02 Valley of Fire State Park Nevada, Visitor Center

Get an inside look at a few of the amazing interpretive displays in the Valley of Fire State Park Visitor Center. Learn about the colorful ancient history — human and geological — of Nevada’s first state park.

Valley of Fire State Park Panorama Video, Nevada

The Muddy Mountains ridgeline on the Southern Boundary of Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada was the perfect aerial vantage point from which to film this panorama video taking in most of the park. Click image or title above for more…

Valley of Fire State Park Nevada 30 Waypoints

Here is a quick list of 30 waypoints in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada. Each waypoint is on one of the scenic drives in the park. Use this list for:
*A drive-through overview of Valley of Fire State Park before exploring more deeply.
*A guide for your deeper exploration waypoint by waypoint
*A review of your exploration of Valley of Fire State Park
*A quick reference to the trails and waypoints in Valley of Fire State Park
Click image or title above for more…

Valley of Fire Park Exploration – 6 Day Strategy, Nevada

set out to systematically explore Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada in 5 or 6 days, given 6 1/2 hours per day (about 6:30am – 1:00pm). Feel free to follow my strategy or mix it up and either accelerate your own discovery to 2 or 3 days or pace it out over 2 weeks or more. My adventures occurred during January and early February. Here’s how my exploration went… Click image or title above for more…

Rock Formations in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Entering Valley of Fire State Park is like entering into another world and the fiery red Azetc sandstone formations sharply contrasting against their gray and tan limestone mountain background create a fantasy-like atmosphere. Over countless years wind, water and sand have created a myriad of shapes and designs beyond all human artistic genius. And there is a spiritual feeling in the valley I have only experienced in few places on earth. This is a place you can touch, experience and even enter the very rock of the earth and feel an energy that is at times overpowering. Click image or title above for more…

Petroglyphs in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Some petroglyphs in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada may be found at the top of the Atlatl Rock staircase (found next to Arch Rock,shortly beyond the West entrance to the park), but most are found on the Mouses Tank Trail (found on White Domes Road shortly after the visitor center). The petroglyphs on Mouse’s Tank Trail comprise the majority of the slides on this page. I know of no more complete study of the Valley of Fire Petroglyphs than the 74-page Master of Arts Degree in Archaeology thesis “Valley of Fire Petroglyphs: A New Perspective On An Old Idea” by Eric Pacl. There’s a link to download the entire thesis in this article. Click image or title above for more…

Balancing Rock Trail, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Balancing Rock is one of those weird rock formations in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, that appear to defy the laws of gravity and physics. How did the rock end up in that insane balancing position? What can we learn from balancing rock? From the Valley of Fire Visitor Center, the out and back trail to balancing rock is only about .2 miles so you don’t need to hike far to experience it and come up with your best theories! Click image or title above for more…

Charlie’s Spring Trail in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Charlie’s Spring Trail in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, was an unexpected amazing discovery. While the idea of a desert oasis is always inviting, I was expecting to travel down a flat desert wash with little variation all the way to the oasis. However, after the first few miles, the wash unexpectedly took a dive into a beautiful red rock canyon before reaching the oasis. Route description: About 8 miles RT; **Mostly Wilderness, No Trail** Click image or title above for more…

Fire Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Fire Canyon in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada is, as the name indicates, a canyon of fiery red rock formations both forming the canyon walls and throughout the canyon. As you pass through the canyon, you’re for the most part walking on a thick layer of beautiful red sand. This entrance to the canyon is at the end of the Rainbow Vista Trail. It’s seldom traveled, so watch for many animal footprints in the sand. Nearly every amazing red rock formation seen throughout the park can be seen in Fire Canyon including pinnacles, bee hive formations, balancing rocks, arches and shallow caverns. Route Details: Pick your distance, around 3mi RT; **Deep red rock sand surface…can drain your energy and fill your shoes!** Click image or title above for more…

Firewave in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Firewave in Valley of Fire State Park is the most colorful place in the entire park with entire hillsides banded with dramatic colored stripes from white through countless shades of browns and reds. The main firewave area is pretty easy to access as it is only a mile from the parking area and the trail is relatively tame as trails go with only a few mild rocky areas to traverse. How the vivid stripe formations came about I do not know, unless perhaps there were a series of colored layers of sand laid one upon the other that were frozen and then gradually etched into the hills that lie in the valley today. Route Details: 2mi RT; **Firm but sandy surface. Well marked trail.** Click image or title above for more…