Valley of Fire State Park

Valley of Fire State Park
Nevada State Park
Valley of Fire State Park
Country	United States
State	Nevada
County	Clark
Location	Overton
- elevation	2,464 ft (751 m)
- coordinates
Area	34,880 acres (14,115 ha)
Founded	1935
Management	Nevada Division of State Parks
Location of Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada
U.S. National Natural Landmark
Designated	1968
Nevada Historical Marker
Reference no.	150

Fire Canyon Arch

Valley of Fire State Park is the oldest state park in Nevada, USA and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1968. It covers an area of almost 42,000 acres (17,000 ha) and was dedicated in 1935. It derives its name from red sandstone formations, the Aztec Sandstone, which formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs. These features, which are the centerpiece of the park's attractions, often appear to be on fire when reflecting the sun's rays.

Valley of Fire is located 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Las Vegas, at an elevation between 2,000–2,600 feet (610–790 m). It abuts the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on the east at the Virgin River confluence. It lies in a 4 by 6 mi (6.4 by 9.7 km) basin.

Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created the present landscape. The rough floor and jagged walls of the park contain brilliant formations of eroded sandstone and sand dunes more than 150 million years old. Other important rock formations include limestones, shales, and conglomerates.

The park is accessed by the Valley of Fire Highway through the Moapa Indian Reservation from Interstate 15 to the west and from Nevada State Route 169 on the east side of the park south of Overton. The park has a visitor center that should be visited by anyone planning any off-road activities.

The site is marked as Nevada Historical Marker #150.

History

Elephant Rock

Prehistoric users of the Valley of Fire included the Ancient Pueblo Peoples, also known as the Anasazi, who were farmers from the nearby fertile Moapa Valley. Their approximate span of occupation has been dated from 300 BC to 1150 AD. Their visits probably involved hunting, food gathering, and religious ceremonies, although scarcity of water would have limited their stay. Fine examples of rock art (petroglyphs) left by these ancient peoples can be found at several sites within the park.

Climate

Winters are mild with temperatures ranging from 32 °F (0 °C) to 75 °F (24 °C). Daily summer highs usually exceed 100 °F (38 °C) and may reach 120 °F (49 °C). Summer temperatures can vary widely from day to night. Light winter showers and summer thunderstorms bring an average annual rainfall of 4 inches (100 mm).

Spring and fall are the preferred seasons for visiting the Valley of Fire.

Valley of Fire Road

Valley of Fire Road is the main road through the park. The 10.5 mi (16.9 km) road connects the east and west entrances of the park. It was designated as a Nevada Scenic Byway on June 30, 1995.

Park features

Although petroglyphs are present throughout the entire park, Mouse's Tank and Atlatl Rock are two areas in particular which have many petroglyphs while being relatively easily accessible.

The park also features three cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which were once used by overnight campers (now prohibited).

The park is a popular getaway for locals and visitors alike, providing facilities for picnicking, camping, and hiking.

Film history

Valley of Fire is a popular location for shooting automobile commercials and other commercial photography. It has provided a setting for the following films and television shows:

• The Professionals with Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, and Claudia Cardinale was filmed in 1966. As of November 2012 a piece of the movie set is still up for tourists to view.
• The 1984-1987 CBS TV show Airwolf used the Valley of Fire, named The Valley of the Gods in the show, as the secret hiding place of the stolen Super-helicopter Airwolf.
• Cherry 2000 uses the Beehive group camping area as the Sky Ranch compound of the lead antagonist.
• The outside Mars scenes from Total Recall, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, were almost totally shot in Valley of Fire.
• The Veridian III scenes in Star Trek Generations were filmed in Valley of Fire, and it was here that Captain Kirk fell to his death. In the film, Lake Mead is clearly visible in the background.
• Criss Angel filmed an extreme stunt on his show: Criss Angel Mindfreak here.
• Domino includes a scene in which protagonists crash their RV in the Valley of Fire. The title character played by Keira Knightley is later described as the Angel of Fire by their rescuer, played by Tom Waits.
• Transformers, directed by Michael Bay, filmed a scene where the Autobots are driving along the valley with other military vehicles during sunset.
• Need for Speed: The Run, a car racing video game, features an event that is situated here.
• Lana Del Rey's "Ride" music video was filmed throughout the park.
• Yelawolf's "Devil In My Veins" music video was also filmed here.

Gallery

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  Windstone Arch

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  Petroglyphs in Valley of Fire State Park

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  Close to Las Vegas, Valley of Fire sees many young visitors

See also

• Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
• Little Finland and Gold Butte Backcountry Byway
• Moapa River Indian Reservation

External links

• Valley of Fire State Park Nevada State Parks