Remembering Bonnie Springs Ranch
Once a living relic of Red Rock Canyon, Bonnie Spring Ranch has since closed and been sold to a housing developer.
Bonnie Springs Ranch was an attraction in Nevada where people could go if they wanted something quieter. There was a western town replica, as well as a zoo and a motel. Every October, it would be renamed to “Bonnie Screams” and have a whole Halloween theme.
Then, in 2019, the place was demolished and is being turned into something completely new and more commercialized. With it being seven years since the place’s shutdown, we need to ask if dishonor was brought to Bonnie and her ranch.
Brief History
An archived Las Vegas Review-Journal article from 2010 titled, “Bonnie Springs Ranch a nearby taste of Old West,” provides a history of the old place. Due to its natural springs, travelers using the Old Spanish Trail were attracted to it during the 1840s.
Al and Bonnie Levinson (formerly, McGaugh) developed the property into a tourist destination in 1952. There arose stables, a bar, and a restaurant. Beforehand, Bonnie delivered a turkey to the ranch in the land and later purchased the place.
A Managerie and a Blast from the Past
Through Bonnie’s love of animals, a private zoo was accidentally built. Bonnie could not turn away from the injured and abandoned animals that would show up. As a result, she built three compounds: an aviary, a main zoo, and a petting zoo. Guests could feed and pet varieties of deer, sheep, and goats.
Frommers.com’s webpage on Bonnie Springs gave a list of birds at the aviary: “peacocks, Polish chickens, peachface and blackmask lovebirds, finches, parakeets, ravens, ducks, pheasants, and geese.” All the animals were treated with care. They had enough space, were all well-fed/watered, and picked up after. There was a mix of native, domestic, and exotic animals.
And then there was Old Nevada. As the name suggests, this was a simulated wild west experience. There were performance gunfights and hangings, shops, a saloon, and an opera house. People would often visit for live bands and saloon girls. This place served as a perfect contrast to the Strip’s liveliness.
According to Ginger Meur’s 2015 Las Vegas Review-Journal article, ‘Bonnie Springs Ranch sets spooky scene after dark in Red Rock Canyon,’ the ranch was speculated to be haunted. Visitors would claim to have seen apparitions. Stories of people who died along the trail were also attached to the land. So, the ranch was temporarily renamed “Bonnie Screams” every October from 2008 to 2018 to celebrate Halloween. The ranch housed many haunted house attractions. In 2015, a bus tour was offered to fend off zombies with paintballs.
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The Purchase of Bonnie Springs
Per Eli Seagall’s 2019 Pahrump Valley Times article, ‘Bonnie Springs Ranch near Las Vegas sells for $25M,’ developer Joel Laub bought the land and plans to turn the place into a luxury housing development. The article mentions that there are plans for “20 custom-home lots, a 25-room motel, a restaurant, and a 5,400-square-foot event barn.”
Christopher Boyle’s article on Shelter Realty, ‘Bonnie Springs Ranch Set to Be Developed Into Luxury Housing Community Featuring 16 Homes,’ explores this more. It’s mentioned that there won’t be anything built around the area to preserve the views.
“Water lines and fire hydrants have already been installed in the community, and additional infrastructure work is underway; actual construction of the community’s commercial aspects is slated to begin by the end of 2022, although that estimate is not set in stone,” Boyle wrote.
In 2024, Kassidy Lane, with the Las Vegas Real Estate channel, made a video where he walked around the new development and showed a bit of what has been done thus far in the newly named ‘The Reserve at Red Rock Canyon’ estates.
The Petition to Save the Ranch
Many did not respond to the purchase lightly, holding sentimental attachment and nostalgia towards the ranch. After all, it was a quiet place for kids to have fun. Others were concerned about the nature and where the zoo animals would be housed.
Shortly after the purchase was public, a petition was made by Peter Hall on Care2 Petitions. Others have been made, but Hall’s seems to be the most popular, with over 91,000 signatures.
This petition aimed to save the ranch by making it a historical landmark. Unfortunately, the signatures haven’t been enough, though the petition remains open for signing.
What Now?
It’s looking like the project will come to fruition. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Every attempt at preserving as much of the land’s natural beauty and childhood memories is worth a try. Getting more petition signatures, making social media posts, and directly reaching out to whoever is in charge, etc. It’s common for locals to say that “there isn’t a lot to do in Las Vegas,” and that’s especially true for children.
Sure, there’s the waterpark, aquariums, and arcades, but all those come at a cost of traffic and money. Bonnie Springs provided a much more peaceful experience. There are land and animals that deserve to be protected. Putting such buildings as the ones listed in the project will ruin all of that.
Personal Attachment
“While I did not grow up with the old west activities, I did experience the Halloween event. Halloween is my favorite holiday because of childhood memories. Bonnie Screams was a part of that. At first, I was pretty scared of the Haunted House as I only did two of them. As I grew up, I started to love Haunted Houses. I’ve even been bored with Haunted Houses that were barely scary at all. Now I just wish that I were there to experience more of Bonnie Screams. Of course, I also wish I had gotten to experience a lot of the Old West.”
– Casey Sanoria
“For me, Bonnie Springs holds a special place in my heart. Growing up in Vegas, my dad would take us to Red Rock all the time, including to Bonnie Springs! For a while, he even worked there as a groundskeeper. He lived in the motel during that time period, and he got to wake up every morning and take care of the animals. One of my memories is of him telling me about getting to feed the wolves in the zoo. Growing up and seeing Bonnie Springs get shut down and sold to a housing developer is heartbreaking. It definitely feels like yet another blow to Las Vegans as another iconic part of our history is lost to development, and definitely a dishonor to Bonnie and the work she did.”
– Catherine Daleo
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