Points of Interest

Arch Rock

Arch Rock has formed over many millennia by strong winds and rain slowly washing away the materials holding its sand grains together.  The rock weakened over time, allowing the natural arch that you see today to form.  Eventually it will grow too large for its support and will collapse.  No climbing on this beautiful fragile structure is allowed.  Arch Rock is a must see and a great photo opportunity.  There is also a 2-mile scenic loop that has views of some of the most interesting rock formations, including Arch Rock and Piano Rock.

Facilities:  Campground and Restrooms

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Atlatl Rock

An atlatl (at’-lat-l) is a device used for launching a spear; usually a short cord would around the spear so that when thrown into the air the weapon will rotate.  The ancient Indians used these weapons and they are depicted in the petroglyphs (rock carvings) located at Atlatl Rock.  This area has outstanding petroglyphs that should not be missed.

The Atlatl Campground has 43 campsites, some with water and power hook-ups and some primitive.

Facilities:  Campground, Restrooms, Parking, Interpretive Trail, and Hiking Trail

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Beehives

The Beehives are sandstone formations that not only demonstrate the unique design that can be created by nature, but is an excellent representation of geologic cross bedding.  Those are the grooved lines going in different directions.  The layers or beds represent different layers of silt that are deposited at different times.  The beds indicate the angle of the wind or water was moving at the time the material was deposited.  Cross bedding is very common in sand dunes, beach deposits, and river sediments.  A short path winds through rocky dunes with hills of the Muddy Mountains visible in the distance.

Facilities: Group Picnic, Group Camping (3 campgrounds that can each accommodate up to 50 people), Restrooms, and Picnic Shelter

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Petrified Logs

Petrified wood is wood that has laid outside long enough to become a fossil. All the organic things have been removed by sun, wind, water, and time, and have been completely replaced with minerals.  Logs and stumps washed into Valley of Fire about 225 million years ago and are visible in two locations.  The logs are several colorful tree trunks lying close to the road, safely fenced off for all to enjoy.

Facilities:  Parking and Interpretive Trail

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Visitor’s Center

Information, books, souvenirs, and exhibits on Valley of Fire and the surrounding area.  The exhibits include geology, ecology, prehistory, and history of Valley of Fire.  Valley of Fire Visitor Center Hours:  8:30 AM-4:30 PM daily.

Facilities: Wedding Ceremony Site, Restrooms, Parking, Information, First Aid, Drinking Water, Public Telephone, and Ranger Station

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Balanced Rock

Right outside the visitor center is another one of the famous Valley of Fire formations.  From the Visitor’s Center, take a very short hike to a viewpoint of Balanced Rock.

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Mouse’s Tank

Mouse’s Tank is a natural basin in the rock where water collects after each rainfall.  A half-mile round trip trail leads to Mouse’s Tank from the trailhead parking area.  There are excellent examples of prehistoric petroglyphs on the trail.  Mouse’s Tank is named for a Southern Paiute Indian renegade (“Little Mouse”) who used Valley of Fire as a hideout in the 1890’s after he was accused of killing two prospectors and other crimes in the area.   It is named 'The Mouse's Tank' because an alleged Southern Paiute Indian renegade named 'Little Mouse' hid out there in the 1890's. He was accused of gunning down two prospectors and many other crimes.

Facilities:  Parking, Restrooms, Picnic Shelter, and Interpretive Trail

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Rainbow Vista

The canyons, domes, towers, ridges and valleys of Rainbow Vista were carved from sand deposited 150 million years ago, during the time when the dinosaurs walked the earth.   Rainbow Vista is a viewpoint in Valley of Fire State Park, where the road reaches the top of a low ridge revealing a vast area of multicolored rocks stretching for many miles northwards, rather different than the dark red cliffs found further south. The panoramic view from Rainbow Vista is a great place for photos.

Facilities:  Wedding Ceremony Site, Restrooms, Picnic Area, and Parking

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Fire Canyon/Silica Dome

In this region, forces within the earth have been powerful enough to cause thousands of feet of surface rock to fold, break, and in some areas push several miles from their original location.  Today, erosion has worn away the top of one great fold, exposing the sharply angles layer of rock, and creating numerous canyons.

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White Domes

White Domes are sandstone formations with brilliant contrasting colors and a one-mile hike.  The White Domes Trail is a moderate loop that combines sweeping desert vistas, a slot canyon, colors galore, windows, caves and a historic movie site.  The White Domes area was the location for the 1966 movie The Professionals. This western, starring Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster and Claudia Cardinale was typical of the 1960s western genre. It was also responsible for the development of the road and access to this remarkable area. The remains of the site include a small portion of the wall of the hacienda.

Facilities:  Restrooms, Parking, Hiking Trailhead, Picnic Shelter, and Group Picnic

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Seven Sisters

Seven Sisters is a group of 7 tall, red, eroded boulders surround by the sandy desert.

Facilities:  Wedding Ceremony Site, Restrooms, Picnic Area, and Parking

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The Cabins

Now a picnic area, these historic cabins were built with Valley of Fire sandstone by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930’s for travelers.

Facilities:  Facilities:  Wedding Ceremony Site, Restrooms, Picnic Area, and Parking

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Clark Memorial

John J. Clark was born in Canada in 1844.  He enlisted as a private in Company F of the New York Infantry in 1862, serving actively in the Civil War.  After being shot in the hand and contracting typhoid fever, he was honorably discharged on March 6, 1863 as a sergeant in Company B of the New York Calvary.  Following his discharge, Sergeant Clark emigrated to Southern California.  While traveling from Bakersfield to Salt Lake City on a buckboard (a light, four-wheeled carriage), he stopped in Valley of Fire, tied his horse to the back of the wagon and wandered around, possibly looking for water.  Eventually, he crawled under his buckboard and died, presumably from thirst, several days before his body was found on June 30, 1915.

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Elephant Rock

This rock is a fine example of an arch in the shape of an elephant.  The rock is right next to the road, but as parking is limited on Valley of Fire Road, it is best to park in the nearby parking lot and take the 1/3 of a mile trail to reach the formation.

Facilities:  Restrooms and Parking

 

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