点评:Hubby just bought a new 4WD car and wanted to go off roading, and the drive through Christmas Tree Pass came recommended as an easy one for beginners. I'd agree with that assessment. I would say anyone with a 4WD vehicle could easily handle the well-manicured dirt roads.
The drive took us about 45 minutes with LOTS of stops to take photos, walk around, and enjoy the desert landscapes. It was very peaceful and quiet, and we only passed one other vehicle the entire time we were driving!
It's free, clean, and fun, and you can't ask for more than that! The landscape is (obviously) dry desert, with pretty rocks and flora and fauna. We saw plenty of lizards, birds, chipmunk looking things, and a couple of snakes, so be alert and respect the wildlife! Don't pick anything and don't harrass anything.
We drove in early July, when the temperatures were over 110. We brought plenty of water "just in case," and there are several areas where you can wander off on foot (but again, watch for snakes)! I was impressed with how clean it was along the Pass, I did not see one piece of trash anywhere!
The roads are graded but the sand gets a bit deep in a few places, where we slid a little while driving. It was fun because the road is very wide with plenty of room.
At one end of the Pass, there's an area with well preserved petroglyphs. It does require a bit of a hike which isn't that far distance-wise, but it's in deep sand that's difficult to walk through (especially when the temps are high). I made it maybe a third of the way and turned back. I'll try again in the fall or winter. There's a hole-in-the-ground toilet facility by the petroglyphs if you need it.
I am not outdoorsy in the least, but I had a really fun time riding along on this drive. If you're traveling between Las Vegas and Laughlin, it's a fun little "cut through" to get through the desert. Highly recommended.
翻译:老公刚买了一辆新的四轮驱动车,想去越野,穿过圣诞树山口的路段被推荐为初学者的简单路线。我同意这种评价。我想说任何拥有四轮驱动车的人都可以轻松驾驭修剪整齐的土路。
开车大约花了 45 分钟,中途多次停下来拍照、四处走走,欣赏沙漠景观。非常平静和安静,我们开车时只经过了另一辆车!
免费、干净、有趣,你不能要求更多了!景观(显然)是干燥的沙漠,有漂亮的岩石和动植物。我们看到了很多蜥蜴、鸟类、看起来像花栗鼠的东西,还有几条蛇,所以要警惕并尊重野生动物!不要采摘任何东西,也不要骚扰任何东西。
我们是在 7 月初开车的,当时气温超过 110 度。我们带了很多水“以防万一”,而且有几个地方你可以步行(但再次提醒,小心蛇)!山口沿线的干净程度让我印象深刻,我没有看到任何地方有一块垃圾!
道路是分级的,但有些地方的沙子有点深,我们开车时滑了一点。这很有趣,因为道路很宽,有足够的空间。
在山口的一端,有一个保存完好的岩画区域。它确实需要一点徒步,距离不是很远,但它在深沙中,很难穿过(尤其是在温度高的时候)。我走了大概三分之一的路程就折返了。我会在秋天或冬天再试一次。如果你需要的话,岩画旁边有一个地洞厕所。
我一点也不喜欢户外活动,但这次驾车旅行让我玩得很开心。如果你在拉斯维加斯和拉夫林之间旅行,这是一条有趣的“捷径”,可以穿过沙漠。强烈推荐。