Ride 6 - Lime Kiln and Middle Canyons

Next to Canyonlands of Gold Butte, Middle Canyon is one of the "best kept secrets" of the ATV rides in Mesquite. It isn't difficult, but it's a beautiful, non-demanding ride. [A Google Earth file of this route is available -->   Lime Kiln/Middle Canyons]

To relax in a short day, it's a good bet. True, today was a bit chilly - we had to put on a jacket and cover our ears when we were at speed; but, the sun was out and the roads were clear. Besides, what do you expect? It's Christmas!

It's been awhile since we last rode so we decided we needed to go "check on the fish." We trailered across Riverside Bridge to the trailhead, then rode up the Lime Kiln Canyon Road.

The fish at the canyon trailhead were still doing great under a crust of ice; but, the fish up in the trough were completely GONE! Not in the plants, not on the ground, not up the pipe in the sump -- gone! Do desert puma's eat fish?

Dispondent over a project which failed we rode back down to the crossroads that I mentioned before. We took the trail up Middle Canyon and were very pleased.

We found another trough - no fish - but these things are good landmarks for where you are. The junipers must have had a great year this summer, the branches were as laden with berries as we've ever seen, and fragrant.

The scrub oak was thick and acorns were strewn across the ground. Bannana Yucca was thick and near the top (where it became too steep for us to ride) even Pinyon Pine dotted the hillside.

Riding back down we passed fields of Buckhorn Cholla and that funny looking cactus - I've got to find out what to call it. A good ride, longer than we had planned, even if the fish were gone.