How to Get the Most out of 1 Day in the Valley of Fire State Park

Planning 1 Day in the Valley of Fire (Las Vegas to Valley of Fire)

The Valley of Fire State Park is one of the most underrated and awesome looking State Parks in the USA! From the moment we drove through the entrance of the park, we were both in absolute awe of the crazy red dirt and rocks that towered above and all around us.

The Valley of Fire is a pretty small park and I would say that 1 day is enough to see most of the park. You could also spend half a day in the Valley of Fire and still see the main attractions like we did.

This 1 day Valley of Fire itinerary, will provide you with a step by step guide on how to spend 1 day in the Valley of Fire State Park. In the guide I have included the best and most important things to see, information on park entry costs and opening times and the best photo spots. I also go through how to get to the park and where to stay nearby, including where to camp in the Valley of Fire.

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😉 Valley of Fire in a Snapshot

📍 Where is the Valley of Fire

The Valley of Fire State Park is located in Nevada about 45 minutes from Las Vegas.

If you are staying in Las Vegas and have a spare free day, the Valley of Fire makes for a great day trip away from the hustle and bustle.

🚗 How to get from Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire

The easiest way to get from Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire is by car. We used Expedia to rent a car in Las Vegas for a few days when we did Havasupai and the Valley of Fire.

By Car

If you are driving from the Las Vegas area to the Valley of Fire, it will take you around 45 minutes to 1 hour. You will need to take the I-15 N until exit 75 which will take you onto the Valley of Fire Hwy for around 11.8 miles (15-20 minutes) until you reach the entrance.

As you exit the I-15N, you will see a Chevron straight away which is great for going to the bathroom, fuelling up and getting any last minute snacks. This is the closest gas station to the Valley of Fire State Park.

By Public Transport

There are no public transport options that go all of the way from Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire unless you are open to taking a taxi part of the way, which would cost a lot. If you aren’t able to get access to a car, I recommend joining a tour, which you will find more information about below.

By Tour

Joining a tour like this one is the easiest and most hassle free way to see the Valley of Fire. This tour takes approximately 6 hours altogether and will pick you up from your hotel in Las Vegas. You will see all of the best spots such as Mouse’s Tank Road and the Fire Wave Trail on this tour.

📆 When is the best time of the year to visit the Valley of Fire State Park?

Let’s start with the worst time of year to visit the Valley of Fire. Just like the name sounds, the Valley of FIRE is HOT, especially in the Summer.

The temperatures average around 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) in the Summer months and can sometimes even reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) which is just INSANE.

In my opinion, the best time of the year to visit the Valley of Fire State Park is in Spring or Fall when the weather is not too hot. We visited at the end of October which was almost perfect but still a bit hot during the day while we hiked the Fire Wave Trail. I have heard that November is even better for avoiding the crowds.

💲 Valley of Fire cost and permits required

To enter the Valley of Fire State Park, you will need to purchase a day pass from the front entrance gate. You can purchase this with cash or card and it is USD$15 per vehicle.

😉 Tips when visiting the Valley of Fire State Park

1. Visit the park early in the morning to avoid the crowds and the heat
2. Try to spare at least a few hours to explore the park. It is a small park but there is a lot to see! I wish we had had more time there.
3. Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat and plenty of food and water. You are in the desert and it gets super hot!
4. There are toilets spread out around the park. A couple of toilet locations to note are in the White Domes parking lot and the Rainbow Vistas parking lot.

🛌 Where to stay near the Valley of Fire

Las Vegas is the closest large city to the Valley of Fire State Park which is where we chose to base ourselves. It will take you around 45 minutes – 1 hour to drive from Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire State Park.

There are loads of hotel choices if you decide to stay in Las Vegas. We decided not too spend too much on our accommodation but also wanted something decent with a nice pool and pool bar so we stayed at Club Wyndham Desert Blue. Highly recommend!

It had a lovely outdoor pool area with a bar and also a hot tub so we were able to live out our dreams of having a resort style holiday with cocktails by the pool. There were also pool side games available such as the bean bag toss which was lots of fun.

Another great option is the Luxor Hotel and Casino by Suiteness which is similar pricing, possibly slightly more expensive with an amazing looking swimming pool and hotel rooms. We were tossing up between this one and the Club Wyndham and ended up choosing Club Wyndham to specifically avoid staying in a casino and paying the casino resort prices.

🎒 What to pack for a day in the Valley of Fire

The time of the year that you go to The Valley of Fire State Park will determine what kind of clothes you wear. If you go in Summer, you will need shorts, a t-shirt and even a sun hoodie to help protect you from the intense sun. If you go in Spring, Fall or even Winter, you will need to pack layers, such as a fleece and a puffer jacket because the desert can get very cold, especially in the early morning.

Don’t forget a hat, sunscreen, plenty of food and water and of course your camera for any time of the year in the Valley of Fire.

Valley of Fire 1 Day Itinerary

Morning – Sunrise at Mouse’s Tank Road

Mouse’s Tank Road is one of the BEST photo spots in the Valley of Fire State Park. I highly recommend getting to the Valley of Fire for Sunrise if you can. Not only does the pink and purple sky make the park even more beautiful, but there are generally less people and cars around. This makes take photos at the classic Valley of Fire road photo spot which you would have seen all over Instagram much easier.

To get to Mouse’s Tank Road, you will need to direct to the Rainbow Vista parking lot, which will come up on your right-hand-side when driving into the park. Once parked, you can cross the road and walk back down the road a little where you will find a pile of boulders. You won’t have to walk far.. only about 1-2 minutes from the parking lot. This is where the classic photo above is taken from.

Morning – Hike the Fire Wave Trail

Distance: 1.3 miles / 2.1km | Time: 1 – 1.5 hours | Elevation: 150 ft / 46m

Once you have finished taking your photos at Mouse’s Tank Road, it’s time to head over to the Fire Wave Trail. It’s best to get any hiking out of the way in the early morning to avoid the strong, relentless sun. We hiked this trail at the end of October and STILL found it really hot!

There are a few different variations of the Fire Wave Trail that you can choose to do. The above stats are just to hike to the Fire Wave Rock and back to the parking lot. We did a slightly the Seven Wonders Trail which goes does to Pink Canyon and then loops back up to Fire Cave. You can also choose to extend your hike to include the White Domes Loop.

If you decide to do the full White Domes and Seven Wonders Loop, the trail will be 3.2 miles / 5.1km with an elevation gain of 380 ft / 116m. It will take you around 2-2.5 hours to complete.

The Fire Wave Rock was the highlight of our hike – pictured above. Crowds tend to congregate here so it’s definitely a good idea to try to get here as early as possible to get your photo.

Midday – Rainbow Vista Trail – Fire Canyon

Before you head out on another trail, make sure you have some lunch or bring some along with you. You can do the Rainbow Vista and Fire Canyon trails in one go. Sadly, we missed this trail because we had to get to our hotel for Havasupai which was a few hours drive but we will definitely be back!

Fire Canyon is a canyon which you will hike through on the trail which has fiery red rock walls and a thick layer of bright red sand. It sounds amazing and I’m pretty sad we missed it.

The Rainbow Vista portion of the trail passes through rock formations that are all different shades of reds, oranges and whites. It will take you to one of the Fire Canyon Overlooks and is a 1 mile / 1.6km out and back hike.

If you don’t want to hike the entire thing but still want to see the sights, you can hike a little of the Rainbow Vistas trail and then drive around to the Fire Canyon parking lot where you will be able to do a short walk to another Fire Canyon Overlook.

Afternoon – Balancing Rock and Visitors Centre

Head back towards the Visitors Center for a little break and to learn more about the park. Just before you reach the Visitors Center, look to your left and you will see Balancing Rock, which is literally a rock balancing on top of another rock.

Late Afternoon – Natural Arch and Elephant Rock

If you still have some time and energy left in you, Natural Arch and Elephant Rock are worth checking out. Elephant Rock, is, yes you guessed it! A rock shaped like an elephant! Natural Arch is obviously an rock shaped like an archway.

Elephant Rock is only 0.3 miles / 0.5km to hike to from the parking lot and the Natural Arch is longer at 4.2 miles / 6.8km so you may or may not have time for it. If you don’t, there are plenty of incredible spots to pull over at on the side of the road for sunset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Instagram road shot in the Valley of Fire?

The classic Instagram road photo in the Valley of Fire is located on Mouse’s Tank Road. You can park at the Rainbow Vista parking lot which will be on your right hand side when driving into the park. You will technically drive past the Mouse’s Tank Road viewpoint but you can walk back down to it from the parking spot. It is only a couple of minute’s walk from the Rainbow Vista parking lot.

📸 For a list of the Best Photo Spots in the Valley of Fire, check out my blog post!

How hot does it get in the Valley of Fire?

The Valley of Fire can get extremely hot in the Summer months. The hottest month on average is usually July. The temperatures average around 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) and can sometimes even reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius)! Disgusting!

Can you camp in the Valley of Fire?

Yes! You can camping in the Valley of Fire State Park however I recommend that you reserve before you go. There are 2 campgrounds which can be booked through reservenevada.com.

The campsites are currently USD25 per night + USD10 for sites with utility hook-ups.

Are dogs allowed in the Valley of Fire State Park?

Dogs are allowed in the Valley of Fire State Park on leash on all of the trails. They are not allowed, however, in the visitors centre.

Can you drive through the whole Valley of Fire?

Yes, you can drive through the entire Valley of Fire State Park, however, there are some viewpoints that you will need to get out of the car to hike to on foot, such as the Fire Wave rock.

What movies were filmed in the Valley of Fire State Park?

There have been a few blockbuster movies that were shot in the Valley of Fire State Park. These include:

• Transformers
• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
• The Professionals
• Star Trek Generations

Do I need a reservation for the Valley of Fire State Park?

At this time, you do not need a reservation for the Valley of Fire State Park. This may change in the future depending on popularity growth, however, for now, you can just show up and purchase a day pass at the entrance gate.

You might also enjoy:

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• Everything You Need to Know About Backpacking Havasupai
• Moab to Monument Valley: A Day Trip that is 1000% Worth it!
• How to go Horseback Riding in Monument Valley
• Our Ultimate 7 Day Utah Road Trip from Salt Lake City

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