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Las Vegas is known for many things – gambling, entertainment, nightlife, hotels, world-class culinary experiences – but did you know it has some incredibly scenic public lands with amazing wildlife, hiking trails, and ancient Native American artwork?
It’s true, and it’s all within a 1-hour drive from the Strip.
Visiting The Valley of Fire State Park (Las Vegas, Nevada)
In previous posts, I covered some great places in Las Vegas like the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Sloan Canyon, and the Mt. Charleston area.
In this post, I’ll take a look at the oldest state park in Nevada, the Valley Of Fire.
Getting There: Valley of Fire State Park
The Valley of Fire State Park is located about 1 hour from Las Vegas, Nevada.
The fastest way to get there is by heading north on Interstate 15 to the park’s “main” entrance at the west end of the park.
You can also take the more scenic drive down Highway 147 which takes you through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area to the park’s “back entrance” at the east end of the park.
The Valley of Fire is located about 1 hour from Las Vegas
Valley Of Fire Park Entrance Information:
The entrance fee is $10 per car. Note that this is a Nevada State Park, so your National Parks Pass won’t work here.
FHOP Tip: Although there are credit card stickers all over the booth, and they officially “say” they accept credit cards, in reality and practice, they don’t. They’ll always tell you “sorry, the internet connection is down”. Save yourself the trouble and just plan on paying with cash.
The Official Park Map:
After paying the fee, you’ll receive the official park map (below).
This map shows the location of the visitor center, the scenic drives, picnic areas, and popular hiking trails.
The Valley of Fire map
Visit The Visitor Center:
No visit to Valley of Fire would be complete without a stop at the Visitor Center.
The Visitor Center
Rock formations around the Visitor Center
Mountain Lion taxidermy
Rattlesnake display
Take A Scenic Drive:
One of the cool things about the Valley of Fire is that going almost anywhere in the park requires a scenic drive.
Driving up to the Visitor Center
The “grand-daddy” of all the park’s scenic drives is White Domes Road, also known as Mouse’s Tank Road.
The whole drive, from the Visitor Center to the end of the road at the White Domes Loop Trail parking lot, is known as the White Domes Scenic Byway.
The White Domes Scenic Byway
Pictures just don’t do this place justice
There is also a scenic drive loop just inside at the west entrance known simply as “Scenic Loop Road”, and pretty much the entire road from the Visitor Center to the east entrance is a scenic drive (taking you past landmarks such as the Seven Sisters and Elephant Rock).
The Seven Sisters picnic area
Check Out The [Ancient] Artwork:
The Valley of Fire was once home to Anasazi peoples in ancient times, and their presence is felt even to this day in though the artwork they have left behind.
You can view some of these ancient petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock (on Scenic Loop Road) and Mouse’s Tank petroglyphs (on White Domes Road).
Atlatl Rock
Petroglyphs are visible even from the parking lot
Take A Little Hike:
The Valley of Fire has some of the best hiking trails in the Las Vegas area.
If you are not up to a longer hike, there are some very short trails that pack a lot into a small area. Some of the best short trails/nature walks are the Beehives, Arch Rock, and Elephant Rock trails.
The Beehives
Arch Rock
Elephant Rock
Take A Large Hike:
If you are up for something a little more challenging, the Valley of Fire does not disappoint.
Some of my favorite hiking trails are the Fire Wave Trail and the White Domes Loop Trail.
The Fire Wave (Image courtesy of parks.nv.gov)
The Narrows slot canyon on the White Domes Loop trail (Image courtesy of parks.nv.gov)
Check Out The Wildlife:
The Valley of Fire also offers some great opportunities to view wildlife in the desert.
A large herd of Desert Bighorn Sheep (just inside of the west entrance)
A huge Chuckwalla lizard (on the White Domes Loop trail)
A horned lizard (I found this guy along the Fire Wave trail)
A large Desert Iguana
Final Thoughts: Visiting The Valley of Fire State Park (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Although Red Rock Canyon maybe the best-known park in the Las Vegas area, the Valley of Fire is equally just as impressive and [surprisingly] almost exactly as far a drive from the Strip (each park is about a 50-minute drive) as Red Rock Canyon.
The Valley of Fire is truly a hidden gem of the Las Vegas area and is perfect as both a half-day excursion or a full-day trip. If you have the time, the Valley of Fire is not to be missed!
Cheers!
