Valley of Fire

When you hear the words “Las Vegas,” most people think of bright lights, partying, gambling, and drinking. And to be honest, that’s what I thought of too, until my family moved there. Everytime I visit, I like to make sure that I spend ample time OFF of the strip, checking out what else Las Vegas has to offer.

One of my favorite daytrips to date has been to the Valley of Fire. Located an easy 55 miles outside of Las Vegas, the Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest state park.

We went in the middle of August, so to say it was hot is an understatement. Sunscreen is a must and I wore a long sleeve shirt for additional protection. Each car has to pay a fee to enter the park.

The actual park is huge (42,000 acres to be exact) and depending on what you like, visitors have a number of ways that they can take advantage of the beautiful landscape. Seeing as it was so hot outside, we chose to mostly view the park by driving around and stopping to take pictures here and there. We also attempted the hiking trail, but again it was so painfully hot that the hike didn’t last too long. There are also campsites and a visitor’s center complete with a museum-type exhibition explaining the history of the Valley of Fire.