Valley of Fire is the oldest state park in Nevada, dating back to 1935, when Hoover Dam was about to come on line. It is in the middle of the Mojave Desert, near Overton, Nevada, and about 50 miles to the northeast of Las Vegas. (Take I-15 north, exiting before Overton at Crystal, onto Nevada Route 169 and south to the park).

The sandstone formations and rough canyon walls are stunning natural sights, created 150 million years ago or so. The “fire” comes from the reflection of the bright sun off the red minerals. A visitor will also get to see many impressive black lava formations. Many petraglyphs belie the presence of Mesoamerican peoples in the history of this special geo-logical place. There is a visitor’s center. The entrance road passes through the Moapa In-dian Reservation. The desert is a very fragile ecosystem, so be sure to follow the rules of the park.