![]() Make your way through the White Domes slot canyon. ![]() The trail is well marked with signs and cairns.Īfter 4.6 miles you will want to look for this open slot canyon to the East (right), which leads you into the White Domes area, where you should have one car parked. Once we reached the White Domes area, I put him back on leash. Though dogs are supposed to be leashed at all times in the park, this was a good trail for Charlie to be off leash since it’s not popular. It starts out in the open with an open view of the Valley of Fire Wash, but about 2 miles in the canyon walls get higher and narrower, and the colors of rock are more drastic, ranging from yellows to reds. I liked this trail because we got to see “behind the scenes” at Valley of Fire, and by that I mean where hardly anyone hikes or explores. Elevation gain is 748 ft, and will take about 3-4 hours one way. Since 11 miles RT would be a long day in the sun and sand, this trail is best done as a point to point, with a car dropped off at each end. This 5.5 mile one way hike starts at a gated road, and ends at the White Domes Trail. As with any arch, they can be fragile so climbing is not allowed on any part of this rock. This arch is perched on top of a short, rounded fin rock. This is located right off the road by Arch Rock Campground. Our second day began with an easy “hop out of your car and take a photo” moment at Natural Arch Rock. Take time to explore the surrounding area, as every direction you turn, another beautiful spot captures your eye. The way the sun lights up the varying colors is amazing, and photos just don’t seem to capture it’s beauty. The best time to view this area, in my opinion, is at sunset. Not to be confused with The Wave in Page, AZ, this wave is a swirl of colors, creating a wave-like feature that is popular among photographers around the world. The Fire Wave is another iconic spot in Valley of Fire. This isn’t a trail, just a stair climb about 80 ft high to see the drawings. Indians depicted their use of these at the famous “Atatl Rock” with petroglyphs. Pronounced At-lat-l, this is actually a device used for launching a spear, usually a short cord would wrap around the spear, so that when thrown into the air, the spear would rotate. The trail itself was somewhat hard just because you walk in sand the whole way. Along the trail there are several arches as well. ![]() It was a little wider than me, and required a little scrambling. This 5 mile RT hike follows a sand wash for most of the way, but about 3/4 of the way you will encounter this small slot canyon, which is only about 15 ft in length. The Elephant Rock loop is only 1.2 miles RT. I wanted him to do this so he could also poke his head through to get this photo, however, the first time I said “Paws Up!” he actually jumped through this hole! One of Charlie’s commands to stand on his hind legs is “Paws Up”. On the Elephant Loop Trail, we found several arches to poke our heads through. As of February 2016, you are still allowed to climb on top of the elephant. The rock is right next to the road, but parking is limited on the road, so it’s best to park in the entrance parking lot and walk the short trail to reach the formation. Named “the highlight of Valley of Fire” this rock formation is an arch formed in the shape of an elephant. Charlie used his own backpack to carry his water bottles. ![]() Be sure to carry PLENTY of water for your dog. Is this a good park for dogs? Yes! Park rules state that dogs must be leashed at all times. Is this a good park for kids? Yes! Most of the popular trails are very short in distance and are flat. Temperatures in summer can reach 120F, so it’s best to visit the park from December-March. We camped two nights, and it was a perfect amount. Valley of Fire can be seen in one full day (if you only want to see the popular spots), but to hike all the trails and fully enjoy the desert scenery, I recommend camping at least one night. In springtime, desert marigold, indigo bush, and desert mallow make appearances, but only for a short time. Cactus and cholla are also abundant, so watch where you step on the trails. ![]() Valley of Fire has several plants & flowers including creosote bush, burro bush, and brittlebush. ![]()
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