The Best Valley of Fire State Park Adventure Itinerary

Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada's oldest and largest state park filled with adventure. This itinerary with take you throughout the park where you'll find areas of petrified wood and 3,000-year-old Indian petroglyphs. The park's popular attractions include hiking, camping, and photography. Park Visitor Center offers a bathroom and is the only source of drinkable water in the park. You'll see interpretive displays to help guide you during your adventure.

The Best Adventure Itinerary to Valley of Fire State Park

Exploring the Valley of Fire State Park has been on my bucket list for a very very long time. Logan and I took an adventure to the park at the end of February to do some hiking. The weather was perfect, and not too hot for hiking.

On our way home, the pandemic hit America and changed everything. Due to federal and local travel restrictions, unfortunately, this has been the only trip we've taken this year. The park is located in the U.S. State of Nevada, just 16 miles south of Overton. The city of Las Vegas is 1.5 hour's drive to get to Valley of Fire, so we stayed in the city to do day trips to surrounding parks.

My Valley of Fire guide is packed full of everything you need to know when preparing for your adventure. The state park includes a nature preservation area covering nearly 46,000 acres! The state park received its name from the unique red sandstone formations, which formed from the shifting sand dunes over 150 million years ago! The outdoors makes for a perfect socially distanced vacation.

How to Get to Valley of Fire State Park

I recommend flying into Las Vegas (LAS) International Airport & renting a car for your adventure right at the airport. Valley of Fire is located just 50 minutes outside of Las Vegas. You will need a car to get to the state park from the city unless you decide to go via a tour.

Rent a Car

The most popular way to visit the park is by car. You can leave right from the airport if you plan on staying at the park or if you have a later flight you can stay the night in Las Vegas and leave for the park in the morning. The drive from the city is 50 miles and takes around 1 hour to reach Valley of Fire State Park. The park is open all year.

Valley of Fire Day Trip Tours

There are several different types of day and half-day trips from the city. Tours from Las Vegas to the State Park often include roundtrip transportation. If your itinerary is flexible or you have additional time, I would recommend adding additional nearby parks to your road trip. Red Rock Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Lake Mead, or the Hoover Dam.

Valley of Fire Half-day Tour From Las Vegas: 6-hour half-day tour will show you all the best highlights the park as to offer, great for hiking, travel photography, and more.
Valley of Fire Full-Day ATV Tour with Lunch: If you're looking for more time, the full-day tour to Valley of Fire has a jam-packed adventure itinerary you're sure to enjoy.
Valley of Fire Hiking Tour from Las Vegas: Trek between Valley of Fire's towering red rock formations and 3,000-year-old petroglyphs on this day trip from Las Vegas, a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts.

Get Married in the Valley of Fire State Park

Where to Stay

There are several options for accommodations when visiting the state park, ranging from camping to luxury hotels. Las Vegas is the closest major city to the park, however, there are a few places to stay in Overton, an alternative to the bright city lights. Overton is the closest city to Valley of Fire, just 15 minutes away. You can have more time in the park and less time driving. Some accommodations you may want to consider are:

• North Shore Inn
• Atlatl Rock Campground
• Casablanca Hotel
• The Cosmopolitan
  
  

Hiking in Valley of Fire State Park

Elevation Range: 1,500′ to 3,000′
Hiking around Las Vegas you'll find some of the most popular trails in the state. There are plenty of hiking trails in Valley of Fire State Park throughout the park 46,000 acres in the Mojave Desert.

The bright red Aztec sandstone has swirls of gray & tan colored limestone embedded into it. As the sun rises and sets, you'll see the desert landscape glow orange and red hues for miles into the horizon as the sun hits the stone. These hikes are great for visitors who want to explore the state park from Las Vegas on a day trip or campers within the park.

Valley of Fire Hiking Trails

• Pastel Canyon
• Rainbow Vista Trail
• Arch Rock / Piano Rock
• White Domes
• Top of the World Arch
• Petrified Logs
• Petroglyph Canyon
• Fire Wave
  
  

The Beehives

Length: Roadside pull-off with a short walking trail
Elevation Change: N/A
Difficulty: Easy
Season: Fall, Winter, Spring *not recommended in summer

Pastel Canyon Hike

Length: 3.2 miles (2 km)
Elevation Change: 230 ft (70 meters)
Difficulty: Easy
Season: Fall, Winter, Spring *not recommended in summer

Fire Wave Hike

Length: 4.5 miles (2.8 km)
Elevation Change: 300 ft (91 meters)
Difficulty: Moderate; some scrambling
Season: Fall, Winter, Spring *not recommended in summer.

I hope you enjoyed my adventure guide to Valley of Fire. I love hearing from my readers. Drop a comment below and let me know if you liked the post or would like any additional information included. Thanks for reading! More National & State Park posts are below.