Rhino Ride Around Bowman Reservoir March 2015

We had bagels and coffee for breakfast, and after that, we planned a rhino ride up to Bowman Reservoir.  The reservoir is a run off from the Virgin River that branches off into the Muddy River.  The Muddy River doesn't look like much of a river -- it's shallow like a creek.  There is a dam that keeps encloses the water.  People go to Bowman Reservoir to fish and watch the ducks and geese.  There were some unique Canadian geese that were paired off.  Ducks made their way through the water.  We saw a lot of mallards, herring,  and gulls.  We saw sparrows of course, and occasionally, a roadrunner could be spotted.  The birds were unique, and not very many.  There were fish.  I could see several trucks pulled over with ice chest, fold up chairs and some fishing poles.  There's no check in so people are free to bring a tent and camp.  I have heard that there is a gate that is locked to prevent vehicles from entering, but as far as I could see, the gate was not locked when we entered.  All along the reservoir there are people that parked their trucks with their tents, ice chests, lanterns, and grills.

Bowman Reservoir is located right off the I-15, but it's tucked back.  Take exit 93 at Logandale.  Make a right turn at Highway 196.  About 4 more miles, there is a turn off and yellow gate that is the entrance to Bowman Reservoir.  Sometimes the gate is locked.  There is enough of a dirt path that a person can drive their truck around the little yellow gate (as if the gate could stop people from going through).  There's no fence.  People drive around the gate, and just make their way into the area.

Many people don't even know about Bowman Reservoir.  There is no check in so the camping is free.  Most travelers don't realize there are options that are free.  Instead of camping, they head ten minutes further onto Mesquite, Nevada and pay $100 or more a night at Casablanca Casino or Eureka Casino.  Come to think of it, some hotels in Las Vegas are quite expensive $200 per night, and the Bowman Reservoir is only 30 minute drive from Las Vegas.  It's a free place to sleep.  Except for the ATV traffic, Bowman Reservoir is quiet and peaceful.  I really liked it so I'm going to share some of my videos and pics.

All along the dirt path there were these blooming yellow and gold wild daisies.  They grow naturally in the desert.  I saw them near the reservoir, and also all along the red canyons.  The colors were mainly white or gold.  The soil is rocky and sandy which doesn't seem very ideal for plant growth.  It's pretty amazing how these wild daisies survive the heat.

The water at Bowman Reservoir is so crystal clear it's like a mirror.  The reflection of all the shrubs and rocks are reflected back in the water.

These stick-like branches reached out.  When the rhino drove by, they scratched the sides of the rhino.  Some of the sticks would even give a rider a good jab.  They are not very sharp, and they are so thin the branches snap off easy.  It makes it difficult to get through because these bushes grow right in the middle of the path.

This picture is 50/50 sky and lake.  Even the sky is reflected in the water.

Nicole took this video.  The ride was very bumpy.  I still think it's worth it to watch so I'm definitely posting.

The ride to Bowman Reservoir is mainly light and easy.  The views are from small hills.  It's semi-dangerous.  There were some areas on the dirt path that required sharp turns by the rhino and some steep uphill inclines and fast downhill falls..  There were also some sharp drop offs that landed into the reservoir.  If a driver has a rhino, it is important to go slow and look 12 seconds ahead.  Bring your dogs.  I would recommend camping, hiking, fishing, and bird watching there.