Nevada’s Amazing Valley of Fire

Posted on   December 7,2020   By John and Linda Compisi

We recently visited, yes during the COVID restrictions, the world-renowned Valley of Fire State Park, located about 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas off Interstate 15. This was our first airline travel since January 2020 and, honestly, it felt mostly normal, despite everyone wearing masks. We flew to Vegas from Reno-Tahoe International Airport via Southwest Airlines while they were still leaving all center seats empty as a customer confidence measure. We had come to the conclusion that we needed to learn to live with this pandemic and get on with our lives, as safely and as prudently as possible.

Valley of Fire State Park is known for its 40,000 acres of bright red Aztec sandstone outcroppings. It contains red rock formations, slot canyons, ancient petrified trees and petroglyphs dating back more than 2,000 years. It was formed during the age of the dinosaurs more than 150 million years ago.

As we usually do, we intended to start at the Visitor Center but were immediately distracted by the Beehives which were just past the West Entrance to the Park. We dallied there for about 20 minutes scrambling over the rocks and taking pictures inside and around the Beehives, which are very unusual sandstone formations eroded by wind and water over the centuries.

Finally we made it to the Visitors Center which provides exhibits on the geology, ecology, prehistory and history of the park and nearby region. Open year round, the park has numerous campsites equipped with shaded tables, grills and water, as well as many intriguing trails, of which, we attempted a few. Keep your eyes peeled for the herds of Big Horn Sheep that the park rangers keep fed and watered.

Having just one day to experience this new adventure, we selected three moderate to easy trails: White Domes, Fire Waves and Mouse’s Tank. We entered the park via the west entrance and stopped at the Beehives to get our first glimpse of the unique rock colors and rock formations as compared to what we experienced in Southern Utah the previous autumn.

The White Domes area has sandstone formations, a picnic area a 1.25-mile scenic walking trail which includes a small slot canyon. On the trail you will encounter a remnant of a film location for the movie, The Professionals, a 1966 American Western film starring Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Claudia Cardinale and Jack Palance.

The beginning of the hike is a bit intimidating as you are picking your way down a fairly steep canyon but eventually it levels out and the rest of the walk is virtually flat and pleasant. The small slot canyon is gorgeous, short and easy to maneuver through. The other formations, including the White Domes are other worldly and impressive. This is a great place for a picnic with picnic tables and permanent restrooms. Do not forget drinking water!

Next, we headed to the Fire Wave. The winds had picked up and we got sand blasted as we crossed over the scenic drive from the parking lot. Again, the hike takes about an hour (round trip), with some very interesting formations along the way. It is well worth the short journey as the ‘waves’ are very unique and colorful. We spent about 20 minutes at the waves taking pictures from various perspectives and enjoying the surroundings. Stunning!! We were fortunate as we were there when crowds were not. Quite sure the experience would not have been so delightful if we had to fight the crowds which are certainly there during peak seasons. Try to avoid them if you can.

We ventured to the Mouse’s Tank as our last stop. A tank is a rock formation that collects and holds rain water that is suitable for drinking. This one is named after a Southern Paiute Indian renegade known as “Little Mouse”. Little Mouse used Valley of Fire as a hideout in the 1890s after he was, perhaps falsely, accused of gunning down two prospectors as well as other crimes in the area. Apparently, his neighbors formed a posse and caught Little Mouse about 2 miles away and he was killed in an ensuing shootout, per some accounts. The half-mile walk to the Tank is mostly flat and offers some very interesting ancient Petroglyphs, visible if you look on the rocks above the trail.

The Park has many other trails and unique rock formations, like the Elephant Rock, and Petrified Logs but these were closer to the East Entrance and our time constraints did not allow additional adventures. Perhaps another time.

Developed as part of the Hoover Dam Project, Lake Mead is only 6 miles away, the Park was commissioned a State Park in 1935. The entry fee is $10 per vehicle and does not offer a senior or military discount unless you purchase an annual pass. They do not recognize National Parks passes either but this Park is more than worth the $10 fee. Do not miss it!!