Valley of Fire State Park
As if we didn’t already feel like we were on another planet while visiting Las Vegas during the holidays, Jim and I decided to drive another hour further into the Mojave Desert to check out Valley of Fire State Park. We ditched the slot machines for slot canyons and escaped the neon lights for colorful rock formations. And with a dark storm looming on the horizon, we found ourselves on the edge of bat country but without any psychedelics involved.
Ok ok, I promise that’s the only Fear and Loathing reference, I just had to get it out of the way…
We really didn’t know what to expect besides some of the photos we saw on Instagram, but after we turned off the highway we found a vaguely familiar landscape as we ascended through the winding canyon. Eventually we came to the toll booth at the park entrance (there’s a $10 fee per car) and this is where all familiarity was left behind. Driving just a bit further, the narrow canyon walls opened to reveal a valley filled with brilliant red rocks that, as the name suggests, appeared to radiate as if they had been set ablaze.
The park is relatively small and makes a great day trip if you’re already planning to visit Vegas. There’s only two main intersecting roads, Valley of Fire Highway and Mouse’s Tank Road, but there’s plenty to explore. We came with 2 main objectives, to find the famous Fire Wave and to explore some slot canyons, but we didn’t have a set plan in mind for the day. The ranger at the toll booth was super friendly and helpful, she gave us a map and showed us the way to the Fire Wave Trail, suggested we hike the White Domes Trail for slot canyons, and to stop at Mouse’s Tank (Petroglyph Canyon) Trail which has the largest concentration of prehistoric petroglyphs in the state.
So we started our morning to find the Fire Wave and just 5 minutes into the drive we had already pulled over to take photos! You don’t even need to hike to find scenic views in this park, it seemed like the dramatic landscape changed every few miles. We found ourselves pulling off the road at each parking lot along the way (do not park on the shoulder!) and were rewarded with panoramic views of everything from gnarly rock formations to rainbow colored vistas.
We arrived at the Fire Wave Trailhead just before 9am and there were only 2 other cars in the parking lot. The trail is only 1.5 miles round trip, but there are several signs warning of deadly high temperatures, so keep that in mind if you plan to travel in the summer months. Starting on the sandy path, the trail soon turned into flowing red sandstone and led us behind a gigantic craggy outcrop. The textures and patterns of these Jurassic rocks were like nothing I’ve ever seen before, it really felt like we were on a different planet!
And then what felt like only a couple minutes later, there was the Fire Wave right in front of us. The ribbons of red and white sandstone formed a perfect surf break, as if molded by hand, that ironically juxtaposed the desert landscape. We hung around for a bit exploring all the abstract curves before a few more groups of hikers showed up for the same photo ops. I can only imagine how busy this popular trail gets during peak hours, I’m glad we got here early to avoid the crowds.
So onto our next destination, the slot canyons at White Domes Trail! We got to the trailhead shortly after 10am and the lot was already starting to fill up. This trail, a 1.1 mile loop has a similarly sandy path as Fire Wave trail, but is slightly more difficult and leads down a steep rocky slope before reaching the desert floor. If you come to this trail make sure you wear proper footwear and are prepared for some rough terrain. We came across a family wearing flipflops that couldn’t make it down the initial descent.
Once at the bottom, enormous peaks towered high above and wide domes stretched as far as we could see, all with delicate carvings eroded into the walls. Dragging our palms across the smooth surface, it was like we stepped into a time machine as the trail continued to wind through ancient Aztec sandstone that was formed 150 million years ago. Soon we arrived at the slot canyon and made our way into the narrows. It wasn’t as long as I had anticipated, but weaving through the massive hallway was exactly what I had hoped for! With elevated senses we found ourselves surrounded by the contoured walls, the sound was muffled, the air was warmer, and we were completely cut off from the outside world.
The rest of the loop led back to the parking lot where we could’ve spent all day wandering around the playground of colorful rock formations, discovering secret passages, exploring the different geological shapes and textures, and finding imaginary faces and creatures in the boulders. But the sky was looking increasingly gloomy and we still wanted to check out Petroglyph Canyon before the rain.
We stopped a few more times along the drive to soak up all the scenery before we got to Mouse’s Tank parking lot. By now it was already early afternoon and getting pretty busy, so we had to park in the overflow lot across the street from the trailhead. We made our way through the crowds and didn’t have a moment to ourselves on this popular trail. But this was yet another beautiful trail with incredibly diverse rock formations, and around every corner was another rock wall covered with hundreds of petroglyphs etched into the desert varnish. This artwork from the ancient Puebloan Basketmaker culture, known as the Anasazi, dates back almost 2,500 years! Such a cool experience to retrace our ancestor’s footsteps and reflect on their gallery of relics, interpreting their life’s stories through thousand year old drawings.
If you come here seeking solitude, I recommend arriving very early in the morning to avoid large groups of traffic. Being so accessible from Las Vegas makes this small park a very popular family destination, and even though it was a chilly gloomy day, it got crowded pretty fast. The storm seemed to be holding out in our favor but we decided to wrap up our fiery desert adventure for a late lunch back in the city!
So what do you guys think, will you be adding this to your itinerary next time you visit Vegas??
As always, please leave no trace and help keep the wilderness wild! For the safety and courtesy of other people and wildlife please remember to carry out what you carry in, respect and sustain the natural lands, and protect this beautiful environment for everyone to enjoy.
getting to valley of fire state park
Less than an hour from the Las Vegas Strip, just head North on I-15 for 38 miles. Take exit 75 at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza onto Valley of Fire Highway and follow that into the mountains for 11 miles until you reach the Toll Booth. There’s a $10 entrance fee and you’ll receive a map before you continue through the park on VoF Highway (there isn’t any cell service inside the park). For additional sights and trails, turn left onto Mouse’s Tank Road which dead-ends at the White Domes Trail parking lot.