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The
Trip: In the 1880s, a visitor named Joe Good stopped to water his herd in a nearby spring and for his effort had a community named after him. By the turn of the century a number of gold strikes had been discovered and the Yellow Pine Mining Company was in charge of most of the mines in the area. Goodsprings reached its peak in 1916 when it had 800 residents. The hills around Goodsprings are dotted with reminders of the area’s former minig glory, including the abandoned mill site of the Argentena Mine.
Soon we are on the road and on the way back to Jean. Then, we continue south down Interstate 15. After less than 20 miles we arrive in Primm, the last Nevada settlement on I-15 before the California border. Behind the resorts on the east side of the highway we find the entrance to the Ivanpah dry lake bed. We make our way to a staging area three miles along a dirt access road. The desert environment is very fragile, so visitors are asked to remain on the designated side of the road indicators and off the playa itself.
One of the first things we notice about landsailing is how keenly aware we’ve become of the wind. What I would normally consider a refreshing breeze from the heat and sun of the playa suddenly becomes an opportunity for fun.
By the time we get to Laughlin we are dusty and ready for some rest, because the second day of the trip promises more fun. Getting an early start the next morning, we head out of Laughlin and take the bridge across the Colorado River into Arizona and follow Highway 95 south into Bullhead City. At Desert River Outfitters, Larry Thompson equips us for some river kayaking on the Colorado River. Boats
in tow, we turn north through Bullhead City and continue on to Camp
Davis, in the shadow of Davis Dam — our launch point. Laughlin wasn’t always a popular tourist destination. In fact, in the mid 1960s it wasn’t much more than a bar and a small motel called South Point. Don Laughlin has been credited with the transformation of the community. His Riverside Hotel-Casino was the first of the big resorts along the river, and he still lives there today, in his very own penthouse suite. Laughlin is now home to more than 8,000 permanent residents, but the number of people in town can soar to more than five times that number during some of the resort’s special events. In late April, more than 60,000 bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts rally in town. Boat racers speed down the Colorado during Laughlin Days in June, and off-roaders face a rugged area course during the Laughlin Desert Challenge in January.
The calmer waters of the bay offer habitat to a variety of wildlife and are protected by the state park system. From our vantage point on the water we find that it’s an excellent way to get a close-up look at some waterfowl. We arrive at the Big Bend beach a little wet but exhilarated. This beach is part of Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area, one of Nevada’s newest state park. Because it’s only been around a few years, plans are still in the works to develop camping and hiking facilities, but with this beach and access to the river, people are enjoying it right now. We are not done with our river adventure though as we drive north on Highway 95 to the Colorado River Museum. The museum, which operated by a dedicated crew of volunteers, offers a great opportunity to learn about the history of the river and the region. There are many interesting exhibits to discover in the museum, including an 1859 Steinway grand piano, which though it is still playable is very difficult to tune properly. There are exhibits with photos and models of some of the steamboats that once ran up and down the river. There is also a children’s museum that allows young visitors to experience aspects of traditional native life and test their knowledge of the tri-state area’s plant population. Outside, you’ll find the first post office in Bullhead City, which was moved from another town over seventy years ago and served extra duty as a general store. Also nearby is a replica of the old Katherine gold mine, which operated only a few miles away near Lake Mohave. The
museum is open September through June, so plan your visit accordingly.
Thanks to the advisors and contributors of Wild Nevada Program #201:
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This
trip begins in Las Vegas, but we quickly leave the lights and traffic
of the city behinds us and head out on the highway. From Las Vegas we
head south on Interstate 15 for 22 miles until we reach the Jean exit.
We then head west on Highway 161 into the desert and on to the community
Goodsprings. 
Today
the settlement still has a handful of residents, and the legendary Pioneer
Saloon is still open and serving thirsty desert travelers. During our
visit to Goodsprings, Barbara Loftis, a longtime resident of Goodsprings
tells us about the colorful history of the saloon which was built in
1913. 
At
the staging area we meet Corey Jensen and John Ribitch of 
Too
soon, we have to leave the fun of the wind sports to Corey and John
and head out for our night’s destination, Laughlin. Again, we
are driving south on Interstate 15. This time, we cross into California
for about 10 miles and then turning east onto Highway 164 going towards
Nipton. Thirty miles later, we pass through Searchlight and head south
for another twenty miles on Highway 95. The last leg of the drive is
20 miles east on State Route 163 into Laughlin. 
Once
we get oriented in the kayak and comfortable with the feel of the current
and the paddle. We head into the current and down the river. On the
way, we pass through Laughlin and taking in the sites of the town from
a unique perspective.
After
a while, we leave the casinos behind and enter a less developed portion
of the river. We notice an inlet on the river called Laughlin Bay, also
known as Laughlin Lagoon. We cross the river’s current and enter
the bay to take a look. When in this area boaters are asked to observe
the 5mph speed limit and not create any wake with their vessels.