Valley of Fire State Park is an hour drive from Las Vegas and a visit is like hitting mother nature’s jackpot. Driving I-15 from Vegas and returning through Overton and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area creates a wonderful loop. In 1935 Valley of Fire was established and became Nevada’s first State Park. The park maintains an awesome visitors center, which provides geological and historical information of the area, it is open 9am-4pm daily.
The park is over 40,000 acres and is known for the bright red Aztec sandstone intermingled with the gray and tan limestone remains of an ancient sea. Continental uplift and thousands of years of erosion created this beautiful place. Many of the sandstone formations were sand dunes in the time of the dinosaurs over 150 million years ago.
Valley of Fire State Park charges a small fee to enter. There are two campgrounds with 72 sites, including RV sites with power and water hook-ups, with a dump station on-site, reservations are required. Valley of Fire is open from Sunrise to Sunset. Visitors must be out of the park by sunset or in the campground. Many trails are closed from May – September because of extreme temperatures, check their website. I recommend asking for a map at the payment station, because the visitors center is located in the center of the park.
The Beehives
The Beehives are one of the first rock formations you will see when entering the park from the west entrance. They are sandstone formations and are examples of cross bedding. If I understand correctly, cross bedding describes how the various layers of rock form. The layers are made of different types of silt, which have been deposited and eroded over many years.
The smooth and rounded edges form because sediments naturally slide down the structures. Imagine, playing in the sand at the beach, the higher you pile the sand the more slides down, as the size of the base increases it’s possible to build a taller structure. The layers also indicate water movement and wind direction. Structures like this provide an incredible amount of information to geologist.
There is a large parking lot which allowing many people to explore simultaneously. Many of the hives are easily accessible and close to the parking area. I loved the texture and color of each hive, and there are many. Climbing on the hives is thrilling. The layers of sediment have created fun natural hand and foot holds. It’s hard to grasp the concept that these formations were once sand dunes.
Brownie and Teddy also loved the park! We found these huge caverns big enough for the pups to comfortably lay down and take a break! Yes we checked them first for critters and things that slither! Valley of Fire State Park welcomes dogs. Being on leash is required and, additionally owners are expected to clean-up after their pets.
White Domes Loop
White Dome Loop is 1.1. miles long, and provides access to a spectacular slot canyon. Jess and I first visited this park In November of 2022. It was one of our first experiences hiking in a desert environment and a day packed with so many firsts! My first question was how had I never been here? I visited Las Vegas many times over the years but had never been to Valley of Fire. The shapes, colors, and textures of the rocks, I had no words to describe. Everywhere I looked there was something incredible to admire. I was a kid in a candy shop, trying to take everything in.
It was a beautiful day, we packed up the dogs in their backpacks and plenty of water, and began the hike. Although the trail is only 1.1 miles long with minimal elevation gain the “beach sand” like soil is difficult to walk in, which adds a level of difficulty to the trail and I would rate it as moderate. This was the first slot canyon we had ever seen. I was instantly struck by the patterns and shapes of the canyon walls. Remarkably, the canyon was significantly cooler with a nice breeze. The pups enjoyed it as much as we did!
I couldn’t resist playing in the sand. The texture was soft and unlike anything I had seen before. Wind blown and perfectly smooth until I left my handprint behind. It’s less granular than beach sand, easy to draw in, and amazingly holds its shape.
Fire Wave & Seven Wonders Trail
Fire Wave and Seven Wonders Trail is my favorite trail in the park. It is 1.8 mile loop with a variety of amazing colors and textures to admire. Starting from the parking lot we began hiking on the Eastern side of the road. The trail gradually descends on a mix of loose gravel and red rock. I would rate the beginning of the trail as easy to moderate for most people.
When I reached the fire wave, I stopped and tried to take it all in. I’m not sure I was ready for the beauty of the place. I was just happy. I took so many pictures and I’m not sure it was even necessary. This place will be forever engraved in my mind.
When you reach the bottom of the Fire Wave, there is an amazing canyon which sometimes fills with water, and you must navigate. Some rock scrambling will be required. Because there are typically so many people just follow the crowd. The loop continues when you cross the road. There are several trails leading back to the parking lot. It is a bit confusing, however just pick a group and follow them. Exploring is half the fun!
This formation is on the west side of the park road and is another one of my favorites. I’m pretty confident I might have been singing, “Follow the yellow brick road” Ha, Ha., when we first saw it! We hiked through a small canyon and followed the cairns.
Seven Wonders
Technically in order to see all seven wonders it’s necessary to combine White dome loop, with the Fire Wave and Seven Wonders loop. It’s difficult to find all seven wonders, but these are what you’re looking for. A slot canyon, a colorful rock formation like a rainbow, a large arch crossing the wash, a smaller hidden arch, fire cave a pastel colored rock, thunderstorm arch, and a colored rock called crazy hill. Amazingly, until I was doing research for this piece I did not know about the Seven Wonders. It was awesome that I found pictures of most of them!
Big Horn Sheep
Bighorn Sheep call the park home, in addition to many other animals. This was our first sighting of a big horn sheep in the desert. We had been looking for them for since we arrived in Colorado over a year ago. There are a few species of Bighorn Sheep living in the western United States and Canada. They all walked here across the land bridge which previously connected North America and Siberia.
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are common in the cooler areas of the high mountains of Colorado and Canada, whereas the Bighorn sheep found here prefer the hot deserts of the Southwest and Mexico. Each species has its own preference of habitat and terrain. They are an integral part of the ecosystem, often the health of an area is determined by the health of the heard.
Bighorn sheep live in herds with no particular hierarchy. The females are called ewes and their horns are shorter and straighter than the males. Incredibly, some of the largest males horns can weight as much as thirty pounds. It’s common for males to fight for dominance in the rutting season. They square off in front of each other, run headfirst at full speed, lock horns, and with what looks like wrestling moves prove their strength.
Mouse’s Tank
We hiked to Petroglyph Canyon via the Mouse’s tank trail, it is a short .7 mile out-and back trail. The trail is basically flat with sandy soil, and follows a canyon with shallow walls. This trail is wide open and has no shade. There are many petroglyphs lining the cliff walls. Pueblo people inhabited this area from 300 BC-1150 AD. Petroglyphs in the park are 2500 to 4000 years old. Many of the petroglyphs are visible in the black desert varnish on the canyon walls. This varnish is often a mix of coatings, possibly iron, manganese, clay, and microscopic bacteria.
Mouse’s tank are two deep pot holes in the sandstone which hold water. The tanks are named after Little Mouse a Paiute Indian who was accused of crimes, including killing two prospectors. He successfully hid in the area for many years, using the water in the tanks to survive. However, his body was eventually found several miles away.
The hike was easy and provided many opportunities for exploring. Ensure you have plenty of time, because there is an amazing amount of petroglyphs. Hundreds in the short hike, one of the densest concentrations I have seen. Even Teddy seemed impressed!
Petrified Log
There are several areas within the park where visitors can get close to Petrified logs. There is a short .3 of a mile loop, as well as this one which is just off the main highway. Last year we visited Petrified Forest National Park, it was an amazing experience. Petrified logs are ancient trees. Buried under hundreds of feet of sediment in ancient rivers, the cellular structure of the tree changed. Sediments took the place of the organic material and become the logs we see here. The desert Southwest is home to many of these amazing creations.
White Domes Road
White Domes Road is a 5.5 spur road providing access to an incredible vista overlooking Overton and the Valley. A well maintained vault toilet is located at the loop ending of the road as well as a couple of picnic tables. It was the perfect location for lunch. A 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains and canyons is an amazing perspective to see Valley of Fire.
Additionally, there are many sights located just off the park road. Balance Rock is a structure which seems to defy the natural world. The seven sisters are impressive red towers not far from the Visitors center. Clark Memorial and historic cabins is also worth visiting. The only trail we have not hiked is to elephant rock, which I hope to do on a future visit.
Accessibility
Valley of Fire State Park is very accessible. The proximity to Las Vegas and major highways ensure easy access and a beautiful drive. Many of the trails are short and do not require any particular skill to hike. Several rock formations are located along the park road. This park is, however very busy and parking lots fill up quickly. I recommend an early start and begin at the Fire Wave trail, this is the most difficult place to find parking.
Park Map & Trail Information
Camping, Aztec Red rock, Petroglyphs, Fire waves, slot canyons, petrified wood, natural arches, tanks, history and so much more. Valley of Fire is one of my favorite places! We hiked almost every trail on our first visit to the park and have returned to hike again with family. I was as happy and excited to share this magical place with others, as I was to see it for the first time myself. Be sure to check-out Las Vegas More than Gambling- Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 Live Simple Live Happy
