10 Things to Do in the Valley of Fire

If you've already visited the city's best museums, themed hotels, the most impressive casinos and the most important attractions on the Las Vegas Strip, it's time to explore beyond the geographical limits of the city. Fortunately, Nevada offers many options, and among the things to see and do in Las Vegas, you can't miss a trip to the many national parks you'll find in this part of the country.

The Valley of Fire is just an hour's drive away. With an extension of land that covers 19 hectares, you can imagine that there is a lot to see and do in this area. Not for nothing is it considered one of the best National Park tours from Las Vegas, whether you go on your own or hire an organized tour.

We start the list of impressive things to see in the Valley of Fire with one of the most classic: the Fire Wave. It is a sand formation famous for its intercalated veins and slippery rock with striated or undulating shapes.

To get here you must take the Fire Wave Trail, one of the most famous hiking trails in Valle del Fuego. As you hike along the trail you will come across numerous vividly colored sandstone cliffs, but they are just a taste of what awaits you at the end of the trail: a vast landscape of red, pink and orange stripes - beautiful and breathtaking!

Although you can admire the formations of The Fire Wave in photographs, believe me when I tell you that seeing them live is 100 times more exciting.

This area of the Valley is a natural basin in the middle of the rocks where water accumulates after the rains with a name that, in Spanish, could be translated as "The Mouse's Tank".

The best way to get there is through the Mouse's Tank Trail, a hiking route that includes, in addition to impossible landscapes, some petroglyphs. These are drawings on the rocks of prehistoric origin and allusive to the people who inhabited these lands millions of years ago.

Another interesting fact is the name of the basin itself. According to legend, Mouse's Tank owes its name to an Indian fugitive who was wanted for numerous crimes in the tribe in the 1890s.

His nickname was Little Mice and he fled to the Valley of Fire, where he took refuge for a long time in this particular area. Here he would go on to murder and rob gold prospectors and other adventurers.

Arch Rock translates as the Arch Rock in Spanish. As its name indicates, it is a rock formation millions of years old created mainly by the combined action of strong winds and torrential rains.

In the site where The Arch Rock is located today, there was once a large solid rock, but the action of nature weakened it and took matter from its center until it formed the natural arch that we can see today.

Due to the fragility of the structure it is forbidden to climb on it, but you can take impressive pictures. There is a panoramic circuit, called Arch Rock Trail, with 3.2 kilometers that includes a stop at this rock and the observation of ancient petroglyphs.

Another rock formation worth a trip to the Valley of Fire in Nevada is The Atlas RocK; one of the best places to camp in the entire Valley.

With 43 campsites, some have amenities such as nearby parking, restroom facilities, and connections to water and electricity.

As a curious fact, an atlatl was the name given to a small shuttle-style handgun used by Native Americans to throw rocks at high speed.

On the other hand, Atlatl Rock is an excellent place to see petroglyphs and it is advisable to stop for a moment along the way to get a closer look at the ancient rock art of the first inhabitants of North America.

The large Atlatl Rock is very easy to spot as it is located on the west side of the Scenic Drive Loop.

Possibly my favorite place in the entire Valley of Fire is the Rainbow Vista area, a breathtaking landscape made up of rock and sand formations of impressive structures that took the seemingly impossible shapes we see today thanks to the action of millions of years of interaction with water, wind and sun.

Rainbow Vista Trail is considered one of the best walks or hiking trails to do in the Valley of Fire, with a route that leads to a beautiful viewpoint where you can appreciate the immense beauty of the canyons that make up the valley.

If you are looking for ideas of how and where to get married in Las Vegas you should know that this space is also a common site for weddings in the desert, there is picnic area, restrooms and parking available.

Visiting the area known as The White Domes, or the white domes in our language, is one of the most impressive things to do in the Valley of Fire Natural Park in Nevada.

To appreciate the beauty and splendor of the desert you can take the hiking trail known as The White Domes trail, a route of 1.6 kilometers that crosses the narrows of an impressive canyon.

In the canyon you will see the geological formations and how the layers of earth and sand are interspersed in orange, yellow and white, very similar to the formations you will see on a Grand Canyon hike

Other highlights of the trail include views of desert landscapes as far as the eye can see and a visit to a historic site in the history of modern cinema, as scenes from the famous western genre film known as The Professionals were filmed in The White Domes in the 1960s.

Silica Dome is the geographic area and rock formation to which the Valley of Fire owes its imposing name.

In this region the force of nature has been imposing enough to form erosions, gigantic folds, angular rocks, breaking and pushing large boulders miles away from their original position in a breathtaking spectacle!

It is difficult to describe in words the awe-inspiring nature of Silica Dome, but I highly recommend hiking the Fire Canyon trail to reach the high mound that serves as an overlook and from which you can get panoramic views of the Valley of Fire.

Want to take pictures of the nature of the place? This is the ideal place and time to do it!

Another great advantage that this trail has, compared to others seen in the previous points, is the reduction in the flow of tourists. Most people opt for other landscapes, so if you are looking for tranquility you should consider it as an interesting alternative to The White Domes trail.

The Elephant Rock or Elephant Rock in Spanish, is one of the essential visits in any excursion to know the best of the Valley of Fire. It is possibly one of the most unique geological structures in the world due to its shape

If you enter the Valley of Fire Park through the east entrance, it may be the first thing that catches your attention. Through this entrance you can do the Elephant Rock Trail, one of the best routes if you have gone to Las Vegas with children and you take them to your excursion in the desert.

Just remember that it is forbidden to climb the rock shaped like an elephant, the structure is quite fragile and could end up damaged.

When you find yourself at Atlatl rock admiring the petroglyphs, turn around to find another interesting rock formation called The Beehives trail.

With its unique and singular design, which really looks like giant beehives, you won't believe that this rock formation was entirely created by the action of nature unless you see it up close with your own eyes. Take your camera ready!

Nearby you will find several facilities such as a camping area, restrooms and a rest and picnic area.

If you take the Seven Wonders Loop, the first attraction is The Fire Cave.

Definitely one of the best views of the Valley and one of the best hiking tra ils due to its impressive geological structures.

Like other important areas of the valley, years of erosion have shaped true wonders of nature that today we can admire and walk through. Depending on the time of day, you will see the rock walls of the cave turn a spectacular shade of pink when the sunlight hits them, resulting in a fascinating spectacle.

The Cueva del Fuego is small and quick to walk through but I advise you to take your time to admire its many peculiarities.

For example, the patterns on the walls, the many different organic textures and the way certain eroded areas contrast on the walls.

Finally, on any visit I recommend seeing one of the most popular and photographed formations in the valley: the famous Balanced Rock. You may have seen its picture in numerous references to this important national park.

It is an interesting natural attraction composed of boulders placed on top of each other in perfect balance. However, that balance seems very fragile and although it has remained intact for centuries, it makes us wonder how long it will last.

For the moment you can visit, photograph and admire The Balanced Rock. It is also very easy to get to, as the structure is located very close to the Valley of Fire Visitor Center.

When planning a visit to a place as interesting as the Valley of Fire, it's not enough just to know what to see. Equally important for everything to go smoothly is knowing a few practical facts about the site.

Opening hours

The Valley of Fire is open to the public seven days a week, 365 days a year and the Visitor Center is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

The center is located near the main entrance of the park and you will find restrooms, water fountains and a snack stand where you can buy food, sandwiches and water.

Duration of Valley of Fire tours

Tours to Valley of Fire vary in length, making them ideal for adapting to the different itineraries of each traveler. You will find half-day tours lasting 4 or 5 hours, to full 3-day excursions that include nights camping under the stars and visiting other attractions from Las Vegas.

How much do tickets to the Valley of Fire cost?

The entrance fee to the Valley of Fire can vary depending on the vehicle you use and the activities you do.

If you are traveling by car from Las Vegas, the entrance fee to the park for day use is approximately $15 per vehicle; bikers pay approximately $2 entrance fee and if your intention is to camp in the Valley, you should pay about $25 per vehicle per night.

What to take on a trip to the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas

The Valley of Fire is basically a large rocky desert wasteland, so no matter what time of year you visit the city of Las Vegas, you should be prepared for the sun and heat: bring plenty of water, appropriate clothing and accessories for the sun and sunscreen!

I recommend using thermos bottles that keep the cold in. You can refill them at the visitor center.

Footwear is also important, most of the trails in the Valley of Fire are very easy so normal sneakers or running shoes will suffice. Avoid sandals or open shoes of any kind.