SPRINGTIME ACTIVITIES: Getting out and about

Gardens at UNLV, outdoor art market are ways to enjoy the season

F. Andrew Taylor/viewTown Square held its first outdoor art event on March 28 at 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The event is planned for the last Friday of every month. jenna dosch/viewUNLV library technician Lee Bradley sits in the Xeriscape garden that is part of the arboretum on campus, April 4. Bradley likes to watch the birds and blooming plants this time of year. jenna dosch/viewGraduate students Stacey Torma, left, and Genevieve Arnold enjoy the spring weather while sitting in the Xeriscape garden behind the Marjorie Barrick Museum that is part of the arboretum at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. The arboretum spreads across the entire campus and tours are available. Advertisement

One of the best kept secrets in the valley is that the best times of the year are the spring and fall. Tourists flock to the Strip in the summer and midwinter when the weather is less than ideal, little knowing that in spring, the valley offers unbeatable weather, dazzling displays of wildflowers and numerous cultural festivals, public arts and entertainment events. Here are five things to do outside this spring.

THE UNLV ARBORETUM

The UNLV Arboretum has been on the campus at 4505 S. Maryland Parkway since 1985, but it's possible that even if you happen to be a student there, you still are unaware it exists. It's impossible, of course, to miss the actual arboretum, as it spreads out across the entire campus, but there is little in the way of signage to betray its presence.

"We're still working that out," Arboretum Education Coordinator Paula Garret said. "We have the signs but are still discussing how to mount them."

In the meantime, Garret, who also is a research scientist at the university, is working on a map of all the approximately 3,000 plants in the arboretum, which will be available in Adobe PDF format when completed.

The arboretum sometimes is referred to as the Emerald in the Desert, a motto the university has recently added to the logo. It is indeed a jewel, but one that is under viewed. Visitors will find it a beautiful and peaceful place with room to stretch out. Unlike many places in the valley, crowds are not usually a concern here, particularly in the late spring when most of the students are gone. For locals looking for a break from the shades of taupe and sage the desert usually affords, the arboretum is almost lurid in its display of deep greens and large trees.

Even with all the green, the arboretum is pledged to display mature, woody plants that are considered appropriate for the desert. New plants that are installed fit that criteria, but the arboretum has no intention of removing the old trees that predate the mission.

"We chose to keep them. They have a history," Garret said. "We'll let them live out their life and then replace them with desert-appropriate plants."

The arboretum boasts several Nevada Champion trees, which are the largest trees of that particular variety in the state. Large trees provide shade for students and visitors, with several intimate lounging areas sprinkled across the campus.

A brochure detailing a self-guided tour through the arboretum is available at the Marjorie Barrick Museum on the campus. The tour starts at one of two Xeriscape gardens, which allows the curious to identify the local flora and homeowners to plan their new water smart yards. The trail loops through the entire campus highlighting such features as the Alumni Grove, the Pascal Memorial Rose Garden and the AIDS Memorial Garden.

Guided tours can be arranged for groups upon request by calling 895-0952.

EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES

Earth Day, which was founded in 1970, originally was conceived as a multifaceted grass-roots event. In recent years, it has become primarily focused on educational fairs in which assorted organizations and companies display their wares and services.

UNLV will hold its Earth Day event on April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Nevada Power and Clark County will be there. Also attending will be the Electric Car Association, SNWA's Deputy Drip and Smokey the Bear.

Also, Buffalo Exchange will wrap up its charity collection for Coats for Cubs on April 22. The secondhand clothing store has encouraged people to donate their real fur coats to be used as bedding for orphaned baby animals. The store is located at 4110 S. Maryland Parkway, No. 1.

ART AT TOWN SQUARE

Town Square located at 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South, has set up a number of special events. Last month, it started a new monthly event, Art in Town Square. The event takes place in the Green Area and the street just west of it, which is closed off for the event. At the inaugural event on March 28, 19 artists and craftspeople set up shop for four hours and displayed and sold their work.

One of the valley's most visible and successful artists, Jennifer Main, called the event a success.

"It was pretty good," she said. "It started a little slow because most people aren't off on Fridays. I made money, not humongous amounts, but it's always good to get out and meet people."

The idea for the event has been germinating since the outdoor mall opened, when artist Gina Quaranto first visited Town Square. "I just came up with the concept," Quaranto said. "I thought it was a really cool place with the grass and the street, and I imagined closing down the street and having all the artists here."

It didn't take much convincing to get Town Square to give the idea a shot and create an event featuring art, live music, various performances and easels and art supplies for the kids to create their own work.

The next event is set for April 25. For more information, visit www.townsquarelasvegas.com.

CLARK COUNTY WETLANDS PARK

People unfamiliar with the Clark County Wetlands Park may find the concept of wetlands in the midst of the Mojave Desert a bit unbelievable. However, hikers, bird watchers and nature lovers in general are well acquainted with the park, located at 7050 Wetlands Park Lane near the east end of Tropicana Avenue.

Most of the city's washes meet and run along the east side of the park. Washes, for those who are unfamiliar with the desert, are the often dry river beds that mark the low parts of any given area in the valley. When the rain falls, it runs to the washes and all of the washes in the valley empty into Lake Mead. A few of the washes have streams that run in them most of the time. These are fed by small natural springs, run off from over-watered lawns and wastewater from activities such as driveway car washing. So, although there is an abundance of water in Clark County Wetlands Park, human contact with that water is discouraged and swimming, wading and fishing are not allowed.

That aside, the park is a beautiful place to visit. The wash meanders placidly through wide stretches before tumbling across stones in a narrow channel and dropping into low waterfalls. There are several ponds and fields of rushes, softly rustling in the desert wind. The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, particularly birds. Migratory birds often visit the park, drawn by the water, plantlife and relative seclusion. Officially 183 varieties of bird have been sighted in the park.

Observant visitors may spot evidence of other animals, as well. Rabbits, rodents, lizards, coyotes and even beavers and raccoons inhabit the park, which boasts over two miles of paved and gravel trails. By and large, the area is relatively flat, and there are a number of trail options providing walking enjoyment at all levels.

The park is open daily from dawn to dusk, and the visitors center is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about Clark County Wetlands Park, call 455-7522.

SUNSET PARK

One of the oldest and largest parks in the valley, Sunset Park, located at 2602 E. Sunset Road, boasts a wide range of recreational activities and amenities, including tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, a disc golf course and several reservable picnic areas.

The park also features one of the few fishing ponds in the valley. The body of water, usually referred to as The Lake, is home to a number of waterfowl, which are a particular favorite of small children who alternately feed and chase them. Many birds nest on the island in the center of The Lake, which also is home to a life-sized reproduction of a Rapa Nui Moai (Easter Island statue), which originally resided in front of the Tropicana Hotel and Casino.

Patrick Gaffey, cultural program supervisor for Clark County Parks and Recreation, recently researched the history of Sunset Park and installed interpretive signs. According to Gaffey, the park is home to some of the largest and oldest trees in Las Vegas, some of which may predate Europeans' first visit to the valley.

In 1829, 60 men led by Mexican trader Antonio Armijo almost certainly passed through what is now the park. The undeveloped southern section is the last remaining part of the Paradise Dunes, which once filled most of Paradise Valley. The land began to take its present form in 1909, when it became the Miller Ranch. Later, it spent a few decades as the Vegas Stock Farm, which trained race horses. The county obtained the park in 1967, and it became a park later that year.

In addition to the park's full-time activities and services, it will play host to Hoop it Up on Saturday and Sunday. The 20th anniversary tour of the Hoop it Up 3-on-3 basketball tournament will have players of all ages competing in 20 divisions, which will include divisions for players younger than 11, female divisions, coed teams and even a division for short guys older than 30.

"We were looking to do an event like this, and we contacted parks and recreation and they thought it was a great idea," said Gary Cox, general manager of 97.5 KVEG-FM, which has partnered with Clark County Parks and Recreation for this event. "Coincidentally, that same week Hoop It Up contacted us to see if we could host their event. It all fell into place. Mid-April seems like the perfect time to do it. Hopefully the winds will have died down and the temperature won't have reached the upper 90s yet."

For more information about the tournament, visit www.co.clark.nv.us/Parks/Events_Calendar.htm.