Valley of fire camping9/18/2023 ![]() ![]() The park is well looked after, with many restrooms, and a main visitor center. The fall, winter and spring are excellent times to visit the Valley of Fire state park (we were there in February). Our kids and I love naming the different rock formations as we see them.’ did you see that looks like a turtle? Or a dinosaur. Take time to do all the scenic loops as you never know what you may see. My hubby on the other hand is warm, so he had on a wind breaker for only the early part of the morning, then it was off about 9 am. I am almost always cold and required a light jacket with a 32 degree shirt. In winter you will like to have a jacket as the weather can be deceiving. The visitors center has a gift shop and museum of many desert animals and about the ancient peoples of the area. Many birds at the “Atlatl” petroglyphs rock. We saw many birds, desert sheep that if you drive slowly will let you come near (stay in your car) and get pictures! But please don’t feed them! We saw a herd near the “petrified log” near the west entrance. If you plan to arrive at sunrise it is the best time to see the natural wildlife. Many trails are just sand/ dirt, some have gravel. If coming with small children be prepared to have snacks and drinks on hand. You need gallons of water and sunscreen if you come in summertime. We came once in May and it was so hot my kids hardly got out of the car. ![]() Definitely recommend to arrive early as within an hour’s time 3xs as many people arrive on scene. This trip we left our hotel in time to arrive at sunrise. I have had the most relaxing time, it gives you a sense of peace and quiet as you drive around looking at all the natural wonders. Arrive early if you want some peace and quiet. Tour buses and hikers and families flooded the park about 3 hours after opening. I enjoyed hours of quiet solitude until the crowds picked up. Animals ALWAYS have the right of way, so don't be a jerk. Be sure to watch out for local wildlife: there was an actual traffic jam caused by bighorn sheep that just didn't want to budge. There are several loops that I drove multiple times. There is a ton to see just off the road, and you can never get out of your car and still experience the beauty. The park has lots of hiking trails, but I did not take any. There is a very easy "hike" by the parking lot, which is great if (like me) you aren't experienced but still want to get some photos of the gorgeous red rock formations. There's a small museum at the center, a tiny gift shop, rangers on hand to answer questions, restrooms, and a "backyard" with multiple bird feeders that allows for terrific bird watching. I made a beeline for the small visitors center to look at a park map and get any other valuable information. I arrived before opening, so I had to sit and wait for about 20 minutes. It was my first visit, and I didn't have much of a plan. Wanting some alone time, I set out very early for Valley of Fire state park with my phone, a cooler, hat, and sunscreen. I'm not big on nature, but I started to dip my toe in the great outdoors during the 2020 lockdown. Overall we enjoyed the beautiful rock scenery, took some nice pictures, and the kids enjoyed climbing the rocks. ![]() There was a hike after you get out of the parking lot and some of our group took a short hike. It looked far on the map but wasn't too much further up the path. After the visit to the visitor center, we made our way to White Domes Loop. They were much cleaner than the ones out on the trails. There were restrooms inside and outside of the visitor center. They also have Wi-Fi, but you will have to pay $3 and up. One of our next stops was the visitor center and the family enjoyed looking at the various souvenirs, trinkets, and snacks. The rocks were easy to climb at this location and there were great views of the wind holes and rock structures. One of the first stops was Beehives and this was a really nice spot for the kids. The drive was pretty easy from the city and the traffic was relatively fast and then it slowed toward the park entrance where we paid the $15 entrance fee per car. The Valley of Fire State Park was a fun day trip from our Las Vegas Hotel for the whole family. ![]()
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