Valley of Fire, Nevada : 3 reasons you should visit
Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada is a fantastic place to stop on the way to or from Las Vegas (or as a day trip). It’s a beautiful place to visit in and of itself, and we learned a lot on our visit there.
3 reasons you should visit Valley of Fire:
1. The red sandstone formations
These sandstone formations really do lend themselves to the “Valley of Fire” name. The colors are so rich and vibrant. And it was a million degrees when we were there, so we kind of felt like we really were on fire. There are different places to do some easy (kid-friendly) hikes and explore the park.
The various shapes and formations of the sandstone make for some great photographs, even from an iphone!
2. 3000 year old Indian petroglyphs
The Anasazi lived in this area from about 300 BC to 1150 AD, and it is believed that they made the petroglyphs (rock art) that exist here. There is something very surreal about standing there looking at art that was created thousands of years ago, and it’s just there, unprotected, for all to see and experience. It was quiet and almost empty when we were there (it was a million degrees Fahrenheit that day, so I understand why we were among the only crazy visitors), which added to the eerie feeling. I could almost imagine myself living there 3000 years ago. I tried to get my kids to sit there & close their eyes and imagine it also. They were probably thinking about video games though.
3. The Petrified Wood
I still can’t wrap my head around the whole petrified wood concept. I mean, who was walking by and just happened to see this thing (see photo), and figured out that it was a tree millions of years ago and then it turned to stone. Respect to the scientists. Pretty cool.
For sure there are more than these 3 reasons to visit Valley of Fire State Park, but they were my 3 favorites. Enjoy!
