Valley of Fire State Park from Las Vegas or Page, AZ: Best Hikes, Scenic Drives & More

Just an hour northeast of Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park is hands down one of the most stunning—and underrated—destinations in the American Southwest.

While many visitors flock to Red Rock Canyon or Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire offers something truly unique: fiery sandstone cliffs, striped rock waves, hidden slot canyons, and thousand-year-old petroglyphs all packed into one incredible desert landscape.

When Tim and I visited in November during our Southwest road trip, we only had a half day to spare on our way from Page, Arizona to Las Vegas.

At first, I worried it would feel rushed, but in just a few hours, we explored swirling sandstone formations, wandered through a narrow slot canyon, and climbed stairs to see petroglyphs up close.

And, as the late afternoon sun lit the rocks in shades of gold and crimson, I immediately understood why this place is called the Valley of Fire.

Whether you’re road-tripping through the Southwest (like we were!) or just looking for a quick day trip from Las Vegas, Valley of Fire delivers adventure, beauty, and history all in one stop.

In this guide, I’ll share the best hikes and scenic drives in Valley of Fire, plus tips on when to go, what to bring, and how to make the most of your visit.

Valley of Fire State Park is one of Nevada’s most spectacular natural treasures and one of the best attractions for nature and outdoor lovers near Las Vegas.

Established in 1935, Valley of Fire is Nevada’s first—and still its largest—state park, covering more than 40,000 acres.

The park’s iconic red formations are Aztec sandstone, formed more than 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period when shifting sand dunes compressed into stone—how interesting is that?!

It’s a landscape unlike anywhere else in the Southwest!

The name “Valley of Fire” comes from the way the rocks appear to glow at sunrise and sunset, creating the illusion of flames across the desert.

Beyond geology, the park is also rich in cultural history.

Petroglyphs carved by the Ancestral Puebloans can still be found etched into canyon walls, offering a glimpse into the lives of the people who once inhabited this land.

The desert can be brutal, so timing is everything when visiting Valley of Fire.

• Spring (March–May): One of the best seasons—warm but not scorching, with wildflowers blooming in the desert.
• Summer (June–August): Extreme heat is common, often reaching 110–120°F (49°C). Hikes can be dangerous midday, and the park recommends avoiding strenuous activity. If this is your only chance to visit, stick to scenic drives and short walks early morning or late afternoon.
• Fall (September–November): Another great season—cooler temps, fewer crowds, and the golden light at sunset is just magical. We visited in November, and while it was still hot in the sun, it felt manageable and gave us those dreamy sunset views.
• Winter (December–February): Cooler weather (sometimes chilly mornings), fewer crowds, and shorter days. A peaceful time to visit if you want the park almost to yourself.

A Broad Recommendation: Golden hour is the time to be in the park. The sandstone formations truly look like they’re on fire as the sun sets. If you can, time your visit for late afternoon and end with Elephant Rock or Rainbow Vista.

Valley of Fire may only be an hour from Las Vegas, but once you’re inside the park, amenities are limited.

To make the most of your trip (and stay safe in the desert heat), be sure to pack wisely.

Here are a few must-haves:

• Plenty of water: There’s little shade on trails, and dehydration happens fast. Bring more than you think you’ll need.
• Snacks or a picnic: There’s no food available inside the park.
• Sun protection: A wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and lightweight long sleeves go a long way.
• Good hiking shoes: Trails range from sandy to rocky, so wear something with grip. I wore my Merrell Women’s Moab 2 hiking boots here and all throughout our Southwest road trip, and they were great!
• Layers: Desert temps swing dramatically—hot during the day, chilly at night.
• Offline maps: Cell service is unreliable. Download driving maps ahead of time. Tim and I also use AllTrails to download hiking routes ahead of time.

A Broad Recommendation: Check out my full hiking packing list here for a detailed breakdown of everything I bring on my adventures + seasonal suggestions.

Valley of Fire is located about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, making it one of the easiest day trips from the city.

• Driving time: ~1 hour from the Las Vegas Strip
• Entrance: There are two main entrances along the Valley of Fire Highway (east and west). If you’re coming from Las Vegas, you’ll enter from the west side.
• Closest airports: Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas is the most convenient.

Driving Directions from Las Vegas:

• Take I-15 North toward Salt Lake City.
• Exit at #75 toward Valley of Fire/Lake Mead.
• Follow the Valley of Fire Highway east for about 15 miles until you reach the West Entrance.

We drove in from Page, Arizona, which took about four hours. It made for a long travel day, but the scenery along the way was worth it!

A Broad Recommendation: Download offline maps before you go. Cell service is spotty to non-existent once you’re in the park. Bring extra water, snacks, and layers—especially if you’re driving in late or hiking near sunset.

• Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. The visitor center is open 9 am – 4 pm.
• Restrooms: Available at Atlatl Rock, Seven Sisters, The Cabins, Mouse’s Tank Trailhead, and White Domes.
• Food: None available inside the park—pack a picnic or snacks!
• Pets: Dogs are allowed but must be leashed. They can’t enter the visitor center.

There are two scenic drives in the park, Valley of Fire Highway and White Domes Road (also called Mouse’s Tank Road), which take you past many of the park’s most famous viewpoints and trailheads.

Parking lots are located at major trailheads, but they can fill up quickly on weekends.

• Nevada residents: $10 per vehicle
• Out-of-state visitors: $15 per vehicle
• Cyclists: $2 per bike

Payment is usually made at self-pay stations. During our visit, no one was at the gate, so we dropped cash into the lockbox. We only had $20s, so we “donated” a bit extra to the park!

A Broad Recommendation: Bring small bills in cash—credit cards aren’t always accepted. Note that the America the Beautiful Pass (U.S. National Parks Pass) isn’t valid here.

We spent one night at the historic Boulder Dam Hotel in Boulder City, which cost about $125. It was a comfortable and convenient stop between Page and Las Vegas.

Other options include:

• Hotels in Overton or Mesquite, NV: closer to the park but fewer amenities.
• Las Vegas: best for a day trip if you don’t mind driving back after sunset.
• Camping inside the park (see below).
  

A Broad Recommendation: I book most of my hotels through Hotels.com for their rewards program and pair it with Rakuten for cash back. Small savings like this helped us stretch our budget across the entire road trip.

👉 Check hotel prices near Valley of Fire here!

If you want to see Valley of Fire at its most magical—sunrise and sunset—camping is the way to go.

The fiery sandstone glows in the early morning and late evening light, and with far fewer crowds around, it feels like you have the desert to yourself.

Plus, stargazing here is phenomenal thanks to the dark skies!

The park has two main campgrounds with a total of 72 sites, along with RV sites that offer power and water hookups.

Sites are first-come, first-served, so it’s best to arrive early in the day (especially on weekends and during spring/fall, when spots fill quickly).

• Cost: $20 per vehicle, per night for Nevada residents; $25 for out-of-state visitors; RV hookups +$10.
• Stay Limit: Up to 14 days within a 30-day period.
• Amenities: Shaded tables, grills, drinking water, and restrooms.
• Group Sites: Three group-use areas are available (up to 45 people each). These require reservations, which open the first Wednesday of November for the following year.

Camping isn’t just convenient—it gives you the chance to linger for the park’s best light and enjoy the quiet, star-filled desert evenings.

We only had half a day at Valley of Fire, arriving in the early afternoon from Page, Arizona, and heading toward Las Vegas afterward.

Even with limited time, we managed to see the park’s highlights without feeling too rushed.

Here’s the exact route we followed—perfect if you’re short on time but still want to see the best of Valley of Fire.

A Broad Recommendation: Aim to arrive early in the morning if visiting in summer—the park can get dangerously hot midday, and trails have little to no shade.

• Distance: 0.1 miles round-trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time Needed: 10–15 minutes
• Trailhead/Parking: Atlatl Rock Picnic Area

Our first stop was Atlatl Rock, home to some of the best-preserved petroglyphs in the park.

A short staircase leads up the cliffside to carvings dating back more than 2,000 years to the Ancestral Puebloans and Basketmaker cultures.

Standing face-to-face with this ancient art always feels surreal and reminded us of the petroglyphs we saw at Capitol Reef National Park.

Atlatl Rock is a quick but fascinating stop and a great addition to your 1-day itinerary!

A Broad Recommendation: We arrived in the afternoon, but go earlier in the day if you can. When the rock face is well lit, the petroglyphs are easier to photograph. Remember to Leave No Trace, and please don’t touch the petroglyphs—they’re fragile and protected by law.

• Distance: 1.5 miles (Fire Wave) or 1.8 miles (Seven Wonders)
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time Needed: 1–2 hours
• Trailhead/Parking: Parking Lot #3 along Mouse’s Tank Road

Next up was the Fire Wave Trail, Valley of Fire’s most iconic hike.

Shaped over millions of years by erosion, the Fire Wave boasts swirls of red, pink, and white sandstone rippling across the ground, creating a natural “wave” that rivals Arizona’s famous The Wave (without the permit hassle).

This is the must-do hike in Valley of Fire and one of my favorite trails!

We extended our hike with the Seven Wonders Loop, which took us through the pastel-pink slot canyon known as Pink Canyon and past several other quirky rock formations (including one that looked just like Texas—where we live!).

Though you can hike it either direction, we chose clockwise, visiting the Fire Wave first then continuing onto the Pink Canyon. At the end of the hike, you’ll cross the road and end up back at the parking lot.

A Broad Recommendation: The trail is exposed with little shade and often closes in extreme heat (especially June–September). Plan to hike in late afternoon when the rocks glow and temps are more manageable. If you’re short on time, the Fire Wave out-and-back alone is still a showstopper.

• Distance: 1 mile loop
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time Needed: 1-2 hours
• Trailhead/Parking: End of Mouse’s Tank Road

Next, we drove to the end of Mouse’s Tank Road for the White Domes Trail.

The White Domes Trail is a moderate, fun hike that takes you through the Mojave Desert, white sandstone domes that contrast with fiery-red cliffs, a unique slot canyon, and even an old movie set from the 1966 Western The Professionals.

The slot canyon here is one of the most photogenic spots in the park—narrow walls with golden light filtering in. Expect sandy sections and some uneven footing, but nothing too challenging.

Fun Fact: Valley of Fire has also been featured in movies like Star Trek Generations and Electric Horseman.

A Broad Recommendation: Midday light works best in the slot canyon, but early morning is magical for softer shadows.

• Distance: 1 mile round-trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time Needed: 30–45 minutes
• Trailhead/Parking: Rainbow Vista lot off Mouse’s Tank Road

Late in the day, we hiked the Rainbow Vista Trail to Fire Canyon Overlook.

The trail offers sweeping views over multicolored sandstone formations, ranging from deep reds to pale yellows, making it one of the most vibrant viewpoints in the park.

150 million years in the making, the canyons, domes, towers, ridges, and valleys you’ll see here are carved from sand deposited back when dinosaurs walked the earth. Pretty amazing, right?!

This was one of my favorite views, especially since the sun was beginning to set when we were here!

A Broad Recommendation: Go close to sunset. The warm light makes the colors look even more surreal—and you’ll likely have fewer crowds!

• Distance: 0.75 miles round-trip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time Needed: 30 minutes
• Trailhead/Parking: Mouse’s Tank Trailhead (along Mouse’s Tank Road)

Before leaving, we squeezed in one last quick hike to Mouse’s Tank, a natural basin where rainwater collects. Along the way, we spotted dozens of petroglyphs carved into the sandstone cliffs.

We thought the basin looked like a heart—do you see it too? This was a little, unexpected romantic moment to wrap up our visit!

Fun fact: The hike is named after “Little Mouse,” a Paiute outlaw who used the basin as a water source while hiding out in the canyons.

A Broad Recommendation: Look closely at the canyon walls—you’ll spot more petroglyphs the longer you linger! These were created more than 2000-4000 years ago, so remember not to touch them!

• Distance: 0.2 miles out-and-back or 1.2 miles loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time Needed: 10 minutes to 1 hour
• Trailhead/Parking: Elephant Rock parking lot

Located near the East Entrance of the park, this quirky sandstone formation looks, as its name suggests, just like an elephant—trunk and all! 

You can do the 0.2-mile out-and-back hike, or if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can hike the 1.2-mile loop instead. Either way, you cannot walk back along the road.

This is a quick but fun stop to end your day in Valley of Fire State Park!

A Broad Recommendation: Stop here on your way in or out of the park. Sunrise or sunset adds an extra glow to the rock’s “elephant trunk.” If you’re short on time, prioritize Fire Wave + Seven Wonders Loop, White Domes, and Atlatl Rock. These three give you the best mix of landscapes, colors, and history. 

Even if you don’t have time to hike, Valley of Fire is worth visiting for the drives alone.

The park’s two main roads—Valley of Fire Highway and White Domes Road (Mouse’s Tank Road)—offer some of the most dramatic desert scenery in Nevada.

We did the drive in the late afternoon, and the colors kept changing with the light—it felt like the rocks were glowing!

• Route: Runs east–west, connecting the park’s two main entrances
• Length: ~10.5 miles

This is the road most visitors first encounter. From the moment you pass through the gates, you’re surrounded by fiery red Aztec sandstone.

The drive itself is stunning, but it also gives access to several quick stops, including:

• Elephant Rock: A fun roadside formation near the East Entrance.
• Atlatl Rock: Ancient petroglyphs just minutes from the parking area.
• Seven Sisters: Seven tall sandstone towers standing dramatically side-by-side.
• The Cabins: Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s as roadside shelters.

A Broad Recommendation: If you’re pressed for time, you can drive this road in 20 minutes without stops—but it’s worth pulling over at least once or twice.

• Route: Runs north from the Visitor Center to White Domes Trailhead
• Length: ~5.5 miles

This is Valley of Fire’s showstopper drive. Winding through rainbow-colored canyons, it’s one of the most photographed roads in the park (you’ve probably seen it on Instagram).

Along the way, you’ll find trailheads for some of the park’s best hikes:

• Mouse’s Tank Trailhead: Sandy walk with petroglyphs.
• Rainbow Vista & Fire Canyon Overlook: Panoramic views of multi-colored sandstone.
• Parking Lot #3: Starting point for the Fire Wave + Seven Wonders Loop.
• White Domes Trailhead: Slot canyon + movie site.

Another quick stop along the way is Arch Rock, a natural arch you can view right from the road.

A Broad Recommendation: For the classic photo of the road snaking through red hills, stop near Rainbow Vista. Early morning and late afternoon are best for photos when the road really pops against the desert backdrop.

Together, these two drives cover almost all of Valley of Fire’s must-see spots. If you only have a couple of hours, you can still enjoy the park just by following the scenic roads and hopping out at overlooks.

If you only have time for one road, make it Mouse’s Tank Road. Between the rock formations, viewpoints, and trailheads, it’s the best bang for your buck in terms of scenery.

Looking for more hiking opportunities? You may be interested in some of my national park blog posts here:

• 3-Day Zion Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide to Utah’s Most Iconic National Park
• How to Spend One Day in Bryce Canyon National Park
• How to Spend One Day in Capitol Reef National Park
• The 10 Best Hikes in Arches National Park
• Canyonlands National Park One Day Itinerary: Best Hikes & Viewpoints at Island in the Sky
• Utah Mighty Five Itinerary: How to Visit All 5 Utah National Parks in One Trip
• Two Days at Big Bend National Park in Texas
• The Most Epic Hike in Yosemite: Mist, Panorama & Four Mile Combination Trail
• 3-Day Yosemite Itinerary for First-Time Visitors Who Love to Hike
• 8 Great Hikes in Yosemite: Your Ultimate Hiking Guide
• My Complete Hiking Packing List: Trail-Tested Gear and Tips