Anniversary Narrows

Useful Information

Location:	Narrows, Nevada, 89040. Las Vegas north 147 east, Las Vegas south 564 east. Enter Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Turn left on 167 Northshore Road, car park at mile marker 16. (36.2205, -114.7031)
Open:	All year daily. [2022]
Fee:	free. Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Car USD 25, Motorcycle USD 20, Person USD 15. Valid for 7 days. [2022]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005, Tel: +1-702-293-8990.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1920s	Anniversary Mine opened.
1950s	Anniversary Mine closed.

Description

Anniversary Narrows is a gorge in the desert of Nevada, east of Las Vegas. The site is not developed, except for a trail which goes through the gorge. However, the trail is not developed, there is no concrete or pavement, no railings, no bridges, it’s simply a footpath through the gorge. And it is frequently washed away by floods after one of the rare rainfalls. However, the canyon is level and there is no climbing necessary to cross it, only some hiking. At one point its necessary to climb down a 1 m high drop, and in general we strongly recommend good walking shoes. Also, sun protection, especially some sort of hat, and enough water are a good idea too.

The road is the 167, either leave Las Vegas in the north on 147 or in the south on 564. Then turn left on 167, which is the Northshore Road, as it runs along the north shore of Lake Mead, the lake which was created by damming the Colorado river with the Hoover Dam. There are ticket offices at the border of the park, where you have to pay for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. But the gorge is freely accessible once you're in the park. The trailhead is a huge gravel car park on the highway at mile marker 16. A single lane gravel road along the valley leads to the gorge. It requires a 4WD or you should hike the 4.5 km to the gorge. The interesting narrow part of the gorge is 800 m long. So all in all, it’s a 10 km hike.

The geology in this area is complicated, a result of the orogeny of the Rocky Mountains. Deformation and tectonic stress caused the formation of numerous resources, for example, Borax deposits and a wide range of gemstones. The borax was mined at the entrance to the gorge at the beginning of the 20th century, from the 1920s. But the competition by the mines in Boron, California, made the mine unprofitable, and it was closed in the 1950s. The mine was named Anniversary Mine, after which the gorge was named Anniversary Narrows.

Another mine which is located halfway from the road to the gorge is the Ore Car Mine. It contains selenite, but also agates in different colours, mostly reddish. The varieties of agate which can be found are called Lilac Agate, Christmas Agate, Petrified Algae, and Bacon Agate. We are not so sure about the travertine if this is actually travertine or if it is just a funny name for an agate variety. The petrified algae is definitely just greenish agate and has nothing to do with algae. The mine is owned by the Southern Nevada Gem & Mineral Society (SNGMS) and is open to all mineral collectors. Commercial digging or power tools are not allowed, though, its strictly for collectors. This is quite exceptional, as the U.S.A. are one of those countries were picking up a nice rock from the ground is almost always illegal. The explanation is simple: the non-profit association owns the Ore Car Mining Claim, and they allow collectors to collect. The visit to this site is definitely worth the time, especially if you are already there for the gorge.