Some 45 minutes’ drive north of the hustle and bustle of the
Vegas Strip, at the base of the Spring Mountains, there is a cold-water spring.
Water from this spring cascades gently down the slopes in the foothills and
forms Cold Creek. Around this creek, a small village arose simply called Cold
Creek. The creek then flows downhill feeding three ponds with this being the largest
and also the one stocked annually with rainbow trout.
Located 6,500 feet above sea level, this area holds true to its
name. Cold. Considering the surrounding landscapes of the Mohave Desert, this
area is surprisingly cool, often having ice or snow on the ground in spring.
This makes it a great place to escape the heat with a vast amount of outdoor
activities in the area. ATV’s and dirt bikes in summer, a shooting range, and
roaming wildlife.
The pond is however what brought me to this place. It only
contains the stocked trout but is easily the least fished pond in the Las
Vegas area. This does give these waters a calmer, almost more connected-to-nature
feeling, making it more alluring to try out that grasshopper fly instead of the
normal power bait dough. But it’s not just the fishing, it is the feel and look
of the surroundings.
Our first trip gave us the opportunity to explore and see the
plants, bugs, and birds in the area. On the second, we were greeted by wild
horses roaming this part of the desert, coming to cool down in the pond. Just
as you think you have the place figured out; the third trip gave us elk coming
for a drink of water during a light snowfall. Now I get that we are lucky, but
that is also the brilliance of this spot. It is so close to Las Vegas and yet
it is a world apart. It is the unexpected nature of Cold Creek that draws me
in. Flyfishing for trout typically conjures up images of mountain streams and pine
trees, but Cold Creek brings you burros and yuccas with the same sense of
tranquility.
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