Valley of Fire

Entrance work through the end of 2026: Nevada State Parks closed the west entrance, the I-15 side most Las Vegas visitors use, Monday through Thursday from August 3, 2026 while crews build a new entrance lane and fee booth. The west gate opens normally Friday through Sunday, and the east entrance off SR-169 / Northshore Road stays open every day. Fire restrictions are also in effect.

Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest state park and the most dramatic hour's drive you can make from the Strip - 55 miles northeast to 40,000 acres of Aztec sandstone that burns red at sunrise and sunset. The scenic drives alone justify the trip: Atlatl Rock's petroglyph panel, Rainbow Vista, Mouse's Tank canyon and, when open, the swirled pink-and-red Fire Wave. Entry runs $10 per vehicle for Nevada plates, $15 for everyone else, paid at the gate (card at the staffed booth, cash-only at self-pay stations, so carry cash).

The season decides your visit. From May 15 through September 30 the park closes its nine marquee trails - Fire Wave, White Domes, Seven Wonders and the rest - for extreme-heat safety, so summer visitors get the drives and short walks only; October through April is the real hiking window, with near-empty winters. July-to-September monsoons can flash-flood roads shut on short notice, the whole park closes December 1–14 for maintenance, and there's no transit: drive, rent, or book a guided day tour with hotel pickup. Cell service quits at the boundary; plan a half day and bring more water than seems sane.