This little gem of a destination is just 4 miles south of Red Rock Canyon and just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip. While it doesn't quite have the scenic view of the red canyon, you do get a peaceful retreat with some excellent history behind it without all of the crowds found at Red Rock (as we drove out to Spring Mountain, we were the only car of 10 that did not turn off to Red Rock).
The entrance fee is $5 (or $50 for a yearly pass) for a regular car (more or less if you have a bike or bus). It is a short drive into the ranch to a fairly established property that has many different facilities. Included are a nice park area that can be used for various functions, decent restroom facilities nearby (nice to have when out in the desert), a muesum of sorts that was owned by Howard Hughes at one point and many different buildings that date from the 1930's.
West of the ranch is a small lake which at this time was almost dry...a few ducks and turtles swam through the last bits of the lake. When it is full it is much nicer to look at, but at this time it was a bit of an eyesore. As you continue around it you head into Sandstone Canyon which is a moderate uphill walk. As we had my 4-year-old, we only went a half-mile in before turning back (we know we'll be back here so it was fine to turn around). In the museum there was a list of events that include night-time walks into the Canyon, special events during Christmas, Halloween and Easter and a Civil War re-enactment in November.
To get away for a few hours or have a nice little family get together, look into checking out Spring Mountain Ranch.