Valley of Fire State Park

December 11, 2020

Valley of Fire State Park is the oldest state park in Nevada. A red sandstone wonderland, it’s a place that would reward many visits in different conditions. It’s allegedly phenomenal at sunset when the sandstone glows so dramatically that it appears on fire.

We’ve never visited the park and in fact didn’t even know it existed until scoping out what else is in the vicinity of Boulder City. Once we read about it we knew we had to go, but were torn about how to visit it. The main consideration is its remote situation, nearly an hour and a half from here. There is a motel in Overton, ten miles from the park, but in the end we couldn’t justify paying $125 for a night there when we already had one here, so we just drove out for the day. The best way to visit of course would be to stay over at on of the park campgrounds, but we’re not set up for that.

Our plan was to bicycle through the park, but it’s cold enough today that we didn’t want to get too early a start. We left home at 8:30 and arrived at the park at 10 after a dramatic drive north along the west side of Lake Mead. To me it looks like this would be a fine cycling route - there’s very little traffic and a modest shoulder; but today, the day after that catastrophic accident near here, the idea of biking on a highway feels unappealing.

It’s still quite chilly when we arrive at the visitor’s center. We ask about bicycling in the park but are advised against it because the roads are narrow, steep and unshouldered. Taking it all in, we decided to scrap the cycling and see the park on foot instead. Which was the right choice - it’s really a place to be explored on foot, rather than just gliding past the roadside sights.

We took three fairly short hikes: to the Fire Canyon overlook; a short walk from a roadside parking area where we stopped for lunch; and the Fire Wave hike. They were all fine, but the Fire Wave was over the top. At the most striking spots we would stand in awe, walk fifty feet to a slightly different perspective, and be amazed again.

We didn’t have the best conditions for our visit. It was overcast most of the day, and from the few minutes of that the sun broke through we could see that it would be even more spectacular with better lighting. And being here at sunset I’m sure must be a sight to behold.

So, no biking today. Just a photo gallery, to remind us to make our way back here some day and to tempt you to do the same.

The short, spectacular White Domes Scenic Byway - the primary road through the park.

The start of the walk to the Fire Canyon Overlook.

There were plenty of interesting plants along the hike, but we’ll let this elegant one represent them.

Well, there’s this menace too - a silver cholla, I think.

This and all the following photos but the final one are from the Fire Wave section of the park.

The view across Las Vegas Wash, on the drive home.

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Bill StoneGreat photos! It's a dramatically gorgeous park. I think this is the most spectacular scenery -- at least in terms of color -- I've ever photographed on a bicycle ride.

http://bike365.org/bike/20200209/
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4 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Bill StoneGreat photos yourself, as I knew already since I saw them myself but had forgotten. You’re right in your assessment. We’ve never seen any place like this. It even outshines Artist Drive in Death Valley, I think.
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4 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Bill StoneI’m impressed you bicycled on that road in Valley of Fire. It looked scary! Your photos are great!
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4 years ago

Bill StoneTo Rachael AndersonI biked a bit from the visitor center, but quickly decided the road was a little too dicey for me, so came up with Plan B. I drove all the way to the end and started pedaling back toward the visitor center from there. Much less traffic. Even so, I only made it about two miles before I turned around, because I kept hopping off the bike to point the camera at unbelievable colors and textures. The park made my eyeballs pop out.
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4 years ago

Rachael AndersonVery wise of you! What an amazing place! I’ve never seen so many different colors.
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4 years ago

Bruce LellmanI want to go here someday! Thank you for enlightening me.
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4 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Bruce LellmanIt’s quite a place, alright. Maybe the most colorful rock formations we’ve seen anywhere.
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4 years ago