On this day we celebrate our local neighbor, the desert tortoise. The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassazii), a very shell-tered reptile, is long-time resident of the Mojave Desert. Once common throughout its range, the desert tortoise has been under protection of the Endangered Species Act since 1990 due to a dramatic decline in their population numbers…
To Our Friends: As COVID-19 continues to spread across our country and the rest of the world, Friends of Gold Butte is committed to proactive measures to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors. Because of this, we are temporarily closing the Visitor Center to protect all of our community members. For those..
It is that time of year where the Milky Way (actually The Carina–Sagittarius Arm, but that is a subject for another time) emerges from its winter in the Southern Hemisphere and begins to show its galactic center in our northern latitudes. Starting in February it rises in the South-East around 2 AM and rises earlier each..
When night falls out at Gold Butte N.M., do not just crawl into your tent and give up on the natural beauty of our scenic national monument. Some of the best treasures of our public lands in remote places come on display after dark. If you are enjoying a campfire, step away from it for..
Hollow-pipe mining-claim markers were set up by prospectors during about 1970 to 1990 to mark the corners of their claims. Prior to that time, prospectors in the western deserts used piles of stones (cairns) as corner markers. As would be expected, looking for a pile of stones in the desert, which many people feel is “just..
My wife, Susan, and I love sunsets. We love to watch the sunset, and we love to photograph the sunset. We have photographed sunsets from Isle au Haut in Acadia, to Glacier Bay N.P. in Alaska; from the eastern tip of St. Croix to the westernmost shore of Kauai. We have taken pictures of beach..
Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) live throughout Gold Butte, but must remain fairly close to water (e.g., Lake Mead, mountain springs). Look for Bighorns on ridgelines and near rocky cliffs where they feel safe from predators. Desert Bighorn Sheep are large sheep of desert mountains with a tan coat and white rump. Adult males are..
The Friends of Gold Butte are pleased to introduce Mesquite resident Herb White as our newest board member. Herb brings a wealth of enthusiasm and experience to our board, often volunteering for various projects and we are excited to have him. Herb is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. He is married to his high school..
Gold Butte National Monument photography fans, think about joining Nevada Magazine for FOCUS 6 Vegas on February 19 at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas. Enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow photographers, network and a day talking our favorite hobby, photography. Steve Dudrow – Friends of Gold Butte Volunteer
The Winter night sky over Gold Butte National Monument is filled with the brightest stars that we can see all year long. I know it is cold out there, but cold air is actually much clearer than warm air so the stars will shine like you have never seen them before. Maybe you just want..
