Thousands of visitors make the trip to Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park each year in search of natural beauty and recreation. Whether you want to explore slot canyons, climb a volcanic dome, or just spend hours walking the trails and examining the fascinating rock formations of the area, you’ll find just what you’re looking for at the park.
The Valley of Fire State Park: 11 Best Places You Must Visit
1. Elephant Rock
The most well-known place in Valley of Fire is Elephant Rock. It is a high pillar of rock with a pointed top that looks like an elephant’s head and trunk. This site was sacred to Native Americans and is considered the only geologic formation found in Nevada. You will be amazed when you see the many vibrant reds and yellows in the sandstone wall.
2. Mouse’s Tank
The Mouse’s Tank trail is one of the most popular routes in the park because it is only mile-long (1.6km) in distance. Its rugged trials starts with a descent down a 2000 ft (600m) decline until you reach the narrow and deep tank or canyon. The Crater fault, which you see for several miles, offers great hiking opportunities to explore erosion caused by water movement, flash floods, and monsoons.
3. Pink Canyon
One of the most popular areas in the park is Pink Canyon. This area has a lot to offer and shouldn’t be missed. It features an immense canyon with a large vein of red and pink-striped sandstone running through it. The stunning landscape is made up of colorful rock formations, sand dunes, small waterfalls, and dry washes. Pink Canyon also surrounds a field with petrified wood entwined throughout. Visitors will get the opportunity to climb around on the rocks, explore tiny caves, find hidden pools for wading, pan for garnets and gold flakes at Rattlesnake Spring or try their hands at tracking animals like bighorn sheep or puma for footprints in the dunes.
4. Seven Sisters Trail
The hike is a difficult, 4 mile trail that is best traversed in the morning. If you do the hike in the late afternoon, there is sometimes snow on the ground that unveils 7 formations known as the Seven Sisters. The formations are large and picturesque with stunning views of various structures along the way.
5. Fire wave Trail
The Fire Wave Trail is a desert hike that leads to one of the most iconic features in the Valley of Fire State Park – Fire Wave. This state park doesn’t have much vegetation, but it makes up for it with many spectacular rock formations and mirage pools where water is found underground.
The trails at the Valley of Fire State Park are well maintained, easy to follow and offer different lengths so you can hike to your needs.
6. White Domes Trail
White Domes is a short and easy hike that is worth seeing. It can be accessed from multiple trailheads, but it is best to park in the White Domes parking lot for an easy start. The trail is about 0.3 miles out-and-back and takes 30 minutes.
7. Atlatl Rock
Atlatl Rock is on a Scenic Loop Road on the west side of the park next to Atlatl Rock Campground. Atlatl Rock has petroglyphs made by ancient peoples over 4,000 years ago. From the top of the rock you can see the surrounding desert landscape and glimpses of red sandstone. The trail is only 250 feet long and most of that is steps.
8. Rainbow Vista
Rainbow Vista is a scenic viewpoint within a few miles of the visitors center, according to National Geographic. The location features panoramic views of multi-colored sandstone stretching for miles – a distinct departure from the otherwise red landscape.
9. Balancing Rock
Balancing Rock is a 1 mile roundtrip hike that takes about two hours to complete. You will find the trailhead just before you exit the park for Lake Mead. Balancing Rock is a large boulder balanced on top of one point and rocks are placed around it to give the illusion of balls on coasters, or planks stacked in Jenga.
10. Petroglyph Canyon
Petroglyph Canyon is a sacred place for local tribes and visitors. There are nearly 2,000 ancient carvings on the sandstone canyon walls. The petroglyphs tell stories of the ancient hunter-gatherer society that occupied this area. The tribe viewed the park as an important passage way to other worlds.
11. Arch Rock
One of the best formations to see, is called Arch Rock. You can hike all the way up to it and once you get there, you’ll be able to see a vast expanse of desert in front of you. If you travel up a bit further, you’ll find an arch that provides an excellent view. The hike to this point takes about 45 minutes to get there and is difficult so it’s recommend that people bring at least two liters of water with them.
