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Valley of Fire
About Valley of Fire
Valley of Fire is a state park located in southern Nevada, 50 miles east of Las Vegas. I found Valley of Fire after looking online for places to stop on my way from Los Angeles to Yellowstone in 2021. My mom and I decided to make a stop here during our roadtrip and it turned out to be well worth it. The park is covered with fiery red sandstone — which is where the park gets its name — and has a rich human history that dates back 11,000 years. We only had a day to spend here so I will definitely be coming back to experience more of this incredible park.
What to Do?
Go on a Hike
There are a lot of sights to see along the road but I would take the time to hike a few of the trails to really immerse yourself in the wild landscape. Here are a few hikes that you can go on within the park.
Mouse’s Tank: 0.8 miles roundtrip. This short trail takes you through a canyon where you get the chance to see petroglyphs etched into the sandstone.
Rainbow Vista: 1.1 miles roundtrip. This is an easy trail that takes you to an overlook of the canyon.
White Domes Trail: 1.25 miles roundtrip. This is the trail that my mom and I hiked when we visited. This trail offers a variety of the landscapes that you can see throughout the park. You will be walking on sand and going through a narrow slot canyon.
The Fire Wave: 1.5 miles out and back with 250 feet elevation gain. This is the most popular trail that takes you through striped sandstones. Occasionally in peak summer months this trail closes due to extreme heat.
Seven Wonders Loop: 2 miles roundtrip. If you want to make the Fire Wave a loop you can continue on further along the Seven Wonders Loop. This gives you the opportunity to see other features such as Pastel Canyon, Kaolin Wash Narrows, and Crazy Hill.
Other Things to See
If you do not have the means to go on a hike or if its too hot outside there are features that you can see right off the road. Here is a list of places to stop in order from the visitor center.
Elephant Rock: 0.2 miles roundtrip to the viewpoint. This is a unique looking feature that looks like the body and trunk of an elephant.
Historic Cabins: These are historic cabins built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps for people that are visiting the park.
Seven Sisters: These are tall sandstone formations make up what they call the seven sisters.
Balanced Rock: This formation looks as though the large rock formations are balancing on top of each other
Atlatl Rock: This rock has petroglyphs that date back 4,000 years ago. To see these petroglyphs you will need to climb a staircase so that you are able to view them up close.
When to Visit?
For this park its not necessarily when to visit but when not to visit. Due to its location and the lack of shade I think the worst time to visit Valley of Fire is from May to September. While the park is open everyday they tend to close multiple trails during those months due to extreme heat. If you want to actually get some hiking done while you visit I would recommend visiting outside May to September. Those months also tend to be busier since it is a summer season so you might be escaping the crowds as well.
Where to Stay?
When my mom and I visited we stayed in Moapa Valley which is only 20 minutes northeast of the park. This is a very small town so there is not a whole lot of places to eat or stay, but I tend to want to stay close to park entrances (starting early is best for any traveling but I am not a morning person). If you want more amenities you can stay in Las Vegas which is about an hour away.
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