If you’re interested in an adventurous outdoor hike in the USA, consider the popular 46,000-acre Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. It is famous for its Aztec sandstone, rock formations, and hiking trails. Here are the 18 best things to do in the Valley of Fire.

The 18 Best Things To Do In The Valley Of Fire

1. The Old Arrowhead Trail

This trail is a short hike totaling under one mile out and back. This is a great introductory hike. In roughly 15 minutes you might spot Bighorn Sheep. Other visual highlights here include the famous Arrowhead Arch, lovely Lake Mead, and a good sampling of striking Nevada desert scenery. The trailhead is located less than half a mile from the park’s west entrance, right off the nearby Valley of Fire Highway. You should easily find it if you look for its distinctive arrowhead signpost.

The White Domes Trail provides hikers with significant rewards for a trail that’s just a little over one mile. If you have little time to spend here, this is a great choice. The hike should take you roughly half an hour. 

Its slot canyon and other geological attractions have been a part of many Hollywood projects as well. Check out the 1960s western The Professionals prior to your visit and you will undoubtedly recognize several film locations along the trail. Have fun squirming through the slot canyon at the end too. You’ll find the trailhead just off the main road.

Don’t try to hike the unofficial Seven Wonders Loop trail an hour before sunset. While the trail is under 2.5 miles and should take under two hours to complete, you may very well take a wrong turn. The trail, which begins at the Fire Wave parking lot, is unmarked.  

Without exceptional navigational skills, you may need Google Maps. Nevertheless, this hike is highlighted by a number of the park’s best attractions including Crazy Hill, Fire Cave, Pastel Canyon, Thunderstorm Arch, and Fire Wave. Once you reach the latter, you simply follow the Fire Wave trail back to your vehicle in the parking lot.  

Some veteran visitors say this is the best trail to hike in the entire Valley of Fire. This 1.5+ mile trail is well-marked and beginner friendly. Along this trail, you will encounter rocks, boulders, and yellow cairns and signs to direct you on your way.

Fire Wave is situated at the end of the trail. The stunning sandstone formation is multi-colored and has wave-like patterns that are incredibly Instagramable. It’s especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset, as the softer light makes it even more beautiful. Give yourself an hour or so for the entire hike and to enjoy the view. The trailhead is off Mouse’s Tank Road. 

This is an easy beginner-level trail. It’s a little over a quarter of a mile in length and you should be able to do it in less than 10 minutes. Elephant Rock is one of the best natural attractions in the park.

Try to visit it as you leave the park and be aware that this (ahem) mammoth rock, is located just off the Valley of Fire Highway near the East Entrance. is part of several Valley of Fire tours so schedule your visit accordingly. In fact, you can park in the East Entrance parking lot, because the Elephant Rock trailhead is less than a five-minute walk from there.

Do you enjoy photogenic hikes? Visit the Pink Canyon off Mouse’s Tank Road. It’s named after its unique, pink tint. The trail is less than 0.4 miles long, so this canyon hike should take less than half an hour to finish.  

The soft, sandy floor here in this beautiful sandstone canyon, reportedly helps keep things cool at least before noon. That’s why the best time to complete this trek is in the early morning hours. Not only will it be cooler, but the canyon’s colors –pastel pink, brown, green, orange, and white– are more striking too. The trailhead is 10 minutes away from the visitor center.

Wood you care to see something petrified? You can hike the park’s petrified logs loop. This easy, family-friendly trail is just a bit over a quarter of a mile in length and features a number of petrified logs.

You will find the trailhead immediately after the turn-off for popular Campground Road. Keep an eye out for a gravel stretch on the right. You can’t miss the petrified log signs. You won’t find this trailhead on Google Maps, so if you miss it you will have to get help at the visitor center.

The hill in question is actually a huge mound of sandstone created by millions of years of erosion. This hike is yet another great trail for beginners. It is only 0.62 miles long and has an elevation of less than 76 feet.

What’s most fascinating about this natural attraction is arguably the unusual combination of colors. The best time to visit this crazy hill is around sunrise or sunset when the natural light is softer. The hike itself should take less than 10 minutes, so you could even complete it at the end of your visit to the park. The trailhead is situated on Mouse’s Tank Road.

The popular Natural Arches Trail is a 4.22+ out and back hike that will take you roughly 90 minutes to finish depending on your level of experience and fitness. While the main attraction here has succumbed to erosion, the trail still provides hikers with beautiful scenic views. What makes this trek truly challenging though is the notably thick sand. Park your vehicle in the lot off of the convenient Valley of Fire Highway. The trailhead is between Elephant Rock and the local historic cabins.

This 4.34+mile-long trail may be relatively short but it’s sure not sweet. It is unmarked and requires not only navigational skills but, even with Google Maps, a degree of orienteering knowledge. The trail provides travelers with a backcountry feel and a true “desert hike” experience.

Hopefully, reaching the large sandstone arch halfway will keep you going. Plan on two hours for this trek, more if you make a mistake. Take extra water and plan your start time with the noonday temperature in mind.

Are you up for more of a challenge? Try this 9+mile out and back hiking trail. It is said to be “moderately challenging” because it requires a lot of “scrambling.”  

Despite its length and challenge level, this trail is reported to be one of the most popular here because it includes incredible views of the park. Highlights here include Arch Rock, Atlatl Rock, and the famous Fire Canyon. You’ll see them all from the Prospect Trail pass’ summit too.

Be careful though as the trailhead is reportedly “easy to drive past.” Go past the pair of turn-offs for the Arch Rock Campground and keep your eyes peeled for the little gravel parking lot by the side of the road. If you miss it, check with the visitor center. 

This out-and-back hike is less than one and a quarter miles and takes you to a great spot to overlook Fire Canyon. You can make it in less than 30 minutes but give yourself a moment to appreciate the views. This hike is great for beginners because the trail is easy to navigate and well-maintained.

If you’d like a different perspective, combine this trek with a trip through Fire Canyon. Again, the best time to take this hike is around sunrise or sunset when the softer lighting accentuates the blend of colors. The trailhead is in Rainbow Vista’s parking lot which is roughly five minutes from the visitor center on Mouse’s Tank Road.

Yes, this is the sandy hiking trail for which the road is named. The Mouse’s Tank trail is under three quarts of a mile in length, and yet veteran visitors say it is “one of the most entertaining” activities to engage in here. While it is a brief trek, be sure to allow yourself time to check out some of the hundreds of petroglyphs here. It is especially interesting for hikers who also have an interest in ancient art or history.

If you want to make the Mouse’s Tank trail hike a little more challenging, consider adding this trail to your trip. Just keep hiking past the famous Mouse’s Tank and keep going until you come to fantastic Fire Canyon Wash which comes complete with red and orange canyon walls. You’ll find this seven-plus mile extension to be challenging as you scramble around and navigate the narrows especially if you do it when it’s hot. Your best bet is to coordinate the time and date that you take the hike with cooler weather. Give yourself between three and four hours for this trek depending on where you decide to turn around and how much time you spend enjoying the scenery.

One of the Valley of Fire’s most unique natural attractions is the Silica Dome. Its particular geological composition includes a high concentration of silica which makes it bright white. It presents a striking contrast to the surrounding red and orange sandstone scenery.

The trail itself is a little over one mile in length and should require no more than half an hour to finish (plus time to admire the view). Mind you, the climb up the dome itself is steep. Nevertheless, if you have sturdy hiking boots, and water, and are fit, you will be fine. You’ll find the trailhead at Fire Canyon Road’s end. 

Atlatl Rock is a huge sandstone rock that is almost completely covered with ancient petroglyphs. You can only reach it via a short trail that is less than 250 feet in length. Most of it is metal steps.

There’s also an additional metal staircase actually built into the rock face’s side in order to help travelers more easily see the numerous petroglyphs. Climb high enough and you can get quite close to all of them. Atlatl Rock is conveniently situated right off the Valley of Fire Highway on the previously mentioned Campground Road.

Famous Fire Cave is only a quick drive from massive Atlatl Rock, so why not visit both of them in a single trip? Veteran visitors and travel bloggers alike refer to this natural roadside attraction as being “exciting”, “immersive”, and even “photogenic.” Also called Windstone Arch, this site is nothing like any of the other natural attractions that you will find in the popular Valley of Fire.  

Mind you, the arch here is actually found inside the cave. It can’t be seen from your car. It’s okay though since people are permitted to venture into the cave itself. There’s a small entrance that you can actually use to take in the sight of the curing orange walls.

No visit to Valley of Fire State Park would be complete without seeing the roadside attraction known as the Seven Sisters. For those not in the know, the Seven Sisters is a group of seven impressive sandstone rock towers that have been standing alone after millions of years of natural erosion. The surrounding scenery is arguably otherworldly, and you may actually feel as if you are standing in the middle of a movie set. Better yet, for those not interested in doing too much hiking, this attraction can be seen in a matter of seconds. You should spot the towering Seven Sisters right after you drive past the frequently used turn-off for Mouse’s Tank Road.