Summary
- Nevada is not just known for its deserts, but also for its stunning mountain ranges and picturesque lakes, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
- Avi Kwa Ame is the newest national park in Nevada, covering a significant area and holding cultural and spiritual significance for Native American tribes.
- The management of the park falls under the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Park Service, ensuring its preservation and protection for future generations.
Nevada, which is tucked away in the southwest of the United States, between California and Utah, is primarily made up of unending dry areas and harsh deserts. While the state's desolate plains seem to go on forever, several gorgeous mountain ranges intersect it, with the exquisite Lakes Mead and Tahoe located in the west and southeast, respectively. The various national and state parks in Nevada are the greatest locations to take in the picturesque scenery and magnificent wildness.
Along with the stunning desert environment, there are magnificent landforms, stunning gorges, and powerful mountains to admire, as well as a few ancient sites and prehistoric petroglyphs. There is much more to Nevada than simply Las Vegas and gambling, offering a variety of magnificent hiking, camping, and even stargazing opportunities in its climate.
Great Basin National Park and National Historic Trails and Monuments are two examples of Nevada National Parks. Nevada is home to six national parks, and three of them cross many states on national trails. Two of them are shared with states next door; Great Basin National Park is the only park that Nevada owns exclusively to itself. Recently, a new national park in Nevada was added to this magnificent list. Here is what to know about Avi Kwa Ame National Park.
What To Know About The Newest National Park In Nevada
Time has been passing by the tranquility of the southernmost tip of Nevada for more than 20 years. Spirit Mountain, also known as Avi Kwa Ame in the Mojave, is the hub of this region, which is home to some of the world's oldest and largest Joshua tree forests, breathtakingly beautiful black sky, and many indigenous faunas.
The place, along with its surroundings, is holy to several Native American tribes. President Joe Biden's declaration of the 506,814-acre (2051 km²) area as a designated national monument, fulfilling a commitment from the 2022 White House Tribal National Summit, caused conservationists to heave a sigh of relief a few months ago.
There is more than one organization that owns the vast grounds. Numerous tribes regard these lands as holy and the source of life and place of origin, according to the Conservation Lands Foundation.
In order to ensure that the tribes are involved in key decision-making, including the development of tourist facilities, an agreement for the national monument will be developed with tribal governments. This relationship with Indigenous communities is being prioritized.
In addition to the stunning deserts, valleys, and mountain ranges in the area, Avi Kwa Ame is one of the most gorgeous landscapes and connects one of the largest contiguous wildlife corridors. It also highlights the region's sacred lands, which are essential to the origin stories of numerous tribes who have lived here for a very long time.
The President considered this area a spiritual and healing place. Now that its value has been acknowledged by declaring it the newest state park in Nevada, it will always be kept.
Due to its religious and cultural significance, Avi Kwa Ame was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as a traditional cultural property.
According to the NPS, this designation made Nevada’s newest national park worthy of preservation, but the newly awarded status now grants it permanent protection, as stated by the National Parks Conservation Association, thanks to a collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management and the Park Service.
- Entrance fee: Free
What Does Avi Kwa Ame Mean?
The Mojave and Sonoran Deserts meet at the foot of a huge mountain in Nevada's southernmost region, where the Yuman Tribes claim that creation started. This peak is known as Avi Kwa Ame which means and is also called Spirit Mountain, by the Mojave people.
Who Is Going To Manage Nevada’s Newest State Park?
The Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Park Service of the Interior Department are in charge of the land that makes up the national monument.
Existing State and private property inside the boundaries are not included in the monument since they do not belong to the Federal government, which currently owns all of the area allocated by the proclamation.
Best Hikes In Avi Kwa Ame State Park
Nevada’s state park visitors can enjoy hiking Grapevine Canyon Trail near Laughlin, Nevada, which is open all year and is stunning at any time of year. Dogs on leash are welcome. This is a very popular hiking area, so visitors may run into other hikers while exploring.
- Distance: 3.2 miles (5.3 kilometers)
Hikers can also opt to walk Spirit Mountain Trail which is close to Searchlight, Nevada. It requires an average of 3 hours and 29 minutes to complete and is typically regarded as a difficult course. Hikers will not likely run into many other hikers on this path, which is perfect for trekking.
- Distance: 3.7 miles (6.1 kilometers)
There are other scenic trails in this newest addition to Nevada parks such as Upper Hiko Springs, Christmas Tree Pass, and Pipe Spring Trail to Dry Water Falls.
Readers of this article may be interested in reading about the best and top-rated hiking trails in Nevada.