As the old adage goes, “Nothing says Vegas like outdoor adventure!” (I think I got that right). Regardless, we took a quick a weekend trip out west to check off another national park, take in some of the Nevada desert, and of course visit the only street in the world featuring both an Eiffel Tower and an Empire State Building.
Valley of Fire State Park
Nevada’s oldest state park features gobs of red sandstone which formed from shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago. The rocks feature sweeping, multicolored wave patterns which resemble fire when the sun illuminates them.
The park features a handful of hiking trails highlighted by the short, 1.3 mile Fire Wave Trail. Fortunately, the trail can be easily combined with the Seven Wonders Loop and White Dome Trail for a moderate 3.5 mile loop with just enough elevation gain (400 ft) to get the blood pumping. The loop traverses sandy depressions, passes towering rock formations, travels through two slot canyons (and two parking lots), and offers more spots for pictures than we could bother counting.
Eats and Treats
Las Vegas may be defined by its over-the-top buffets and pricey celebrity chef restaurants, but we found no shortage of neighborhood haunts offering outstanding, creative fare.
The highlight of the trip was Lucky Noodle, a Taiwanese restaurant serving up fabulous cucumber salad, fried rice, sesame chicken, and bao buns. Crepe Expectations offered unique twists on the crepe including a 12 hour smoked pork crepe and a goat cheese, buttered pear, honey, and walnut crepe. Zen Curry West doled up hearty, delicious portions of Japanese katsu while Manizza’s Pizza whipped up solid, creative pizza. Olé Churros and Sorry Not Sorry are both worthwhile dessert stops if you’re in the markets for churros or ice cream, respectively.
Death Valley National Park
This one only popped onto my radar last year; for too long, I just figured Death Valley is a) hot, and b) a valley–we have those on the east coast, too! Alas, the National Park Service was right again in designating a truly spectacular section of eastern California as a national park in 1994.
The largest park in the lower 48 is also the lowest in the National Park system, measuring 282 feet below sea level at its lowest point in Badwater Basin. The area has been inhabited by humans since 7000 BCE, when the Nevares Spring People settled in a mild region with readily accessible water. The term “Death Valley” wasn’t coined until the California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, when a group of travelers had trouble finding their way out, unfortunately leading to the passing of one in their party. They referred to the region as “Death Valley”, and after publishing a book, the name stuck.
Today, Death Valley is a park of juxtaposition: sandy, near-white rock against a brilliant blue sky. Towering mountains next to miles flat basins. Blazing hot days and frigid nights. It’s truly a park of extremes and a feast for the eyes; photographs capture just a sliver of the experience. Check out my National Parks ranked list to find where Death Valley falls!
We started the day at the Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop via Zabriske Point, a 7 mile hike showcasing much of the geology of the Park. The hike isn’t strenuous, climbing a mere 1,000 feet, most of which is a gentle incline. The biggest concern here is heat; while the high temperature was only 70 degrees on our trip, it easily felt like 80 or 85 in the sun. I would reconsider this hike when the temperatures are much above this.
The hike begins at Zabriske Point, a brilliant lookout for sunrise, sunset, or any time in between:
The loop then proceeds lower and lower, ultimately reaching Gower Gulch just outside Badwater Basin. Highlights include brilliant views of Manly Beacon, the Red Cathedral, and surrounding rolling hills and mountains.
We finished the day at Dante’s View for sunset. The area has plenty of easily accessible hills and mountains to hike up (~15 min hike) which offer awe-inspiring views of the Badwater Basin and setting sun. There isn’t much more to say than this is an absolute must stop; I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Conclusion
A spectacular weekend trip to Las Vegas. I can’t recommend Valley of Fire and Death Valley highly enough. Both are within a two hour drive of The Strip, so it’s easy to spend the day hiking and the night exploring one of the most unique cities in this country.
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