Las Vegas
Walking through the Valley of Fire
By Tania Moffat
Elephant Rock looks like a prehistoric mammoth.
through the Valley of Fire. Te tortured red sandstone terrain was
A
formed approximately 150 million years ago. It was a tumultuous period, at the time the earth was literally ripping itself apart. Te lifting and shifting of tectonic plates formed massive faults and mountains with- in the region which consequently began to erode. Over the millennia wind and rain have continued to sculpt the unique land formations that draw nature lovers to the park. Limestone, shale and conglomerate rock formations can be found here in the Valley of Fire State Park, however, it is the red sandstone which gave rise to the park’s name. One of the oldest and largest state parks in Nevada, the valley has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Te Bas-
32 • Spring 2016
n hour northeast of Las Vegas, via Interstate 15, travellers can escape the hustle and bustle of Vegas and immerse themselves in a remark- able prehistoric landscape as they walk
ket Maker people and later the Anasazi Pueblo farmers, from the nearby Moapa Valley, occupied this land from 300 B.C.E. to 1150 C.E. and samples of the petroglyphs they left behind can still be found at several sites throughout the park. A drive down Scenic Loop Road will bring
How to get there
Flight duration 3 hours, 15 mins.
Four flights/week Sept. to
June, two flights/week July to Aug. on WestJet
you to metal stairs leading to Atlatl Rock. Tis is a great stopping point to view some of the spectacular petroglyphs or rock carv- ings at the park. An atlatl is a spear launch- ing device used by ancient Indians and is depicted in the rock art they’ve left behind. Drive a little further and you’ll see Arch Rock located just off the side of the road. Te arch is fragile and climbing on it is not permitted. Petrified logs or fossilized wood washed into the valley
225 million years ago and can be viewed in two locations along the road. Tey are fenced off to preserve them for future visitors close to the road. Te Beehives are an excellent representation of geologic
The Hub
All photos provided by Nevada State Parks. Photographer Kyle Groth.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80