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Bonnie Springs Ranch

1843 establishments in Mexico1958 establishments in NevadaAmusement parks in NevadaAmusement parks opened in 1958Buildings and structures in Clark County, Nevada
Ranches in NevadaReportedly haunted locations in NevadaTourist attractions in Clark County, Nevada
Bonnie Springs Ranch 1
Bonnie Springs Ranch 1

Bonnie Springs Ranch was an attraction near Blue Diamond, Nevada that included an 1880s Western town replica and a zoo. It is located on 63.86 acres (25.84 ha) in the Mojave Desert, below the Spring Mountains in the Red Rock Canyon area, 20 miles west of Las Vegas. The ranch has natural oasis habitat because of the spring water surfacing there. The ranch was originally created in the 1840s, as a stopover for wagon trains heading to California. Bonnie McGaugh purchased the ranch in 1952, and it was subsequently named Bonnie Springs Ranch after her. Horseback riding and a restaurant were added by the mid-1960s. Old Nevada, the western town replica, was opened at the ranch in 1974, followed by the zoo and a motel in the 1980s. In January 2019, plans were announced to demolish the ranch and replace it with approximately 20 custom homes, a new restaurant and motel, and a barn to be used for events. Bonnie Springs closed on March 17, 2019. Its replacement, The Reserve at Red Rock Canyon, began construction three years later, after a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Bonnie Springs Ranch
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Latitude Longitude
N 36.059405 ° E -115.454048 °
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Bonnie Springs Road

Bonnie Springs Road
89004
Nevada, United States
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Blue Diamond Hill housing proposals
Blue Diamond Hill housing proposals

Since 2002, there have been various housing proposals for Blue Diamond Hill, located in rural Clark County, Nevada. The proposed site is located west of Las Vegas, near the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The Blue Diamond Mine has operated on the land since the 1920s, but the property otherwise remains vacant. Each of the proposed housing projects have received some opposition from environmentalists, citing concerns about the impact that such a project would have on the surrounding area. In 2002, John Laing Homes proposed a community known as Cielo Encantado, with more than 8,400 homes on nearly 3,000 acres. Some residents of nearby Blue Diamond, Nevada were opposed to the project, which would bring 21,000 new residents to the area. By comparison, the town of Blue Diamond had 300 residents. Opponents also argued that a residential development would have a negative impact on the nearby Red Rock Canyon. After much opposition, John Laing withdrew its proposal in 2002. Within a few months, developer Jim Rhodes purchased 2,400 acres on Blue Diamond Hill and announced plans for Hidden Hills, a proposed community with up to 5,500 homes. This property is located near Red Rock Canyon, but not inside it. State senator Dina Titus introduced a bill to freeze the rural residential zoning that had already been in place at allowed one house for every two acres. Titus' bill was signed into law in May 2003, and the Clark County Commission passed a similar ordinance two days later. Rhodes filed a lawsuit in 2005, to overturn the law and ordinance. In 2009, a federal judge ruled in Rhodes' favor. The Clark County Commission subsequently approved a settlement deal with Rhodes that would allow development on the land, under certain conditions. In 2011, Rhodes proposed an unnamed community that would have 7,000 homes. The proposal received some opposition, and Rhodes later agreed to swap his land for other acreage, allowing for the preservation of Blue Diamond Hill. However, discussions with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) ended in 2014, without a swap deal. The BLM did not swap for Rhodes' property because it felt it had been disrupted by the mining operation. In 2016, Rhodes proposed another unnamed community that would have 5,025 homes. This proposal also received some opposition, leading to several lawsuits. The number of homes was later reduced to 3,500. The project remains unbuilt, although Rhodes still intends to proceed with development. His company, Gypsum Resources, was approved in October 2022 to build 429 homes across 671 acres.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Clark County, Nevada, United States, is an area managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of its National Landscape Conservation System, and protected as a National Conservation Area. It is about 15 miles (24 km) west of Las Vegas, and is easily seen from the Las Vegas Strip. More than three million people visit the area each year.The conservation area showcases a set of large red rock formations: a set of sandstone peaks and walls that were formed by thrust faults including the Keystone Thrust. The walls are up to 3,000 feet (910 m) high, making them a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. The highest point is La Madre Mountain, at 8,154 feet (2,485 m). A one-way, loop road, 13 miles (21 km) long, provides vehicle access to many of the features in the area. Several side roads and parking areas allow access to many of the area trails. A visitor center is at the start of the loop road. The loop road is also popular for bicycle touring; it begins with a moderate climb, then is mostly downhill or flat. The Rocky Gap Road in Red Rock Canyon NCA is a side canyon accessible only by an unmaintained primitive road from the scenic loop which mostly only off-road or high-clearance vehicles can access. State Route 159 cuts through the Cottonwood Valley, also a side trail of the Old Spanish Trail. The Wilson Cliffs, a massive escarpment, can be seen to the west from SR 159. Toward the southern end of the National Conservation Area are Spring Mountain Ranch State Park; the town of Blue Diamond; and Bonnie Springs Ranch, which includes a replica of a western ghost town, but which in 2019 was sold and closed to the public.