The stunning landscape glows red for miles into the horizon and is particularly beautiful at sunset. Located in the Mojave Desert, Valley of Fire State Park is home to 46,000 acres of red Aztec sandstone, formed by shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago. Visit the Fire Wave, which is probably one of the most gorgeous spots in the Valley of Fire with white and red zebra stripes that create incredible photo opportunities.Check out Arch Rock, which can be seen from the Scenic Loop near Atlatl Rock.Don’t miss out on Elephant Rock, located next to the east entrance (It resembles an elephant and is hard to miss!).Those hoping to discover more about the valley’s history will find a great visitor center that features comprehensive interpretive displays and exhibits with information on local ecology, geology, and prehistory. Valley of Fire, Nevada Must-Sees Elephant Rock

In the 1920s, “Valley of Fire” was named by a AAA official who was traveling the road at sunset and reportedly explained that the entire region looked like it was on fire. How Valley of Fire Got Its Nameīefore Valley of Fire became a designated Nevada State Park, a road was built through the valley as part of the Arrowhead Trail to connect Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The park opened in 1934 and was officially designated Valley of Fire State Park in 1935, becoming Nevada’s first state park. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the park from 1933 through the early 1940s, making campgrounds, stone cabins, trails, and roads. In 1931, a transfer of 8,760 acres of federal land to the state of Nevada began the creation of Valley of Fire State Park. Thomas, which eventually wound up flooded by the waters of Lake Mead during construction of the Hoover Dam in the early 1930s.

By the mid-1860s, Mormon missionaries settled St. Valley of Fire State Park HistoryĪncient petroglyphs were carved into red sandstone rock formations at Valley of Fire State Park-a remnant from the Ancestral Puebloans living in and around the modern-day Moapa Valley area 2,500 years ago. Of all the state and national parks in Nevada, Valley of Fire remains a favorite for visitors and locals alike, thanks to the fiery sandstone formations swirling through the valley, ancient petroglyphs carved into its stones, stunning red sandstone rock formations, ancient petroglyphs, and quick access from Las Vegas. The Best of Valley of Fire – Sunrise to Sunset

Salt lake city landscape rock