VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK was my first excursion into the natural sights around Las Vegas. Once I got over the novelty of Vegas, I was ready to see some of the things that the "local" guys I was working with were talking about So my fellow Huntsville collegue (Chris) and I decided one weekend to go on a nature expedition, and we wound up at the Valley of Fire (see this link). This is one of the most desolate, spooky, and beautiful places I have ever seen. Sandstone hills have been carved by the wind and rain into strange sculptures that have a truly other-worldly feel. (If you want to feel something alien, skip the Extraterrestrial Highway and go to Valley of Fire). As a matter of fact, the ending sequence of the movie "Star Trek: Generations" was filmed here. Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest State Park. It's about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas (make sure you stop at the Indian reservation store for cigarettes, if that's your habit). The rough floor and jagged walls of the park contain brilliant formations of eroded sandstone and sand dunes more than 150 million years old. 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 State Park is located in the Mojave Desert of southern Nevada. See the photos below for a rough idea of the beauty you can find there. |
windswept sandstone hills |
ancient Indian writings |
