We knew our long weekend wouldn’t be complete without a day trip to Valley of Fire State Park near Las Vegas on our Vegas vacation with the kids last month. Nevada may be best known for the lights and entertainment of the Vegas strip. Still, there are plenty of outdoor adventures nearby. Don’t miss these top picks from our favorite things to do in Valley of Fire State Park.
Planning a Side Trip to Valley of Fire State Park
The best bet is to rent a car for the one-hour drive to the Valley of Fire State Park. Since we didn’t rent a car for our stay on the strip, we needed to pick up a rental car for this day trip. There are many rental options at hotels, so there is no need to make an extra trip back to the airport. Plus, the cost is much lower outside of the airport.
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All the stops below are easily done in a 1/2 day trip, and there is much more to explore if you have the entire day.
The Valley of Fire entrance fee is $10, paid at the gate once you arrive.
Check out Pink Jeep tours if you want the entire Valley of Fire experience. They’ll drive you out to the park to see all the best spots and learn the area’s history. Lunch is also included.
Things to Do in Valley of Fire
Visit the Valley of Fire State Park Visitor Center
We always make a point to stop at the Visitor Center before exploring State and National Parks. It’s our favorite way to get all the best information about the park before setting out on your adventure. Talk to the rangers and check out the displays to learn about the best trails, park features, and wildlife you might see – and browse the gift shop!
The Visitor Center at the Valley of Fire has interactive displays about how the landscape came to be.
Hike the Valley of Fire Trails
Plan a few hikes on the Valley of Fire trails. The park is filled with short, easy hikes that are great for kids, which is perfect because we love hitting a few family-friendly hiking trails when we travel (like these fun trails we found in Moab, UT!)
To reach the first 3 trails, head north on Mouse’s Tank Road from Valley of Fire Hwy.
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1. Mouse’s Tank
The first trail we hiked was this 0.75-mile sandy trail through Petroglyph Canyon.
There is no uphill climb on this trail, but the sandy terrain makes it a little more tiring than you’d expect.
At the trailhead, be sure to check out the board with images of petroglyphs you’ll see along the way (we tried so hard to find the Mystical Bat Woman but couldn’t find her!). The kids had so much fun with this seek-and-find activity along the trail.
Mouse’s Tank is at the end of the trail. Take a peek into the rocks to see the natural basin that collects water from rainfalls.
2. Fire Wave Valley of Fire
After Mouse’s Tank, continue on White Domes Road to parking area 3, on your left to one of the most popular Valley of Fire trails. The trailhead is directly across the street.
This 1.5-mile hike is a bit longer than Mouse’s Tank.
About 1/2 way along this trail, the terrain changes to sandstone, and the path seems to disappear. Watch for cairns and other markers to keep on the right track.
This hike isn’t recommended in the summer months. Temps can reach over 100°, and there is little to no shade on the Fire Wave Trail.
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3. White Domes
Since moving out west, one of my hiking goals has been to see a slot canyon, and I was so excited to finally find one on the White Domes Trail.
This is another sandy trail, plus some climb makes this trail the most difficult.
Picking up the trail to the left side of the loop brings you to the remnants of a set from the 1965 movie ‘The Professionals.’ Continue along the path through the slot canyon to complete the 1.25-mile loop.
After White Domes, make your way back to Valley of Fire Hwy. Turn left to make a stop a the last two sights.
4. Petrified Logs (east)
This one was more of a short walk than a “hike” to see the petrified logs.
The 150-225 million-year-old petrified logs are protected by a chain-link fence. The kids had a hard time believing it was a tree and not a rock.
There is a second location to see the petrified logs on the park’s west side. If you need to head back to Las Vegas, you can still catch the petrified logs on the west side, but you’ll miss Elephant Rock.
5. Elephant Rock
You’ll know it when you see it!
The elephant-shaped rock on the left as you drive to the trailhead. This rock formation can be seen from the road, so you can still catch this fun rock formation if you don’t have time for all the Valley of Fire trails.
There are two options to get an up-close look at the rock:
- Stay close to (but don’t go on) the road for a direct route to reach the elephant-shaped rock
- Follow the markers at the trailhead to take the 1.2 mile loop that ends at elephant rock
We decided on the shorter route since we didn’t want to push our luck with the kids on yet another hike. The longer trail comes highly recommended, so if you have the time, go for it!
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Other Valley of Fire Things to Do
Drive Scenic Loop Road through the campgrounds to see Atlatl Rock and Arch Rock if you have more time.
More sandstone formations are across from the campgrounds at the Beehives.
Camping at Valley of Fire State Park
Atlatl Rock Campground and Arch Rock Campground have 72 campsites in the park. Atlatl Rock has 22 RV sites with water and power hookups. All campsites are $20 per night (sites with hookups are an extra $10) and are first-come, first-serve.
Like the rest of Valley of Fire State Park, there is little shade at the campgrounds, but each site has a covered picnic table.
Other Las Vegas Day Trips
Want even more outdoor adventure? Try these Las Vegas area parks:
- Red Rock National Conservation Area, 20 minutes from Las Vegas
- Seven Magic Mountains, 30 minutes (not technically a park, but it’s a fun desert art installation)
- Grand Canyon National Park, 2 hrs 15 minutes
- Zion National Park, just under 4 hrs from Las Vegas
- Bryce Canyon National Park, 4 hrs
Have you visited this Nevada state park? Let us know your favorite things to do in Valley of Fire in the comments!
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Glad I found your post via Pinterest. We’re heading back to Vegas after a 10-year absence and my friend who is accompanying me has never been to the Valley of Fire so we are definitely planning to go there. Thx for the tips!
We do love Vegas, but it feels so good to get out for some outdoors time! Valley of Fire is a great one because there are so many short hikes, there is time to see a lot of the park.
I loved the slot canyon, but the kids thought the petroglyphs were the best part. Have a great trip!