This was a tough puzzle which eluded even our great TG travel sleuths. In the above quiz photo we see evidence of a constructed dwelling in a place of red-rock, but not much else. As Jonathan L pointed out, the image screams 'American Southwest'! In many ways the place seems ancient, almost timeless, To me the only clue to its modern origins is the straight lines of the door frame.
These are "The Cabins" in Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park. Three small rooms were built from the local sandstone in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), who did a lot of similar work in the parks and remote regions of the country during the Great Depression ('make work' projects, like trail and road construction). These cabins were used by travelers for camping stays in Valley of the Fire, but have been abandoned. I couldn't find any good information on how long they were used, but it's clear when you visit that they've not been inhabited for some time. While the setting is beautiful, I think the summer heat would have been unbearable to many -- especially when air conditioned rooms with hot and cold running water are less than an hour's drive away. The site is now a picnic area with tables, parking and restrooms. It's a popular place for wedding ceremonies and wedding photos.
I'll be providing an in depth look at Valley of Fire State Park later this week, but a few basic facts for now. It was the first state park in Nevada, dedicated in 1935, covering about 42,000 acres (17,000 ha). It's just 50 miles (80 km) from Las Vegas and is close to the Lake Mead National Recreation area. The park gets its name from the beautiful eroded red sandstone which, especially in the light of dawn or dusk, appears to be on fire.
While researching material for this post, I came across this beautiful photo (below) taken by one of our members, James Dudrow (www.jtdudrow.com). A beautiful night shot of the cabins, with a meteor soaring through the sky -- a perfect image! Thanks for sharing it with us, James!
(night time photo of the cabins, by James Dudrow)
We'll have another quiz for you tomorrow.
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