Yoga in the Meadow at Spring Mountain Ranch

Personally, I wouldn't call myself a yogi, but more of a person who has done many, many yoga classes over the past twelve years or so. While most of my yoga experiences have been at my local gym, I have participated in a few classes in different locations that I have really enjoyed. Doing yoga outdoors has been a very cool experience for me. I think being in nature helps me feel more connected to the practice of yoga. I am able to be more mindful during the class, and I feel more relaxed when it is over compared to when I have done yoga at the gym. Recently, I took a yoga class at the meadow at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park just outside of the Vegas Valley. I had a great experience I'd like to share, as well as provide some information to those who would like to give it a try.

The Class

Like I said, I am no yoga expert, but I thought the class itself was a great, restorative yoga class, led by a knowledgeable and professional teacher, Emily. I went with three friends as a part of a monthly girl’s get together. We got to the meadow right at 10:00 AM when the class was scheduled to begin, but Emily gave a little time for us to take a bathroom break, and to give other potential participants a few more minutes to get to the class. We ended up with a small group of seven as well as one dog.

With Emily’s suggestion, we started the class in the sun so we could stay warm, and then moved to the shade of a tree as our bodies warmed up. The class included a Vinyasa flow and sun salutations, as well as balancing poses, and a Savasana at the end. We started slowly and progressed into more complicated poses, and a faster flow as the class went on. Being able to look at the beautiful scenery while following Emily’s guidance was extremely relaxing, and challenging at the same time. I later realized this was the first time I had ever done yoga without any music in the background, which may not sound appealing, but was actually very nice. The sounds of the class were simply Emily’s voice, birds singing, and the quiet voice of other visitors in the distance.

The class ended with a longer than usual Savasana that was calming and renewing. By the time it was over, my friends and I felt relaxed, and ready to continue the day exploring Spring Mountain Ranch a little bit before grabbing a bite to eat later on. We all agreed that the class was a good mixture of a physical and mental practice leaving us feeling refreshed.

Location

Spring Mountain Ranch is located just outside the Vegas Valley off of Red Rock Canyon Road. To arrive from the south, you can take Blue Diamond Road, and to arrive from the north you can take Charleston. The exact address is 6375 NV-159, Blue Diamond, NV 89004 if you need to look it up.

Right by the meadow where yoga takes place, there is a ranch house that has had several interesting owners throughout the years, including German actress Vera Krupp, and the innovative Howard Hughes. During the day, volunteers are at the house, built in the 1800s, to tell you all about the history and the owners. There is even a “secret bedroom” that you can see after walking through a secret passage. As a kid, I was obsessed with this secret bedroom, but was never able to walk through the passage to see it from the inside. Since the house wasn’t busy this time, I was able to see all of the details up close, including the secret passage, and my eight year old self was very pleased.

Also, I’d be remiss if I did not mention the plays that are put on every summer at Spring Mountain Ranch. The program is called Super Summer Theater. As a native Las Vegan, I have been going to these plays since I was a little kid. The beauty of Spring Mountain Ranch provides an excellent backdrop for outdoor musicals in the summer. Up in the mountains, the weather cools off after the sun goes down, so the plays are a great family friendly escape from the heat. This year, the plays include Into the Woods, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chicago, Annie, and Noises Off.

Weather

The ranch is a rare place in the desert, because it has a lush meadow at the top. The meadow is surrounded by mountains and trees, and is a stunning setting for your yoga practice. The weather is a little bit cooler than in Las Vegas during the day by about five degrees. After the sun goes down the weather can actually be cool enough to need a sweatshirt, unless the day was extremely hot. I would recommend wearing yoga pants and a tank top with a long sleeve shirt or sweater to put on top if needed. Of course, as summer continues, the classes may feel a bit more like hot yoga classes, but in late May, the weather was very comfortable.

Times and Dates

According to Emily, and Joshua, the park ranger, Spring Mountain Ranch will have yoga in the meadow all summer long on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Friday and Saturday classes are in the morning from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and the Sunday classes are in the afternoon from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Facebook lists the event as lasting two hours, but the class itself was only about 90 minutes. That may sound like a long time, but it was actually just long enough in my opinion. Emily said the yoga classes should be scheduled every week, but don’t quote me on that, since some classes may not go on due to scheduling conflicts. The Friday classes seem to be the most consistently scheduled classes, but no matter what, I would suggest confirming the classes are in fact scheduled before heading up to the ranch.

Price

The yoga class has no fee, but it does cost $10 per vehicle to get into Spring Mountain Ranch. I recommend carpooling to save a few bucks. If you think you will go to Spring Mountain Ranch several times throughout the year, or summer, they offer a $75 annual pass that will also get you in to other Nevada State Parks including Valley of Fire, Cathedral Gorge, and Beaver Dam to name a few.

Staying Connected

As mentioned before, Spring Mountain Ranch has an up to date Facebook page with event information, as well as an Instagram account to follow and a website. The park ranger informed us that we could also call the Spring Mountain Ranch voicemail at 702-875-4141 to find out about all of the upcoming events. In addition to yoga, some of these events include morning and evening hikes, and painting with a park ranger.

As I said before, I am no yoga expert, but I would definitely recommend an outing to try yoga in the meadow at Spring Mountain Ranch before the summer is over. It is appropriate for beginning or advanced yoga students, and I think being out in nature will put anyone in a good mood. Don’t forget to bring your own mat, and maybe I’ll see you one day back at the ranch!