(Click to enlarge pictures)
Our first stop was at the Visitors Centre, just a short distance down the main road that runs through the park...They have quite an extensive display inside...we had a cursory look through, but decided we'd spend more time here another day. We are anxious to get out and see the spectacular red rock formations throughout the park.
The Valley of Fire derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 millions years ago. Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created the present landscape.
Just outside the visitors centre, Steve found a hole in the red rock to hide in...
Our first hike of the day, was a trail that led from the visitors centre parking lot to Balancing Rock...
Then it was time to head out in the truck...we are going to drive to White Domes at the end of the road and then stop at spots on our way back down. There is a steep winding climb out of the valley...the red rock formations are absolutely stunning!
Again, pictures just don't do it justice...the colours are just beautiful and the scenery is breathtaking! We took over 270 pictures and Steve managed to edit them down to 148. Out of those 148 pictures, he chose 86 to post on this blog. I wish we could have put them all in but our monthly data plan just wouldn't be able to handle it if we posted every picture we took throughout the month!
Five and a half miles along a very scenic road, we arrived at White Domes. We read these signs at the start of the trail head and then started our hike. Interesting to see the number of movies that have been shot here in Valley of Fire. The remains of one is along this trail.
The remnants of a movie set...
Ah...a rock ledge with a built-in seat...
We had to do a little rock scrambling through this canyon...
More hiding spots for Steve...
And then Steve happened to notice these majestic creatures on the rocks above us....Desert Bighorn Sheep...wow!
The trail looped around back to the parking area...there's Buster!
We drove a little ways back down the road where we parked at the trailhead to Fire Wave...it says it is a .6 mile hike...HA...must be "as the crow flies" not by the trail...
Wow...what can I say? SPECTACULAR! (no, not me...the rock colours!) This must look even more spectacular when it's wet after a rainfall...
After that spectacular hike, we continued back down the road.
...to Fire Canyon and Silica Dome lookout...
We stopped briefly at Rainbow Vista and decided to come back tomorrow for that hike. There happened to be a tour bus there at the time and I just couldn't resist taking this picture. The woman had a tight mini-skirt on with 6 inch stiletto heels...dressed for hiking?!! Too funny!
And the drive down out of the mountains back into the valley...
Atlatl Rock Campground to the left and Arch Rock Campground straight ahead...
We took a drive through Arch Rock Campground. It was beautiful but we are glad we decided on the other campground, this one was just too small and one loop was very narrow and we would have had a hellava time maneuvering the rig through the canyon walls let alone into a site.
Our site from atop a rock hill behind us....
A beautiful end to a beautiful day!
There just aren't enough words to describe this place! From the campground, to the hiking, to the drive...amazing!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the memories! I recognized so many of those spots.