oasis hidden in the Mojave. Family owned business, open 7 days a week. read more

LOVE the date shakes here, they are truly the highlight!! This little spot is tucked away in the middle of nowhere, so if you're not looking for it specifically, it's definitely not something you would randomly come across! A cool spot to check out if you are in the area for sure. The date shakes are sooo amazing and so are the dates! I typically get the vegan date smoothie, while my husband opts for the date shake. We've stopped here a few times on our way back to Vegas from the Delights Hot Springs, and are always sure to grab something. I would SO love to give them 5 stars, but our last visit here left my stomach churning. :/ Not in the physical sense, luckily, but I was pretty nauseated when I found SEVERAL long hairs in our trail mix. They're sealed when purchased, so how did that happen?? D: Unfortunately I'll probably never eat anything from here again, but I will always support the local vendors by buying some of the other products! read more

This is a special place to come visit if you are around tecopa. It's a beautiful place that looks like a wonderland, they have delicious date bread and date smoothies. Even a vegan option smoothie, with a cute store in the back with local businesses product. So much to see here and hiking in the back with even a waterfall. read more

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What a surprise! Loved the drive down down down into the belly of a precarious looking rocky canyon walls reaching into the date farm. An oasis in the middle of nowhere:-) loved the landscape and admire the family who ventured out into this remote area to farm dates! Such a cool place. I loved the date shake. read more

China Ranch Date Farm - The shop at China ranch - Bakeries Near Me - Tecopa, California

What an absolute gem of a find! We discovered this farm while we were exploring the Death Valley area and stayed here overnight with our camper van through our Harvest Host membership. I am a huge date lover so I was really excited to try their dates. They have an ample variety of dates that you really can't find in most places. Grocery stores and the like will have the usual medjools are deglet noors but China Ranch offers so much more. We ordered a 5lb sampler box (Halawy, Khadrawy, Honey and CR Black were included), date nut bread, date syrup and a couple of date smoothies. Everything was delicious! I'm so glad that offer online ordering because I will definitely be ordering more dates in the future from them. The staff is so friendly and COVID protocols are in place. If you're ever in the area and love dates as much as I do, make it a point to give them a visit! read more

I love stopping in, but this was my first visit since the Covid protocols have been in effect. They are handling it quite well. If you want shakes, you can order from outside, but if you want to shop, they will admit you upon request. We went inside. No one--not Hadleys or Shields can hold a candle to the yumminess served here. We bought date bread, cookies, and muffins. My favorites find was the thick date syrup. This is an amazing item to have on hand for cooking. Yes, its a weird little little drive to get into the box canyon, but it is sooo worth it. read more

On our way to visit family in Pahrump, NV, I asked my husband if he would like to go on a quick adventure. He always obliges. We took the turnoff down the Old Spanish Trail. Then we followed the signs down a narrow caliche road with twists and turns and hills and dips. My husband who was driving looks at me and mouthed, "Where the f*** are you taking us?" Our daughters in the backseat were having fun finding "faces" on the sides of the mountains and hills. We reached the farm about 10 minutes later mainly because we drove slow and stopped to read signs and take photos. In some places only a single vehicle would fit so be careful. The history of this place is interesting. Check it out: http://www.chinaranch.com/default.asp The gift shop and snack bar are nothing spectacular, but you have the option of refrigerated dates or room temperature ones. I recommend the former because it's about 109°F in early July (2018). It's worth a visit. The coffee date shake ($6) is a bit better than the regular date shake ($5). The guy that blended ours left small chunks and date bits. If you're not down with that, I'd let them know... Vegas isn't too far away. There is a hot springs nearby. Lots of hiking in the area. Just bring extra gas and water... 4-wheel drive wouldn't hurt either. Most likely you will not get a cell phone signal out here. I didn't. 2018 Yelp challenge #144 read more

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