Valley of Fire is one of Nevada’s most well-known “wonders” and is a must see destination. It makes a great day trip from Las Vegas with its convenient location of being only 1 hour away.
We visited Valley of Fire in the month of October and drove up one morning from Las Vegas. We decided to enter at the East entrance so we could work our way through the park and leave out of the West entrance. See the park map here. Entering at the East entrance meant a slightly longer drive through the Moapa Valley to enter the park than you would have done entering via the West entrance from Las Vegas.
The park was larger than I was expecting. I’d plan on at least a full day trip at Valley of Fire in order to see enough sites that you are able to capture the essence of the park. We visited for a full day and didn’t get to see as much as we hoped, but this gives us plenty of reason to return. We stopped at 3 hiking trails and then once for lunch and once at the Visitor Center. It’s up to you how many stops you want to make, but if you are going to hike and explore, I’d allow time for at least 3 locations to make the trip worth it.
Valley of Fire Day Trip Overview:
- Location- 1 hour from Las Vegas
- Time Need- 1 full day (although multiple visits would be ideal)
- Best for- Hiking, scenery, photography, wildlife, family adventures
- Difficulty- Appropriate for all ages. There are options from easy to challenging.
When we arrived, we stopped at the Visitor Center first. We collected the Junior Ranger Book and looked around. There were several stops that we passed without stopping when we went straight to the Visitor Center. In hindsight, we should have stopped at a few, because from the Visitor Center we decided to keep going in the Westward direction versus backtracking.
We decided to go to Rainbow Vista as our first stop, but we had packed a cooler for the lunch, so we scouted picnic tables on the drive there. There were ample pull offs with picnic tables and places to park, so not too much planning is needed on that front.
Rainbow Vista Trail
Our first stop off after lunch was the Rainbow Vista Trail. It was very sandy, but the stunning colors of the rocks and the texture of the sand made this an intriguing stop. This trail was great for kids. It was easy and my kids enjoyed schlepping through the sand and scrambling on the low rocks.
This trail didn’t offer much shade, so it was hot in the sun, but could be very comfortable in the cooler months. There was the one wonderful spot on the trail that we had a brief moment of shade and could really enjoy and embrace the beautiful red rocks and scenery.
The Rainbow Vista Trail is an out and back trail that is 2 miles round trip. It ends with a scenic view and then you turn around. The trail was easy and took us approx. 1.5 hours. We really enjoyed this hike to get the energy out after the car ride and lunch. The hike was well worth it and showcased the famous fiery red rocks and sand that the park is known for.
After hiking the Rainbow Vista Trail, we then drove to our next pinpointed stop. Look at the Big Horn Sheep we came across along the way! Amazing!
White Domes Loop Trail
Our next stop was the White Domes Loop Trail. It was also a sandy trail with some steep stairs. The full trail is 1.1 miles, but we just did a short out and back on this trail to get a feel of the area. We found that as a bonus there are also some leftover artifacts from an old movie set on this trail! The kids enjoyed seeing that and reading a little bit of the history. This alone made the White Domes Trail worth seeing.
Atlatl Rock
After we got our fill on the White Domes Loop, we headed to Atlatl Rock. At this stop there is a long staircase that you have to take to see the Petroglyphs. There is a hiking trail at this stop, but we only climbed the stairs next to the parking lot to observe the Petroglyphs.
It was amazing to see the old drawings! And then you think, how did they even get up there?! Or what must the land have looked like that long ago to have enabled the drawings to be in that spot.
Overall, the day trip out to Valley of Fire was really enjoyable and I highly recommend to anyone visiting the Vegas area looking for something to do or as a local looking for a weekend activity. There was a good mix of recreation to be had and general sight-seeing. It didn’t seem that crowded, however, now in hindsight I do recall there being a lot of cars at the Fire Wave stop, which is why we skipped that trail. That stop is very popular, so go early or allow for time to come back and try again if parking is full.
What We Missed that We’ll Visit Next Time
- Fire Wave/7 Wonders
- Elephant Rock
- Seven Sisters
- Fire Canyon/Silica Dome Overlook
- Arch Rock
- Beehive Formations
What to Pack for a Day Trip to Valley of Fire
When we go on our next day trip, I will be sure to pack a lunch again in a cooler. Picnicking was easy and very enjoyable. Aside from the normal things of hiking shoes, hiking bag, hats sunscreen, water, and UV long sleeve sun shirts, I would also recommend bringing a pair of binoculars. We saw wildlife up on the rock formations and it would have been nice to take a closer look at them. Lastly, make sure the kids have closed toed shoes. There was quite a bit of sandy trails and those become a problem with Keen sandals or those types of shoes.
Looking for more Nevada Adventures? Check out my Nevada State Parks page or my page on Outdoor Adventures Near Las Vegas. Happy Trails!