Mountain Springs (Clark County) facts for kids

Mountain Springs is a natural spring located in the Spring Mountains of Clark County, Nevada. A spring is a place where underground water flows out of the ground. This spring sits high up at about 5,528 feet (or 1,685 meters) above sea level. It is found in a small valley north of the town also called Mountain Springs, Nevada.

History of Mountain Springs

Mountain Springs has been an important stop for travelers for a long time. It offered precious water in a dry desert area. Many explorers and pioneers used this spring as a resting place.

John C. Frémont's Visit

The famous American explorer John C. Frémont discovered Mountain Springs on May 1, 1844. He was on his second big trip to explore the western United States. His group was following a path that later became known as the Fremont Cutoff.

Frémont wrote about finding the spring. He said it was in a mountain pass and seemed to be the site of an old village. His team found good grass for their animals there. However, there was not much water at first. They had to dig out the old spring to get enough water for their horses and mules. Frémont also noted the trees around the spring. He saw nut pine, cedars, and a small type of oak tree.

William Chandless's Journey

Years later, in 1856, an English traveler named William Chandless visited Mountain Springs. He was riding a horse along the Mormon Road. This was a trail that connected Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. Chandless rode to Mountain Springs from Las Vegas Springs on January 18, 1856.

He described the beautiful colors of the cliffs as he approached. He saw purple and crimson rocks that looked like a sunset. Chandless thought Mountain Springs was a very pretty spot. It was surrounded by pine and cedar trees and tall mountain peaks. Even though it was a regular camping spot, it felt very peaceful and quiet.

Chandless also saw a small, bright-blue bird at the spring. He wrote that the bird seemed to be warming itself by their pine-wood fire. The bird sang happily all the time. Even though they were high up, there was no snow at Mountain Springs. They had only seen a little snow earlier at Cottonwood Creek.

After leaving Mountain Springs, Chandless took a different path. He followed the Kingston Cutoff. This was a horse mail trail that went 40 miles without water to Kingston Springs. Then it went another 40 miles to Bitter Spring. This trail eventually reconnected with the Mormon Road.