A desert day from the Las Vegas Strip to Valley of Fire State Park: Ancestral Puebloan petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock and in Petroglyph Canyon, the striped slickrock of the Fire Wave, the White Domes slot canyon and Elephant Rock, with an optional scenic return along Lake Mead's Northshore Road.
Time
8–10 hour day
Driving
About 2½–3 hours of driving in total
Best time
October–November and March–April
Updated
$4 USD
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Gzzz · CC BY 4.0. July 2022 photograph of a park road; resized and displayed with crop.
Suggested times, not bookings
Your day at a glance
7:00 amLeave the Las Vegas Strip
8:15 amAtlatl Rock
9:00 amValley of Fire Visitor Center
9:45 amMouse's Tank and Petroglyph Canyon
10:50 amFire Wave and Rainbow Vista
12:30 pmWhite Domes Loop
2:15 pmSeven Sisters and Elephant Rock
3:15 pmNorthshore Road and Redstone
Highlights
Worth the trip
Petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock and along Petroglyph Canyon to Mouse's Tank
The swirled red-and-white stripes of the Fire Wave
The White Domes slot canyon and Elephant Rock
What’s in the guide
Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →
Plan for the conditions
Expected seasonal weather
From October to April the park is usually dry and sunny with mild days; winter ranges from freezing nights to highs around 75°F, and October and April afternoons can still be hot on open slickrock. Rain is rare, under 7 inches a year, coming as light winter showers and summer thunderstorms that can flood washes. In summer, highs often top 100°F and can reach 120°F. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the evening before and the morning of your trip.
Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.
A desert day 30–45 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip: the one-way Scenic Drive through Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a scramble up to the Calico Tanks rain pool, a creekside walk into Pine Creek Canyon, a picnic at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park and the Red Spring boardwalk in the late light.
9–10 hour day·About 2 hours of driving in total, including the 13-mile Scenic Drive
Best: Mid-October to November, and March to April
$4 USD
Engineering landmark & desert history
Las Vegas Strip → Hoover Dam → Memorial Bridge walkway → Boulder City → Railroad Museum → Historic Railroad Trail → Boulder Beach
A road trip from the Las Vegas Strip to Hoover Dam: an early guided tour inside the dam, the walkway across the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge high above Black Canyon, lunch in the dam-builders' town of Boulder City, an old railway museum, a walk through the 1930s railroad tunnels above Lake Mead and a late stop at the lakeshore.
9–10 hour day·About 1 hour 45 minutes of driving in total
Best: All year; best October–April
$4 USD
Mountain escape & short hikes
The Strip → Visitor Gateway → Little Falls → Kyle Canyon lunch → Desert View Overlook → Lee Canyon
The cool escape from Las Vegas: up into the pines of the Spring Mountains for the Visitor Gateway, a short canyon walk to Little Falls, lunch in Kyle Canyon, the Desert View Overlook on Deer Creek Road and an afternoon at Lee Canyon, with a scenic chairlift ride in season.