Wow! This place is awesome! A little out of the way, yet fun none-the-less. For our much needed vacation, we decided to take a bit of a drive to Nevada. I had been here once before years ago, and thought it would be fun for a family visit. As much as we tried to get on the road by 2 pm, it just didn’t happen. We finally left at 10pm. Not very typical, but people do it. Carrie is pregnant and we haven’t been out much since we found out about our new bundle of joy last July. So feeling cooped up all winter and anxious just to do something, we saw the worth to give it a shot. Our 7 hour drive only took 4 and half hours for some reason…must have been light traffic on Highway 91 (mile-per-hour). Just kidding, take I15 to get there, its safer. Even though we gained time getting there at 2:30am, we lost hours in the tent set up due to fatigue, and our crazy-big tent. Finally at 6am, we could lay our heads down, just in time for the sun to come up.
About the Park
The Valley of Fire is 55 miles north of Las Vegas on Interstate 15, and six miles from Lake Mead. Here is a link to the State Park (learn more here). View images on the web of The Valley of Fire. There are two entrances/exits. The I15 entrance in marked by a casino/minimart gas station. From there, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to get one of the two campgrounds (RV or tent). The other way (in/out) is to the East and can take you North, East, or South. Heading this way you can get to Lake Mead. I took this way home the first time I visited and it is quite a bit longer, by 3 hours or more if you are heading north.
Side note: If you are planning to go there during the peak season (spring and fall), be prepared to get there early in the week, or better yet call ahead to check availability.
Our Camp
We were able to set up camp under this towering rock, which offered a great color display as the sun shifted, reflecting light off its underbelly in various shades. There are great spots to camp here, however, we couldn’t see a darn thing in the dark. We pulled in to the second site, and as luck would have it, Carrie opened the door and puked immediately—marking the spot, almost like a territorial thing.
Zoe’s Pit of Death
She gave up after half an hour…decent effort though for an 8 year old—I give her a B+. Maybe that’s too generous . Later on, we discovered another pit of death next to our camp site—Zoe’s pee cave…(she didn’t want to walk the 50 feet to the restroom.)
Camera Time
Zoe is becoming quite the photographer. I have been helping her with composition, and she is now taking about 30 to 50 photos every time we go out.
Petrified Logs
Pretty amazing to see these logs “from an ancient forest about 225 million years ago”. (reference: http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm)
Mini Hike
This little hike was our last jaunt before we headed home. The sand is very fine and a beautiful light red.
Recommendations
Check out the campground—even if you are not staying overnight; the Petrified Logs (in-between the camp ground and the visitors center); the visitors center is pretty cool too. If you are traveling there in the winter (open year around), I suggest a variety of clothing, as the weather can be unpredictable. It gets pretty hot in the summer, it is a desert after all. I admit—as you can see in the photos—it was a bit chilly to be there in January. We didn’t mind too much though, as it was just nice to be outdoors, and anywhere warmer than Salt Lake City in the winter.
We didn’t really have a lot of time to stay and check everything out, being that this was a mini vacation (less than 48 hours). It was mainly to get out doors. But hey, multiple trips to anywhere are usually necessary to ingest the full experience.
Try to get everything before heading there, as it is 20-30 minutes back to the minimart station (I forgot the name), and it’s not the cheapest place to shop. However, if you do forget something, they have a wide array of helpful items.
What we learned: Its not 70 degrees in January, at the Valley of Fire; Don’t leave at 10pm, even though it was well worth it. Bring a grill to cook on.
Freeze Dried Meal: The Mountain House raspberry desert is really pretty good.
An uneventful pot dish, and I don’t remember what it was.
notes–Water: They do not have potable water. Its always a good idea to bring your own. The brick enclosed toilets for men and women are pretty nice too.
Light: single mantle propane lamp. I paid about $24, but I recommend something better. At least a $40 lamp or more with a strong, wide base to stand on so it doesn’t tip over. The double mantle give off more light, but burns more fuel. For a small campsite of 2-5 people, the single mantle is pretty bright.
And of course flashlights and headlamps.
People
We did not meet anyone on this trip. There were only two other camps set up on the other side of the grounds. Winter is a great time to get your pick on the best campsites!
Info found on the site:http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm You can GPS it: (I punched it in and it works)
29450 Valley of Fire Road
Overton, NV 89040
Visit this site for phone and email on current pricing
. Later on, we discovered another pit of death next to our camp site—Zoe’s pee cave…(she didn’t want to walk the 50 feet to the restroom.)
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