10 Things to Do in the Valley of Fire

If you've already taken in the city's best museums, themed hotels, impressive casinos and top attractions on the Las Vegas Strip, it's time to explore beyond the city's geographic boundaries. Fortunately Nevada offers plenty of options, and among the things to see and do in Las Vegas, a trip to the many national parks in this part of the country is a must.

The Valley of Fire is just an hour's drive away. With an expanse of land covering 19 hectares, you can imagine there's plenty to see and do in this area. It's not for nothing that it's considered one of the best National Park tours from Las Vegas, whether you're going on your own or hiring an organised tour.

We begin our list of awesome things to see in the Valley of Fire with one of the most classic: the Fire Wave. It's a sand formation famous for its interspersed veins and slippery, striated or rippled rock.

To get here you'll need to take the Fire Wave Trail, one of the most popular hiking trails in the Valley of Fire. Along the way you will come across numerous vividly coloured 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. Legend has it that Mouse's Tank is named after 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 English. As the name suggests, it is a rock formation millions of years old, created mainly by the combined action of strong winds and torrential rains.

At the site of The Arch Rock there was once a large solid rock, but the action of nature weakened it and took the material from its centre to form 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 photographs. There is a scenic 3.2-kilometre Arch Rock Trail that includes a stop at the rock and viewing of ancient petroglyphs.

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

With 43 campsites, some have amenities such as nearby parking, restrooms and hook-ups for water and electricity.

An atlatl was the name given to a small, hand-held, shuttle-style weapon used by Native Americans to hurl 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 easy to spot as it is located on the west side of the Scenic Drive Loop.

Possibly my favourite 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 on 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're looking for ideas on how and where to get married in Las Vegas you should know that this space is also a common site for desert weddings, with picnic areas, restrooms and parking available.

Seeing the area known as The White Domes is one of the most impressive things to do in Nevada's Valley of Fire Wilderness Park.

To appreciate the beauty and splendour of the desert you can take the hiking trail known as The White Domes trail, a 1.6 kilometre route through the narrows of an impressive canyon.

In the canyon you'll see the geological formations and how the layers of earth and sand are interspersed in orange, yellow and white, much like the formations you'll 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 modern film history, as scenes from the famous western film The Professionals were filmed in The White Domes in the 1960s.

Silica Dome is the geographical 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 a lookout point and from which you can get panoramic views of the Valley of Fire.

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

Another great advantage of this trail, 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 is one of the must-see sights on any excursion to see 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 is probably the first thing that catches your attention. Through this entrance you can hike the Elephant Rock Trail, one of the best trails if you've been to Las Vegas with kids and are taking them on your desert excursion.

Just remember that climbing the elephant-shaped rock is forbidden, the structure is quite fragile and could end up damaged.

As you stand on Atlatl rock admiring the petroglyphs, turn around to find another interesting rock formation called The Beehives trail.

With its unique and singular design, which actually resembles 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. Get your camera ready!

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

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

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

Like other important areas of the valley, years of erosion have shaped real 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 made up 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 time being you can visit, photograph and admire The Balanced Rock. It is also very easy to get to, as the structure is very close to the Valley of Fire Visitor Centre.

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 to make it all 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 Centre is open from 08:30h until 16:30h in the afternoon.

The centre is located near the main entrance to the park and you will find a toilet, water fountains and a snack stall 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 to suit different travellers' itineraries. You'll 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 driving from Las Vegas, the entrance fee to the park for day use is approximately €15 per vehicle, cyclists pay approximately €2 entrance fee and if you intend to camp in the Valley, you will pay approximately €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 one big 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 centre.

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