VALLEY OF FIRE + LAKE MEAD
Adventure brief: Leave Las Vegas!
Located 45 mins northeast of Las Vegas, Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest state park and a hidden gem to explore. Think Joshua Tree on a smaller, less manic scale. With no Joshua Trees. Or many influencers…yet. Stunning red rock formations, two epic campgrounds featuring sites clustered among massive rock formations and not much else but hiking trails and blue sky for miles. After a few visits to the Red Rocks north of Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park moved to the top of the list to hike, explore, and spend a few days in the van.
We arrived at the park entrance at sunset, discovered all camping was full (first come first served) and quickly pulled up the iOverlander app to find dispersed camping nearby, along the shoreline of Lake Mead. Stewart’s Point Campground is a 15 minute drive and dispersed camping at its best. Open land near the lake, pit toilet nearby and easy to find level ground to park KOGAI. There’s enough space to find a spot that won’t feel claustrophobic. Signs say there’s a 15 day limit to dispersed camping in the area and I imagine during the summer they may have to enforce this. We spent the night before Thanksgiving on the lakeshore. Enjoyed the sunset and waking up for a cup of coffee all alone with incredible views.
HIGHLIghts:
Mouse’s Tank Road Drive—Check my super simple Youtube video highlights above.
Atlatl Rock and Arch Rock Campgrounds Complete with water and dump stations
Stewart’s Point. Lake Mead, Nevada.
After morning coffee at the lake, we hit Valley of Fire off HWY 167. Entry fees are $10. Valley of Fire HWY cuts through the park to I-15 and about halfway through you’ll see the visitors center and Mouse’s Tank Road. Whatever you do, do NOT skip Mouse’s Tank! It’s one of the more stunning roads we’ve taken the van on and one of the best hikes in the park can be found at the end—White Domes trailhead.
Sandstone layers create waves of color at White Domes Trail
White Domes Trail Hike