March 2 Sunday Pahrump
Sunny but very windy 52. @ 9:30. Today we we start out with a picnic lunch to Ash Meadows 26 mi from Pahrump and 9 mi from Death Valley junction. We hike into Kings pool and Point of rock springs. Here we see pup fish in crystal clear bluesh pool. Next we drive to Devils Hole a flooded cave. We hike up and peer into the cavern where a small 500'(152m) deep hole whose bottom has never been mapped. The water is said to be 92'F ( hottest spring in Ash Meadows). We met a ranger their and she also took us up to the bat caves nearby. Next we drive to the visitors center (closed) but we walk the interpretive board walk to Crystal Springs, We flush out a cottontail from under the boardwalk. We see pup fish here too. A beautiful clear pool with overflow water going into a fast moving stream. This is one of 30 springs that discharge 10,000 gallons of water every minute. The average water temperature is 87' F. Virtually all of the water at Ash Meadows is “fossil” water believed to have entered the ground water system thousands of years ago. All very facinating. We drive up to John Longstreet's cabin and hot spring as well as the Fairbanks springs. Time to return home. 63' now but still windy.