So Quiet and Beautiful!!
Absolute Silence at night. Even when the campground is full. stars so bright. Longhorn everywhere. If you can sleep in the desert, this is the place to stay. it’s perfect.
Absolute Silence at night. Even when the campground is full. stars so bright. Longhorn everywhere. If you can sleep in the desert, this is the place to stay. it’s perfect.
This is a very hot but wonderful place to visit! Coming back a for a second go this summer (2018) showing my kiddos the wonders of the desert life. It is best to go later when the sun is cooling down although it will still be hott! Seeing Elephant Rock, the lizards, and crawling around the wind whipped terrain made me feel like I was a child again on a new playground. Bring water and take in the heat!
I'd been wanting to visit Valley of Fire for months, but we can get out on a six-hour trip in the summer, winter, and spring only. Summer would be too hot for us Arizonans trying to escape the high temperatures, and I've heard the springtime is really, uncomfortably windy there. So. Winter won and we found that it's quite possibly the best time to visit Valley of Fire. The daytime temps were in the mid-60s, and the nights went into the low 40s. What I forgot was that Nevada is on Pacific time so sunset was early at 4:30, but we kept a campfire going and enjoyed the evenings even if we had to come in for the night by 9 pm. That made waking up to awesome sunrises more enjoyable anyway.
We stayed at Atlatl Campground, which is first come/first served. When we arrived, we saw a lot of RVs and nearly lost hope, but there was one spot where we could park our 25ft trailer and it turned out to be one of the best campsites there. Site #8's tent pad, grill, table, and fire ring are behind a huge rock, so if privacy is what you're after this is the place! However, the site doesn't have hookups, so if you're looking for those you would have to be in the more open spaces. They aren't right on top of each other, but there isn't a lot of things blocking views of other RVs. We found the non-hookup sites were more desirable here in terms of camping ambiance. Besides, no hook-up sites were open so it wasn't a decision we had to make. :) We could hear generators occasionally, but for the most part this place was very, very quiet.
The hosts are friendly and keep the place neat and tidy. The restrooms and showers were clean, with flush toilets and hot water in the showers. The dump station was fine, and there is fresh water available to fill your tank. Also, each site has a water spigot, so that was handy! You can't easily fill your tank because the spigot doesn't have rings to connect a hose, but it's doable. We know this because we forgot to fill our tank before getting our spot. We were so worried about getting a space. Ha! It worked out.
The campground is surrounded by giant red rock formations, and there are some in the middle of it, too. It's perfect for kids and adults both to climb for hours and days. It's kind of like Joshua Tree, but the rocks are easier to climb on--closer together and the spaces between aren't as sketchy. Plus the rocks are soft sandstone so they don't scratch as much. It really is fun to explore all around the rocks and see the park from high vantage points.
It's the desert, so expect a lot of dust. What I hadn't expected was so much sand on the hiking trails. I find it difficult to trudge through soft sand, so although the park's popular hikes are short, expect them to be more of a challenge due to the sand. The awesome views make up for it, though. Bighorn sheep, awesome rock formations, slot canyons, so many different colors, and even ancient petroglyphs are pleasant distractions from the workout on the legs. Don't miss the Fire Wave, White Domes, and the hike to Mouse's Tank. Very cool.
Our T-Mobile service came and went with the wind all through the park.
Overall, Valley of Fire did not disappoint. We were busy and entertained and loving being there at this perfect time of year.
Some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. We made this a stop as a last minute decision and it was probably our favorite location. The White Domes trail is short but well worth it!! The campsites have nice facilities like water, showers, grills and covered (shaded) picnic tables. Roomy campsites and pretty private.
An excellent variety of trails to suit any level visitor! The trail to Mouses Tank is super easy and petroglyphs are abundant to the naked eye. A couple of the trail are marked "easy" yet I found them to actually be "moderate". The park is a bit over crowded on weekends yet empty in sections further in the park interior. Enjoy! Don't forget to peek over the hill and see the actual water at the end of the tank trail. A waterfall briefly appears during a rain and you have to be at trail end during or immediately following a summer shower.
Hands down an absolutely beautiful park! There are so many massive boulders, and rocks to climb on and around everywhere. There are only two different campsites in the park that have a small fee so make sure to bring cash, there are also drop toilets and each numbered campsite has a picnic table with chairs and a shade cover. The campsites are nestled right in between the rocks which make for a beautiful stay. There's a variation of hikes you can do which range from a couple of miles to just getting out of your car. It includes very interesting petroglyphs, cool rock formations, and lots of picture opportunities! I went in the beginning of the year and it actually started to rain/snow overnight. We also brought our dogs but had to keep them on a leash while on the main trails and at the campsite. The park also has a visitor's center .
This is one of our absolute favorite places to camp in Southern Nevada!! All the camp siites in both camp grounds are clean and have water at each site. The first camp ground (Atlati) has a limited number of sites that also have electricity, modern bathrooms and showers— they fill up fast!. The Arches camp ground which is about a quarter of a mile past Atlati has beautifully secluded sites!! We love sites # 22, 23 and 24!
Warning: It is HOT in the summer! Talking average daytime temps of 115 degrees F. Nights do not cool down much at all. Best time to camp would be October - May. Winter months can get cold at night so check temps.
Hiking is great. Amazing sights both wildlife and scenery!! It is sandy hiking and some bouldering.
I stayed at one of the three group camp sites located in Valley of Fire State Park in late May 2012. I have since visited the park and done some of the day hikes so this review will reflect both trips. The group sites are located across the road from the other two campground and can hold roughly 45 people per site. I was with a field class of geologists and there were easily 30-40 of us each with our own tents and we fit just fine. The group camps have large dining and cooking areas with picnic tables and large grill spaces. Each site has its own bathroom as well. We loved climbing the nearby rocks and the sunset and sunrise views were incredible. The only issue I had with the site was the wind. We had experienced campers who had properly staked down their tents have tents blow away. My guess is that there were gusts up to 30+ mph. I decided to sleep in one of the vans because I didn’t want my tent to hit me in the face all night – great decision given how I was one of the few who got more than 4hrs sleep! The park is beautiful but do be mindful of the wind conditions before venturing out. Also I think the other campgrounds (Arch and Atlatl) are more protected than the group sites. These campgrounds are first come first serve and can book quickly in peak months.
As for the park, it is truly beautiful. I spent time hiking off White Domes Road and especially liked the Mouse’s Tank Trail and White Domes Loop. I would highly recommend stopping by the visitors center as it was packed with good information and neat specimens. I stopped by Atlatl Rock to look at the petroglyphs and the Sunday I was there was a group offering atlatl practice throwing. The park was very busy in a bustling exciting way. This park does have a $10 entrance fee and I 100% think it is worth the price of admission. Be aware that it can get really crowded – as I was leaving there were about 30 cars lined up waiting to get in! Check here for an informative map of the park.
We stayed at Atlatl Rock campground pretty briefly at the beginning of May. Due to a variety of circumstances, we got on the road much later than we anticipated and arrived super late, and when we got there it was so hot that we hardly slept and left fairly soon after sunrise. It really is a shame, because it was absolutely stunning and the campground itself was excellent.
The campsites all have covered picnic areas (awesome), potable water spigots (ultra awesome), firepits, and grills. In the winter/fall/spring, I think this would be probably one of the coolest places in the entire world to camp. But when we were there? It was honestly unbearably hot. It was 92 degrees at 2am, and none of us slept (especially our poor puppy, who had never camped before and is still learning how to deal with being uncomfortable) more than a few hours at maximum. I was certainly envious of all of the people in their campers with their air conditioning running!
The bathrooms are large and clean, and there are plentiful showers (which were closed when we were there, or I would've taken an icy cold shower in an attempt to cool down). Amenity wise, this campground is pretty much the tops, and I know the campground has no control over the temperature, but it definitely had a huge impact on our experience. We already have plans to go back in the winter (REAL, ACTUAL winter) to be able to genuinely enjoy it!
We stayed here one night, mostly for the showers, they were wet and amazing and beautiful.
Campsites had the typical amenities, it was pretty crowded when we were there and from what we heard, they fill up a lot of the time.
The park has tons of amazing hikes, when we visited, we saw a tarantula in real life!
There is also free camping along the road about 30 minutes outside the park to the west.
This is a great place to camp and hike with in a short drive of Las Vegas. What I liked the best about the campground is that the camp sites, while not very private, bump up against huge boulders which provide either shade from the sun or wind and give a sense of being small in a big world (if that makes any sense). Campsites also have a nice pavilion for shade as well. I liked the level, sandy tent pads and the grills as well as the campfire rings (usually you don't find grills AND campfire rings). If you want a bit more privacy, get one of the walk in sites which are in a nice quiet canyon. Lots of great hiking in this park with the opportunities to see petroglyphs and petrified trees.
This is an amazing state park whether you are camping or just visiting. Full of picturesque rock formations and great hiking. The campground is nestled up right up against the rock formations so you can wake up and step out of your tent and enjoy the beauty first thing in the morning. The campsites also offer shaded tables so you can get out of the desert sun.
While we were there, we were lucky enough to see some of the resident big horn sheep. We were a little early for the catcus flowers, but there was still lots of beauty to see.
The state park offers tons of hiking trails to keep you busy. The nearby Lake Mead Recreation area is worth a trip too, or at least a drive through -- stunning hikes and pulloffs there too.
Site #7 at Arch Rock, it's close to the bathroom, has a beautiful (almost private) canyon starting at the site, a shrub next to the tent pad which is fair shade in the afternoon, a covered picnic area and table, and water tap right next to the tent pad.
A great park to visit with my dog, the park allows dogs as long as they are on a leash (6ft max).
Was there in mid october, the day was warm as expected, it cooled off in the evening. You could sleep with windows open and no rain-fly on the tent, in fact, it got a bit too warm overnight sealed up.
The majority of campers were in rv's and amazing vehicles you'd see at the Overland expo. I didn't stay long enough to use the showers, no idea where they even were.
Lots of trails and beautiful places to photograph. I saw a few meteors at night. Bighorn sheep, rabbits, birds and tarantulas were seen.
If you stay here stay in an RV . The tent sites are exposed to the elements and you have to pitch your tent on sharp rocks. When we stayed in our RV it was a great experience. The way the campground is set up the rock formations block your views from your neighbors so you feel very secluded. The hikes we so much fun here. We hiked up to fire wave, the elephant, and hiked the prospect trail. Late fall is the perfect time to go so you don't melt.
I LOVE Valley of Fire, but it is advisable to only go during the cooler months (Oct-May). There is no cell service at the campsites, clean restrooms, clean sites, water at taps, all sites first come first serve. You will feel like you are on another planet.
We visited Valley of Fire in January when the temperatures where quite comfortable. The vastness of the place is overwhelming and inviting at the same time. No showers at the campsites but the views and solitude makes up for it. The Park Rangers are friendly and professional and will answer any questions you have. Great, great, great place.
Beautiful place that looks like no other place on earth. Two different campsites with in the park both have flushable toilets and shaded tables with firerings. There are showers available also Campsites are very nice, but don't spend all your time time there get out and explore this is a truley remarkable place. If you can only do one hike I recommend White Domes, but in the summer it is not advisable to do any hiking. It is usually about ten degrees hotter here then in Las Vegas. I highly recommend camping from October through April, but arrive early because the campsites do fill up fast.
This is definitely a beautiful park, with awesome campsites. Went in June 2016, while it was just getting too hot for hiking. The unfortunate part is the $20 fee a day for getting into the park and camping. I've camped at cooler spots for free, but I guess that's the price you pay for the water and toilets. The amenities weren't as clean as most, but it's not a pit toilet, so the smell wasn't as bad as usual. The main campground that is open all year has ample spots for people. The spot I chose was right between two boulders, so I was tucked away from everyone else. Also this helped shade the spot in the morning as the sun came up, so I didn't bake in the morning sun. This is also the best time to go because there are not very many people camping because of the heat. Cool spot, definitely planning to go back.
I stayed at one of the group sites while doing a geology field school. This is such a fantastic park! So many trails to explore, and beautiful views no matter where you are. Despite being unusually cool and rainy while I was there, the mountains were spectacular. The fire pits were wonderfully set up, just perfect for some peacefully guitar playing in the evenings. The shelter over the tables was great too, though it does let some rain in if there is any wind. It was a great place to eat, and to get some work done too! The other group sites are far enough away that you forget you aren't the only one there!
Small fee for entry but well worth it. petrified wood and red rock formations make this a unique hiking spot. The history is rich and amazing. Well worth any drive. Valley I fire state park is only 40 miles outside of Vegas. Warning though the summer tempatures are no joke here.
Awsome campgrounds, but even more awsome are the many hikes nearby. Best time to go is October through early May at the latest. Summers are very hot!
My wife and I had part of our campervan honey moon road trip extravaganza at these campgrounds. Beautiful scenery from where the campground is located and easy to find.
site: covered picnic tables. large. among the rocks. amenities: clean. quite modern. attractions: hiking. grew views at sunset. I would definitely go camping here again.
We loved camping here! It provided beautiful sunsets. The sites were nice and facilities were clean and well maintained. Actually the whole park was quite clean and well maintained! Lots of hiking opportunities. Next time we are in Nevada we will be back here!
This State Park is super underrated and is a definite must see if headed on the 15 towards Utah. Beautiful Red Rock everywhere! The campsite is well maintained and there are even showers!
This place is magical!!!
So many amazing campsites tucked into the stunning rock landscape. The layout makes the sites very private and the facilities are nice and clean.
This campground doesn't have showers but you can easily walk or drive next door to Arch Rock and use their showers. They are located in the back of the bathrooms and are individual doors for each private shower. (free, not coin operated)
Either of the two campgrounds at Valley of Fire are excellent. I can't believe this park isn't more popular. We like it better than Death Valley.
The first campground you come to is Arch Rock. I think there are even better sites at Atlatl Rock next door but this is the only site with showers. And really you can't go wrong!!!