After the canyon hike the day before we decided to head for
higher terrain yesterday, just for a change and for the view. Ever since the
first time we walked down to the hotsprings we had noticed another sign
pointing to ‘Liberty Bell Arch’, a hike of similar length as the one to the
hotsprings. That would be our destination, then.
After a cool night (it got down to the freezing mark) it had
warmed up to +11 by the time we got going, still a few degrees short of the
promised +16. High clouds obscured the blue sky, but it was pleasant enough for
a day out among the rocks.
The first mile or so from the trailhead we followed the same
draw towards White Rock canyon as usual, but then the trail to Liberty Bell
Arch branched off to the right and led into another narrow valley. The rocks on
the side were partly of sedimentary, partly of volcanic origin. Brittlebush,
catclaw acacias, and creosote bushes were predominant here, and a multitude of
small leafy plants and grasses in the shaded areas. The trail led continuously
upward for a while, and soon we had the first nice view into a wider valley. No
sign of the Liberty Bell Arch yet, however, although we surely were very close
to the two-mile mark where it was supposed to be. On the ridge to our right we
noticed some old mining equipment, witness to a time when these hills were exploited
for industries other than tourism.
A man, quite out of breath after climbing up to where we were standing from the other side, pointed out where we would find the Liberty Bell Arch and, beyond, the view point where we could look down on the Colorado. ‘It’s at least another hour’, he told us. Well, it was obviously a fair bit further than the sign had indicated, and this would make it a really nice half-day hike.
A man, quite out of breath after climbing up to where we were standing from the other side, pointed out where we would find the Liberty Bell Arch and, beyond, the view point where we could look down on the Colorado. ‘It’s at least another hour’, he told us. Well, it was obviously a fair bit further than the sign had indicated, and this would make it a really nice half-day hike.
The trail followed the ridge, dipping down into the valley
we had overlooked from the top, the first part quite steep and a bit slippery
with scree, then ascended steadily up to the next, higher hill. It turned to
the left a bit after a while, and suddenly we could see the Liberty Bell Arch
right above us. We had no clear idea about the significance of the Liberty
Bell, but the rocky structure above us had an opening clearly shaped like a bell.
A couple of hikers came by and asked us to take their picture with the arch in
the background and then returned the favour; they, too, had only a vague idea of
the importance of the Liberty Bell, but thought it was on display in
Philadelphia. Curious now, I decided to look it up when I got back to the
motel.
After a short snack break we kept hiking up towards the next
ridge. Around the next corner the wind picked up, and we had to take off our
hats, or they would have blown away. Thankfully, this didn’t last very long,
and around the next corner it was much better. Soon, darker rocks formed a nice
background for my one of my favourite desert plants, the fishhook barrel cactus. So far
we had seen few of them on this year’s hikes, but here they were tucked into
many rocky niches, their curved red and white spines a beautiful contrast to
the darker background.
Just a few more minutes, and we had gained the viewpoint
ridge. The view was indeed amazing! Far below the gleaming band of the Colorado
bisected the rocky walls, and we could clearly see where the trail led to the
hotsprings.
Further away, and to the north, we found the high bridge south of
the Hoover Dam we had to cross to get to our trailhead.
I was glad to have brought
the binoculars this time. Groups of kayaks and canoes travelled on the
Colorado, a small motorboat with a group of people made its way downstream as
well, and close to where the hiking trail turns back into the hotspring canyon
I could even see ducks on the water. Strangely, the wind was no issue here at
all, and we stayed for half an hour, just enjoying the view from this 1000 foot
(about 300m) drop.
The hike back was easy enough with more downhill than
uphill, and we encountered only one group of hikers, three girls from Germany
who spent some time in the US as au pairs.
Before we entered the main wash again I found, to my
delight, a hillside covered with California poppies almost ready to open – only
one more day of sunshine, I’m sure, and their bright blossoms will dot the rocky
hills in many places.
Sated with the experiences and sights of another wonderful
day we drove back into town to our ‘headquarters’ at the Nevada Inn.
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| Not a poppy, but beautiful yellow blossoms nonetheless |
I was still curious about the Liberty Bell, however, and
this is what I found:
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| Liberty Bell, NPS photo |
The bell,
now on display in a visitor centre near Independence Hall in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, was cast in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House, now called
Independence Hall. Its inscription is a biblical verse taken from Leviticus: “Proclaim LIBERTY
throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof” and served as an
inspiration for abolitionists, women’s suffrage activists and civil rights
leaders. After developing
first one, then another crack it has been silent now since 1846. For more
information you can go to the following website:
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The L
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