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HAS GAMBLING AND
GOLF — AND IS AN IDEAL JUMPING-
OFF POINT FOR DISCOVERING
SOME OF THE WEST’S MOST
STRIKING TERRAIN.
BY J.B. BISSELL
Unless you’ve driven south on Interstate 15 through Utah and Arizona en route
to Las Vegas, you’ve probably never heard of Mesquite, Nevada. Actually, even
if you have driven I-15 south to Sin City, you probably don’t remember
Mesquite. It’s a small town just across the Nevada state line that exists — let’s
be honest — simply because it provides southbound travelers their first
opportunity to double down on a blackjack table. (Las Vegas is another 80 miles
or so from here.)
But while gaming opportunists may have given rise to the initial development,
over the course of its recent history, Mesquite has added a host of other
vacation attractions, including multiple championship-caliber golf courses, a
wide range of restaurants, and plenty of live entertainment.
Geography, though, remains Mesquite’s greatest strength — and not only
because of its position on the lucky side of the Nevada border. The town is a
day-trip away from some of the region’s most scenically breathtaking natural
areas, such as the Grand Canyon’s North Rim (pictured here). Yes, it’s a bit more
than three hours away, but peering across this massive chasm — a site you
must experience in person in order to truly comprehend the majesty — is worth
every minute of the drive.
Turn the page for a photographic tour of just some of the incredible natural
wonders less than three hours from Mesquite.
NATURE’S
SPECTACLE
SIME/eStock Photo