South of Red Rock Canyon’s scenic loop drive, a side road leaves Hwy 159 and enters the petite Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, abutting the cliffs of the Wilson Range. The ranch was established in the 1860s and has had various owners, including Vera Krupp (of the German industrialist family) and eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. Popular with picnicking families on weekends, today it’s a verdant place, with white fences and an old red ranch house, which has historical exhibits. Call for schedules of guided ranch tours, moonlight canyon hikes and outdoor summer theater performances.