Nestled within the Mojave Desert about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas lies 40,000 acres of red sandstone formations known as the “Valley of Fire”. The intense contrast between the desert floor and the deep red orange sandstone makes it easy to understand how this park got its namesake. Upon our entry to the west side of the park, we traveled down a winding road that leads down into the valley. Once we passed the park sign, we followed the road around a long bend to the left then were hit with our first glimpse of the “fire”. The color of the rock is very beautiful against the backdrop of the surrounding desert and was quite a first impression for both of us.
White Domes Scenic Drive
Following our customary visit to the visitor’s center, we traveled up White Domes Road. Many of the park’s natural points of interest are located off this road making it a nice scenic drive. Signs along the road indicate various points of interest and parking lots are provided at most stops. A few of our favorite points were the fire wave, fire canyon, and a slot canyon near the white domes trail.
Because we only had a day to explore this park, the scenic drive of White Domes road was a nice way to see most of the park in small amount of time. We did have some extra time to stop and check out more points of interest on our way out of the park.
Takeaways
Even though we only spent a day here, we left mesmerized and humbled by this unique creation of earth. This is a good day trip activity for those looking for attractions around Las Vegas. Our only complaint is that the White Domes drive got quite crowded with visitors as the day progressed. This is to be expected however since this is a popular park so close to Las Vegas. We recommend starting your day early and getting to the park when it opens. Enjoy!
Click here to see more photos from our visit to Valley of Fire State Park
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