Tule Springs a relaxing oasis admist a sea of development

Existing for thousands of years as an oasis with ample water and lush vegetation, Tule Springs long drew scattered desert travelers to its isolated location in the northern part of Las Vegas Valley. Located 15 miles from downtown Las Vegas, the site still attracts visitors seeking greenery, shade and water, but passers-by arrive today in greater numbers, totaling 200,000 a year.

To reach this island in a sea of development, drive north on U.S. 95, exiting on Durango at Exit 93. Follow Durango as it curves through subdivisions, shopping malls and school zones until you reach Brent, where you turn right. The park entrance lies a few blocks away.

Tule Springs passed from an occasional campsite for nomadic hunters of prehistory to an early 1900s ranch and stage stop. In the 1940s, it morphed into a livestock operation and dude ranch catering to folks seeking six-week Nevada residency for fast divorces. Guests waited out the weeks at Tule Springs Ranch in comfortable rural surroundings with amenities like horseback riding, tennis, swimming and fishing in a reservoir.

When threatened with development, Tule Springs might have disappeared had it not been purchased as a park by the city of Las Vegas in 1964. Hard to maintain at such a distance from town, the new park became something of a stepchild. Many thought it seemed better suited to state park status, and began pushing for that change to take place. The state added the property to its roster of state parks in 1977, renamed it Floyd Lamb State Park and welcomed visitors for the next 29 years. It added more paths, more lakes and more picnic facilities.

In those years, the city grew tremendously, its margins pushing out until civilization surrounded the once-isolated park. It became an oasis of greenery and water in an expanse of urban development where open space is all but gone. Many thought the state park made more sense as a city park again. So after much thought, planning and maneuvering, this ancient oasis once again became a city of Las Vegas park. The state turned it over officially to the city last July.

So new is this change that nobody has yet replaced the "state park" directional signs on U.S. 95 and on Durango. They did change the name again, however. It is now known as Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs.

From September through April, the park opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. From May through August, extended hours let visitors in from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Entrance costs $6 per vehicle or $1 for each pedestrian, horseback rider or bicyclist passing through the gate. Frequent visitors should ask about annual passes available for $45. Seniors enjoy a real bargain since annual passes for those over age 50 cost $15.

During exhaustive park planning efforts preceding the transfer back from state to city, planners used varied means of finding out what people expect from this park. Turns out they still want the park pretty much as it has been for the last 40 years with a few improvements and special concerns.

Most people visit this park to picnic, hike, fish, bicycle, horseback ride and enjoy birds and other wildlife. It is likely they will arrive in the greatest numbers to picnic with family and friends on Easter Sunday and on Mother's Day. They will prefer to visit in spring and early summer and during our balmy autumn.

Planners found legitimate park users did not condone illegal uses such as shooting outside of the gun range adjoining the park, dumping of trash in open desert areas or degrading open space with motorized off-road vehicles. Many remained unenthusiastic about a proposed complex for organized sports, but agreed with the need for an improved equestrian complex. Many expressed concern for the nearly two dozen historic buildings on the property. Some sort of visitor center and historical interpretive facility emerged as priorities.

Improvements and additions to the park will occur over a span of years in three phases. Not much has changed yet, but the machinery of change is in motion. Tule Springs will continue to attract plenty of visitors as it emerges as a major regional park with wide appeal.

Margo Bartlett Pesek's column appears on Sundays.