10 Must-Do Short Hikes in Valley of Fire State Park

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Valley of Fire became Nevada's first state park in 1934 and since then, it's developed into one of the state's most sought after destinations and is one of the best things to do when visiting Las Vegas, often rivaling nearby Red Rock Canyon.

The beautiful rock formations and colors, in addition to being packed with short day hikes, makes Valley of Fire State Park a place you could easily spend a whole day (or two) exploring. Best of all, most of the park’s most popular hikes are short and easy, making them family-friendly.

In this post, I'm going to present to you 10 must-do short hikes in Valley of Fire. If you plan correctly and not visit on a day where the heat reaches dangerous levels, it's totally possibly to do all of these in a single day visit, dependent on your conditioning.

That said, there is one caveat to this list, and that's the seasonal trail closures discussed below...

Valley of Fire Seasonal Trail Closures

While the park itself is open daily, between the months of May and September, when temperatures at Valley of Fire State Park often reach dangerous levels, park officials enact trail closures at several popular hiking trails to prevent needless deaths.

There have been quite a few exposure-related deaths over the years, including in 2023 when two hikers were found dead on the Prospect Trail on a day when high temperatures reached a scorching 118-degrees.

Unfortunately, several of the hiking trails listed below are included on the closure list. So if you're going to visit between May and September, please respect these closures and don't risk it. It isn't worth the chance of a hefty fine or even worse...death.

These are the trails affected by seasonal closures:

• White Domes Loop

• Fire Wave/Seven Wonders/Pastel Canyon/Pink Canyon

• Pinnacles Loop

• Prospect Trail

• Arrowhead Trail

• Natural Arch Trail (excludes Arch Rock)

• Charlie's Spring

West Entrance vs. East Entrance

There are only two entrances to Valley of Fire State Park. If you’re coming from Utah, Arizona, or any state east of Nevada, you’ll likely be entering through the east entrance. If you're like most people and you're coming from the Las Vegas Strip area, you'll want to head towards the west entrance.

For some reason, Google Maps likes to take people coming from the strip to the east entrance, which is further away. It has tried doing that to me twice now. So make sure that whichever navigation system you use that you specify the west entrance.

Entrance Fees

In 2025, the fees to enter Valley of Fire are:

• $15 (non-Nevada vehicles)

• $10 (Nevada vehicles)

Fees are payable, at either entrance, with cash via the iron ranger/envelope or with credit cards at the self-pay digital kiosk. Note that the digital kiosk doesn't always work, so it's best to bring exact cash as a back up.

1) Atlatl Rock

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

Atlatl Rock is one of the most popular attractions in the entire park. It isn't much of a hiking trail, as the stairwell and rock face are located a very short distance from the parking area. Where Atlatl Rock shines is its historical significance.

At the top of the stairwell, you'll reach a platform in front of a smooth rock face. On that rock face are several old petroglyphs which are believed to be up to 4,000 years old. Atlatl Rock isn't the only spot in Valley of Fire where you can see petroglyphs, but it's the easiest (aside from the stairwell, that is).

You can read more details about Atlatl Rock in this featured post.

2) Fire Wave Trail

SEASONAL CLOSURE: YES

The Fire Wave is a stunning sandstone rock formation located at the backside of the park along White Domes Road. Over millions of years, shifting sand dunes compressed, creating the wavy swirls of red, white and pink stripes we see today.

Fire Wave is easy to get to via a short, well maintained trail that leaves from a fairly large parking area. Shortly after descending for about 6/10's of a mile, the Fire Wave will come into view. Getting there during the early morning light is good, but sunset is when Fire Wave comes to life.

3) Seven Wonders Loop

SEASONAL CLOSURE: YES

While not an official hiking trail at Valley of Fire, you can extend your hiking time by continuing past Fire Wave and see many other infamous Valley of Fire attractions. Hiking Seven Wonders will take you past Fire Wave and through pink rock formations at Pink Canyon. 

You'll then cross White Domes Road and go through a stunning slot canyon, before heading onto additional sights like Crazy Hill, Fire Cave and Thunderstorm Arch. The loop will eventually take you back to where you parked for Fire Wave. 

Since it's not an official trail, I suggest downloading the AllTrails map. While it isn't inherently difficult to follow, there are a few spots where the trail is easy to lose.

4) Mouse’s Tank Trail

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

Mouse's Tank Trail is one of my favorites in the park because of the story behind it. The canyon you hike through is one of the places where a Southern Paiute Indian, named "Little Mouse", took refuge after being accused of and wanted for the murders of two prospectors (and other crimes) in the late 1800's.

Additionally, the canyon walls are littered with old petroglyphs dating back thousands of years. They're easy to miss if you're not looking for them but once you spot them, they're easy to view. At the end of the canyon, you'll come across "Mouse's Tank", a natural rock basin which collects rain water.

The whole trail is less than a mile but you'll be traversing along loose, fine sand the entire time. Still, it's one of the park's most intriguing hikes with a great backstory, tons of history, and features numerous incredible rock formations. It can be found directly off of Mouse's Tank Road.

5) Petrified Log Loop

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

The Petrified Log Loop is an easy 0.3-mile loop trail that passes several examples of real petrified wood logs, as well as many informative displays detailing the history of the logs and how they came to be.

If you don't know, petrified logs are fossilized tree trunks that have been replaced by minerals. The process in which this is done - petrification - is essentially the process of turning wood into stone. It's a great trail for kids, as it has educational value in combination with outstanding views.

6) Elephant Rock

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

The trail to Elephant Rock is also an easy, 0.3-mile walk to and from the car. There's a slight amount of elevation involved, but you'll barely notice it. The trail leads to an amazing, orange-sandstone rock formation that strikingly resembles an elephant.

​If you come into the park via the east entrance, the parking lot will be on your right as soon as you drive through. You'll ascend a short walk up a small hill and when you reach the top, Elephant Rock will come into view.

​Additionally, Elephant Rock is clearly visible from the Valley of Fire Scenic Drive, but you cannot stop on this road to take pictures. Elephant Rock is a mega-popular attraction in Valley of Fire, so arrive early to beat the crowds.

7) Balancing Rock Trail

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

There's no way to classify the path to Balancing Rock as a "hike". The pathway is located on the left side of the visitor center parking lot and it's maybe ​a tenth of a mile to the viewing area. However, that doesn't make Balancing Rock any less impressive and worth checking out.

Balancing Rock is a stunning red rock formation where a large rock appears to precariously balance itself on top of a smaller, thinner rock resembling a pedestal. It's a visually intriguing rock formation, and a favorite amongst photographers.

8) Silica Dome

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

Silica Dome is a visually striking viewpoint in the northern section of Valley of Fire, right about where Mouse's Tank Road turns into White Domes Road. In the summer, it's the final spot in this area of the park where you explore on foot, as everything north of Silica Dome is closed in the summer months.

You can choose to just walk out onto the viewing platform and gaze at the stunning contrasting colors of red, white, and brown rocks seemingly stacked on top of one another, or you can take the trail into the canyon below.

Fans of Star Trek may find Silica Dome familiar, as it's the location of Captain Kirk's gravesite from the movie, Star Trek Generations.​ Many "trekkies" make the pilgrimage to this sight every year. However, you don't need to be into Star Trek to appreciate the visually striking views and formations.

9) Rainbow Vista Trail

SEASONAL CLOSURE: NO

The Rainbow Vista Trail, which is also located along Mouse's Tank Road, clocks in at just over a mile in length and features some of the best views in a short hike. In fact, this area of the park is where you have the best chance of seeing herds of Bighorn Sheep, as they're often found grazing near the parking lot and along the road.

This short and easy trail is known for its colorful red rock formations, as well as stunning views of neighboring Fire Canyon from the viewpoint at which the trail ends. While it doesn't close in the warmer months, it is mostly exposed. So if you're here in the summer, I would avoid this trail mid-day.

10) White Domes Loop

SEASONAL CLOSURE: YES

I've saved the best for last. The White Domes Loop, located at the northernmost point you can drive in the park, is my personal favorite Valley of Fire hike. To get to it, drive north on Mouse's Tank Road from the Valley of Fire Scenic Byway. After a couple miles, the road will become White Domes Road (just past Rainbow Vista). From there, drive for another four miles until you reach the road's terminus at the White Domes day-use area.

Along this 1.1-mile loop, you'll encounter a variety of red, orange, and white sandstone formations, as well as an old movie set, slot canyon, and the white dome rocks the trail is famous for. If you're up for a longer hike, you can extend it another 7-miles or so by combining it with the Prospect Trail.

White Domes Loop is one of the most popular short hikes in Valley of Fire, so arrive early to beat the crowds. Additionally, this trail is on the seasonal closure list, so you'll need to visit between the months of November and April in order to experience it. You can read my comprehensive post on White Domes Loop here.

Do you plan to visit Valley of Fire this year? If so, let me know in the comments below. If you have any questions, you can leave them there or ask me on my Facebook page.