Valley of Fire, nevada
Attractions Guide

Further northeast of Las Vegas is the Valley of Fire State Park with striking red rock scenery and many brilliant formations and hiking trails.

At the southern end of the park near the entrance are four rock formations clustered together, including the fascinating petroglyph-covered Atlatl Rock, the small Arch Rock, the gorgeous Firecave, and the strange Beehives formation.

Further down this road are the Seven Sisters Rock formations and the incredible Elephant Rock, which actually looks strikingly like an elephant. All of these formations can be seen with extremely short walks, the longest being the 0.3 miles (0.5 km) round-trip to see Elephant Rock. Just a short 0.4 mile (0.6 km) round-trip walk from the Visitor Center is the interesting Balanced Rock formation.

From the Visitor Center you can head up north through the park where you'll find the Valley of Fire's best hikes. The first trail that comes up is the 0.7 mile (1.1 km) round-trip Mouse's Tank/Petroglyph Canyon Trail which features more petroglyphs and remarkable formations. You'll need to keep an eye out to spot the small dark petroglyph symbols on the reddish canyon walls.

Further up into the park is the 1.1 mile (1.8 km) round-trip Rainbow Vista Trail which offers a scenic walk through a very colorful and rugged canyon.

Next you can stop at the Fire Canyon/Silica Dome viewpoint where you can see where the landscape changes from sandstone to red rock, which is also a major Star Trek filming location. Here you have the option of hiking further in if you like.

Deeper into the park are the two most popular trails, the Fire Wave and White Domes Trails. The Fire Wave Trail is approximately 1.4 miles (2.3 km) round-trip and allows you to admire the gorgeous Fire Wave formation, which is sandstone covered in swirling wave-like lines surrounded by a brilliant colorful landscape.

Continue a bit futher south from the Fire Wave and follow along the shallow canyon wash to see the unreal pastel colors of the Pastel Canyon (also known as Pink Canyon).

Nearby is the 1.1 mile (1.8 km) round-trip White Domes Trail features a slot canyon and an otherworldly desert landscape to explore. Along this hike pay attention to the rock formations, and you'll spot some weird shapes, including another elephant-like formation.