Adventure Scrapbook – Found Nowhere Else On Earth

Located northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada near the border with California, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a fascinating and unique ecosystem. The refuge was established in 1984, and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. Over 23,000 acres of spring-fed wetlands and alkaline desert uplands protect a number of threatened and endangered species found nowhere else in the world. Water from over 100 miles to the northeast enters a vast aquifer system and slowly moves underground until it is forced to the surface by a geological fault. The seeps and springs created as the water reaches the surface make the refuge a unique spot in the dry Mojave Desert. The visual contrast between the desert and the wetlands, along with its wide array of plant and animal life are well worth the detour on the way to Death Valley. For more information visit http://www.fws.gov/refuge/ash_meadows