Valley of Fire State Park- This Valley is on Fire!
Written: Mar 08 '01 (Updated Feb 18 '03)
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Pros: Unusual red sandstone rock formations
Cons: None, just don't expect to see Zion National Park
The Bottom Line: Although certainly not one of the wonders of the world or on the level of the Grand Canyon, The Valley of Fire is worth the trip.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Valley of Fire State Park |
I have been to the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Park and the Galapagos Islands. It takes a lot to impress me at this point. I am not suggesting that you fly 2000 miles to go the the Valley of Fire State Park in Carson City, Nevada, but I am suggesting you visit it if you are in the Las Vegas and surrounding areas.
We went to Las Vegas in February and decided to venture outside the area one day. The Valley of Fire had been recommended to us so that was our destination. It is 55 miles from Las Vegas and costs $5.00 per carload to enter the State Park.
Truly this was the first time in all my experiences that I was moved enough to picture myself living thousands and even millions of years ago! In a few sentences what the Valley of Fire is made of are red sandstone formations formed from shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago. More recently, around 1,000 years ago users of the Valley of Fire included the Basket Maker people and then the Anasaxi Pueblo farmers. What brought me back into the past so strongly was the rock art that they left. I have seen this sort of thing in other places I have been but this was so prominent it was eerie.
What to wear? We went in February and it was in the 50’s but from what I hear temperatures can range quite a bit in the winter so bring a jacket even if it is warmer than that. You must wear sneakers or hiking boots if you want to get out and walk around which I highly recommend you do if you are physically able. If you are not, you will still be able to see the beautiful formations and some of the artwork so don’t let that stop you from going.
What you will see? Along with the rock formations you will see all sorts of flora and fauna including all sorts of bush, cacti, birds and perhaps a snake, coyote and antelope. You can camp in the park, which is an extra charge, and I have put The Valley of Fire on my list of places in which to camp when we get an RV!
There are also areas in which to picnic with water and restrooms available. Your first stop or at least at the beginning of the “tour” should be the visitor center where you will get a really good education on what you will be seeing, a film, book, exhibits and a souvenir if you wish.
The park is very strict about the plants, animals, rocks and minerals being protected by state law. State law also protects all artifacts and other signs of Indian civilization. On our way back to the car we saw a group of 4 people filling up bags with sandstone and worse taking a rather large boulder! We told them it was illegal wrote down their license plate number prepared to report them. We are not usually do gooders in this sense nor trouble makers but this land can never ever be replaced and if taken or mutilated is everyone’s loss. We, of course, did see some remnants of, what I will assume are young people, who have drawn on the rocks and it isn’t a pretty site.
It is not a long drive through the park. If you stop at most of the features you will be there about 1-½ hours. Of course you can spend much longer if you hike and you can just drive through which is fine also. I will point out what you should not miss among the 12 features:
• The beehives: These are what they sound like. Formations in the shape of beehives. They are so unusual. You don’t have to get out of your car to see them, but you will want to so you can take pictures. Don’t forget your camera!
•Atlatl rock: This is one of the places where many Indian petroglyphs can be seen. Petroglyphs are artwork. The thought is these pictures do not depict a story in the way hieroglyphics do, rather they are symbols and art.
•Rainbow Vista: A great place for pictures; you’ll have a panoramic view of multi-colored sandstone.
There are two walking trails; one is a 3 mile round trip walk which we didn’t do the other is a ½ mile round trip walk which we did do. I would definitely tell you to do this if you can. It is an easy walk (with sneakers) through a sandy canyon that leads to what is called:
•Mouse’s Tank. Along the way you will see some great examples of prehistoric Indian rock writings and an explanation of what some of these symbols may have meant. Mouse’s Tank was used as a hideout in the 1890’s and is a natural basin in the rock where water collects after rainfall and sometimes stays there for several months. There was water in the basin when we were there. There is no sign that the basin is there so don’t go running into it!
If you love to climb rocks this is the place to do it. This one area seemed not to be regulated and you could easily veer off the trail and climb on rocks and explore. There are, of course, some dangerous areas so watch your children.
In summary, although certainly not one of the wonders of the world or on the level of the Grand Canyon, The Valley of Fire is worth the trip. It is close to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead so you can visit the are for more than one site. On the way back we went a bit out of our way and visited Ethel M. chocolate factory where you can see chocolate made and sample some of their delicious candy at $28 a pound!! If you are looking for a smoky place to gamble where the locals go, stop in at Sunset Station. You’ll find coupons in the coupon books for a free pen and other discount offers.
For more Las Vegas reviews:
Red Rock Canyon
Eating Our Way Through Las Vegas Buffets
The Rio Hotel and Casino
The Fremont Experience (Downtown Las Vegas)
The Strip - 2 Low Budget Shows
Valley of Fire
Tropicana Casino
The Luxor
The Rio Hotel and Casino
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: March-May
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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