Valley of Fire State Park, Las Vegas

Take the I-15 north from Las Vegas about 55 miles to the Valley of Fire exit. Here you'll find the Moapa Band of Paiute Indian Reservation and the beautiful Valley Of Fire State Park--Which I'll write more about on my Overton, Nevada page. I just drove through, but there are camping facilities and many wonderous sights for those interested in unique landscapes and 3,000 year-old Indian petroglyphs.

The hills are red sandstone formed by shifting sand dunes, from over 150 million years ago. Erosion caused by the winds and weather have created the unique landscape. It is especially impressive at sunrise or sunset when the red earth seems to burst into flame.

About an hour outside the city is another natural wonder. The Valley or Fire is an beautiful place. And if you've never been there, you've probably seen it. Numerous ads agencies have shot their campaigns there. Last time I was there, I drove by a shoot for SAAB. Take some time to get out and see this place. Don't forget to bring water, there's no fountains out there and if you decide to go out and do some exploring, you'll be happy you brought some with you.

The valley of Fire State Park is about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas in the Mojave desert. The current entrance fee is $6.00 per car and if you plan on camping, it's an additional $8.00.

The visitor center is open 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM each day and provides exhibits on the area's history.

From Las Vegas, take I-15 (NE) to SR-169 South (exit 93). the entrance is about 15 miles.

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Here is an unusual place, with big red rock formations and mysterious Indian petroglyphs. These are mostly well-preserved, too. But their meaing remains unknown. Another feature is some petrified logs, proving that this was once a forest. There are some good hiking trails and a few campsites (all are first-come, first-serve).

If you're staying in Las Vegas, this is an excellent day trip. Traveling northeast on Interstate 15 from Las Vegas, take Nevada Route 169 at Crystal south to the park. Traveling southwest on I-15 turn south on Route 169 (Exit 93) near Glendale, and travel southeast 15 miles to the park.

Oh my goodness! I did not know what I was in store for when we went out to the desert! I was in awe of everything. Being from the midwest, I just have never seen anything as beautiful! I just wish I had gone decades earlier than I did.

You'll find incredible red rock formations and ancient petroglyphs in this state park. Entrance fee is $5 per car and well worth it. There is an excellent visitors center nad everything is well marked. And it's only an hour from Las Vegas!
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Be sure to wear good walking shoes, wear a hat and carry a bottle of water. The heat can catch up with you before you know it.
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I will add my own pictures when I get home.

I can't say enough about this place. About an hour or so north of Las Vegas lies a valley in the middle of nowhere consisting of awesome red rocks. Millions of years ago the valley was under water. Once the sea drained away the exposed rock was worn down by the relentless winds to expose brilliant shades of red. Take a drive through the valley and make sure you visit each stop.

Native Americans from long ago have carved petroglyphs on the rocks.

The views the day I went were beautiful - blue sky and red rocks. It can get very hot in the summer, so be prepared if you decide to hike or climb in the area.

Entrance fee is $6, but worth it. There is a visitor's center as well.

it's so peaceful and beautiful out here! we even saw a small wedding - the bride looked stunning against the red rocks. it was near sunset. I'd never seen anything quite like this, up close and personal. ed rocks, rainbow colored rocks, blue skies going on forever - and hardly any people!

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This beautiful state park is located about 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Las Vegas. To get there take highway I-15N and then the Valley of Fire exit. The name of the park comes from the red sandstone formations, which were formed over 150 million years ago from great shifting sand dunes. The landscape is simply spectacular. At different sites in the park you can see Indian petroglyphs (rock art) done by Anasazi Pueblo farmers, the ancient people who lived in this area. There are many hikes within the park, which brings me to another topic. We couldn't do any of the hikes, because we visited the park in August and it was incredibly hot. All we could think about was how to find the next shaded place. For this reason we decided not to go too far away from the car and we didn't do any hikes (well, we did only a short one, to see the Anasazi petroglyphs but that was all). I guess the best seasons for visiting Valley of Fire are spring and fall.

Once you've visited Red Rock Canyon, you'll know how stunning the Nevada scenery can be. But drive a bit further and explore this terrain in greater detail with a trip to Valley of the Fire State Park. This is Nevada's oldest state park and it derives its name from the striking sandstone formations in a brilliant shade of red.

For more information on this park, feel free to visit my Valley of the Fire State Park page.