Along the Muddy River, between the Mormon Mountains Wilderness and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, lies a string of tiny communities — Jackman, Amber, Logandale — collectively comprising Overton Township. It’s a place almost every Las Vegan has been to, but many can’t recall, likely because it’s surrounded by Southern Nevada’s most majestic landscapes.
Here’s a refresher. If you’ve driven an hour northeast of Las Vegas on I-15 and turned south on a small highway in search of the artist Michael Heizer’s Double Negative — a land-art installation dug into the plateau that locals call Mormon Mesa, high above the Virgin River — then you’ve gone through Overton. If you’ve taken the scenic route to Valley of Fire State Park — driving east/northeast on Northshore Road through Lake Mead and passing Echo Bay and Stewarts Point along the water to your right — then you’ve been within a stone’s throw of Overton.
Also found along Moapa Valley Road (that highway off the 15 that becomes Overton’s main street within town limits) is the turnoff to the historic town of St. Thomas — you know, the famous town that was submerged by the river after Hoover Dam was built and then uncovered again as the water receded.
As for the town itself, it’s a cute, quiet berg with everything you need to enjoy yourself for a few days, from a grocery store and pharmacy to a couple small hotels and a laundromat.
“This area is unique in the history of the valley,” says Judy Metz, commission analyst for Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick. “At the community center, we have a fabulous mural that was done by Gig Depio. It shows the beginning of the valley’s history with the Native Americans, the settlement by the LDS community, and goes on through time. … We also have another piece of art (“Earth Rise”) installed in front of the community center by Mark Brandvik.” Visitors who’d like to learn more about the events those Las Vegas artists depict in their work can head to the Lost City Museum at the south end of town. Or, they can call Metz, who says she’s happy to give tours (702-397-7475).
The art, for such a tiny town, may be impressive, but nature is the real attraction here. You can spend mornings hiking around Valley of Fire and St. Thomas, have lunch at one of the town’s cafés, and pass the afternoons birding at the Overton Wildlife Management Area (outside hunting season). In the evening, catch a sunset at your campsite or hotel, marvel that there’s an outdoor paradise so close to a major city, and ask yourself, as I did, why you don’t come here more often.
WHERE TO STAY
My husband and I went the outdoors route for our trip, because we own an overland camper and there are about a million places to set it up within 15 miles of town, including the wildlife management area, Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. If you’re more the water-hookup-and-flushable-toilets type, the recently opened Mesquite Trails RV Resort in Overton gets good reviews. Also well-rated on Google is the North Shore Inn at Lake Mead, a cozy spot with a pool and free breakfast! parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire, nps.gov/lake, mesquitetrailsrvresort.com
WHAT TO DO
Of all the things listed above, my favorite was the St. Thomas ruins. Although it’s not much to look at from the road, the 2.5-mile loop through the town’s ruins is a trippy walk through history with excellent interpretive signage. We didn’t make it to Double Negative, though locals told me it’s eroding, so if it’s on your bucket list, you’d better move it to the top. There is also Ultimate Desert Adventures for OHVing at the highly popular Logandale Trails, the Clark County Fair & Rodeo every spring, and Indian Pictograph Park, an archaeological site west of town. nps.gov/lake/learn/nature/st-thomas-nevada.htm, moca.org/exhibition/Michael-heizer-double-negative-1969, blm.gov/visit/logandale-trails, ccfair.com
WHAT TO EAT
In July 2021, Mindfreak star Criss Angel bought the property where, for 31 years, Metz had run Sugars Home Plate, a homestyle café featuring her husband’s impressive collection of sports memorabilia. Angel opened Cablp (pronounced “ka-blip” by locals), which stands for Criss Angel’s Breakfast, Lunch & Pizza, a contemporary interpretation of Sugars, minus the sports. Earlier this year, another café, Salts, opened, offering an option on the days Cablp is closed. But Metz says the real culinary treat is the annual Pomegranate Festival held the first weekend of November. It marks the harvest of the wild pomegranates that grow in the area, which have given rise to a bustling cottage industry of all things pomegranate — marinades, jams and jellies, pastries, and more. “Our art guild puts on a wonderful event!” Metz says. eatblp.com, moapavalleyartguild.com
