Columnist Barb Henderson: Holiday season can help embrace nature

Barb Henderson

Friday, Nov. 28, 2003 | 10:05 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Why not make some plans to head outdoors and enjoy some of the holiday sights and sounds.

There are a variety of ways for the entire family to enjoy the season while still experiencing an outdoors atmosphere.

Here are a few:

If you or someone you know has a sweet tooth or perhaps enjoys admiring beautiful holiday lights, you may want to stroll over for the 10th Annual Ethel M Chocolate Botanical Cactus Garden "Light the Night" holiday spectacular, located at Two Cactus Garden Drive in Henderson, near the intersection of Mountain Vista Avenue and Sunset Road.

Admire more than 270,000 beautiful holiday lights, free from dusk until 10 p.m., seven days a week, through Jan. 4.

Visitors of all ages are able to enjoy the holiday spirit with Santa Claus on Saturdays until Dec. 20. He is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The result of this journey just might make for a "Sweeter" holiday.

Side Note: The magnificent Cactus Garden features four acres of more than 350 species of cacti, trees and plants. For those folks who desire a closer look at the variety of beautiful cacti, the garden opens daily at 8:30 a.m.

Ethel M visitors are able to watch how chocolates are created during a self-guided factory tour which demonstrates every step of the process.

The Clark County Parks and Community Services, in conjunction with Meahan and Associates, are presenting the 3rd Annual Gift of Lights through Jan. 3.

All ages are already enjoying more than 120 animated and twinkling light displays, 4 million lights, festive arches and tunnels in a spectacular drive-through setting.

Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 5-9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5-10 p.m.

The cost is $10 per vehicle Monday through Friday and $12 on Saturday and Sunday.

Visitors will receive $2 off the admission price by bringing a bag of gently used items for Goodwill. Partial proceeds from the event benefit the Clark County Parks and Community Services scholarship fund.

This drive-through holiday setting will be quite different from your casual walk-in-the-park.

Side note: Sunset Park has approximately 325 acres of which about 163 are developed for recreational activities. The remaining 162 are the mesquite fields to the east of the park, as well as the natural sand dunes to the south. These areas have walking paths which are ideal for walking, hiking and bird-watching.

Be sure to dress warm -- the weather gets pretty cold at night out at the lakes.

Magnificent holiday lights will be strung aboard vessels at the LMNRA during two different holiday parades on the waters of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

The Lake Mead "Parade of Lights" will be held Saturday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Boulder Basin area of Lake Mead.

The Lake Mohave "Holiday Parade of Lights" will be held on Saturday, Dec. 13 at dusk from Katherine Landing on Lake Mohave.

Both of these annual holiday boat parades offer an excellent opportunity to enjoy the holiday festivities under starlit skies.

When these brightly decorated vessels embark on their voyage, they'll send a warm glow across the waters to thousands of spectators.

Anchors away and jingle those bells.

For contact information for the parades, call the Alan Bible Visitor Center at 293-8990.

Side Note: LMNRA stretches along nearly 140 miles of the old Colorado River channel between Nevada and Arizona and covers both Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.

Lake Mead is the fifth-most visited park within the 388-unit National Park System.