![]() The colorful rockscape includes stripes in peach and raspberry, as well as tall white cliffs at the trail’s start. Remnants of the park’s Hollywood history are found off the trail. Some family members can rest while others explore nearby sandstone windows, holes and an occasional arch.Įvery visit should include driving the length of Mouse’s Tank Road, which ends with White Domes Loop, a moderately challenging 1.25-mile hike that meanders through sand, boulders and canyons. For those seeking close-up views of higher rock art panels, there are stairs to climb to see Anasazi petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock.Ĭovered picnic spots are plentiful and were built adjacent to remarkable sandstone formations such as Seven Sisters and those across from Petroglyph Canyon. For instance, 2,000-year-old petroglyphs are exceedingly accessible via a short hike from the parking lot at Mouse’s Tank/Petroglyph Canyon trailhead. The positive: Choices suit varying interests and fitness levels. Piecing together an itinerary for Valley of Fire is a challenge only because there are so many options. Aztec sandstone in fiery reds is the artistic medium primarily responsible for the Bowl of Fire and the formations at Redstone Picnic Area.Ī stop-filled road trip on scenic Northshore Road and a visit to Valley of Fire State Park could be combined in a marathon day - but each is worthy of its own time in the exhilarating fall or winter sunshine. On its reach from near the national recreation area’s Lake Mead Parkway entrance station to the general area of Valley of Fire, Northshore Road grants motorists splendid and varied views of geologic formations that hold stories of volcanic violence, sand dunes petrified after dinosaur times and some dramatic uplifting, bending and stretching of the earth’s crust. Reds and oranges of Lake Mead’s massive Bowl of Fire peek above the grays and browns along Northshore Road as the scenic drive stretches nearly 50 miles toward state Highway 169, just a short distance from the eastern entrance to Valley of Fire State Park and one of its most whimsical formations - Elephant Rock. And prehistoric petroglyphs come into view within minutes of stepping foot on Mouse’s Tank Trail during a visit to Nevada’s first state park. Although nature offers no guarantees, Valley of Fire is among the most reliable locations in Southern Nevada to witness the official state animal climbing and foraging in the wild. By contrast, precious days without winds too strong or temperatures too low in November through February are ideal for planning short or long hikes and simple or elaborate picnics.įor many Nevadans, Valley of Fire is where they spot their first desert bighorn sheep and petroglyph panels. The rocks retain heat like cast-iron cookware, and shade is rare. In the months of May through September, sizzling temperatures can make both areas dangerous for those who want to roam around and soak in the scenery. ![]() ![]() Vibrant and geologically stunning red rock formations are clustered in the state park about an hour north of Las Vegas, and along the far reaches of Northshore Road in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Valley of Fire State Park and Lake Mead’s Bowl of Fire are two spots worth visiting on these cooler days. Southern Nevada’s favorable fall weather translates into good times in outdoor spaces that have fire in their names. A visitor from Oregon studies a petroglyph panel at Valley of Fire State Park. ![]()
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