A Fiery Adventure To Valley of Fire State Park
Less than an hour drive from Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park resides about 50 miles northeast of the world famous Sin City, making itself a perfect day trip destination if you’re visiting the area. It is not at all difficult to guess how it got this name once you entered the park, with the blazing color of those massive sandstone formations, you definitely feel like walking into a valley of flaming fire.
Valley of Fire Road
It is a perfect road trip destination not only because of its stunning views, but also the driving experience along the route. This scenic route will lead you through colorful terrains on both sides in a roller coaster type of drive, with lots of uphills and downhills as well as curvaceous turns.
Though some areas in the park can only be accessed via off roads, the Valley of Fire Road itself is nicely paved and built that any regular vehicle can easily enjoy the drive.
Fire Cave/Windstone Arch
To access Fire Cave, a short drive on an off road is required. There is no parking lot or sign for this viewpoint, instead the rich red color sandstone will be your indicator.
Best way to photograph in the case? Take a selfie! It is not really a wide enough space for regular photography as it gets pretty crowded with only 2 people, hard to keep any distance in between. So as pretty and aesthetic as it is, we were being really careful turning and navigating in the cave so we wouldn’t accidentally hit ourselves in this narrow space.
Fire Wave
If you’re up for some hiking, Fire Wave is a must see in this park. The hike to reach this scenic point is less than a mile one way, however it is definitely more of a primitive trail with rocky surface and hardly any shade.
This is a view that is just perfectly named - think of these blue ocean waves but in bold red/orange color and in sandstone formations. We were simply stunned by the fiery colors and the bold stripes, as well as the almost overwhelming contrast.
Pink Canyon
Pink Canyon is only a short distance away from Fire Wave. You will be hiking along the bottom of a canyon that is beautifully shaped in soft pink shades, almost like walking on another planet!
We do however recommend to download trail maps in advance as this is an unmarked trail, there is no sign to indicate trail path or directions so proper preparation is definitely recommended.
The White Domes
This is a loop trail that is just perfectly balanced in terms of length, elevation, and difficulty. It is also a rather “soft” trail as you will be walking on sand for a significant part of the hike. Though there are quite a few vista points, the most famous view has to be the slot canyon, where you get to walk through the narrow space in between 2 massive sandstone formations.
Having visited Las Vegas so many times by now, this was however our first time visiting Valley of Fire State Park and obviously we were super glad that we did - another hidden gem just unveiled!
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