With flaming red sandstone formations, ancient petroglyphs, and miles of trails, Valley of Fire State Park is one of the premier riding destinations for equestrians in Nevada.
You’ll find Nevada’s oldest state park just 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Valley of Fire is a geologic wonderland, known for a landscape dominated by sandstone that glows red, particularly at sunset. It’s stunning, a little otherworldly, and a major tourist destination. This park does not have equestrian facilities, but it is open to horses for day rides and there are plenty of trails to get away from the crowds.
Valley of Fire has countless washes and single-track trails to explore on horseback. The park map (below) shows some of the official park trails – which are mostly not open to horses – but there are many, many more unmarked trails and old dirt roads that are. For that reason, Valley of Fire State Park takes a little advance planning to ride.
While the dramatic red sandstone certainly dominates the landscape, the park also has outcroppings of white sandstone and gray/tan limestone. It all makes for a beautiful backdrop for riding. There are no bad views here! You may also find slot canyons, arches, and petrified wood.
Keep a sharp eye and you’ll start to notice petroglyphs… lots of them! The park is well known for the ancient art that dots the sandstone walls. Ancestral Puebloans occupied the area from AD 500-1150. After they relocated, they were replaced by the Nuwuvi, or Southern Paiute. Both Indigenous groups left their mark with rock carvings of people and animals.
Plant life is sparse here, but you’ll ride through creosote bush, white bursage, and brittlebush. Beavertail and cholla cactus can be seen in some places. In the spring, you may catch the wildflower blooms of desert marigold, indigo bush, and more.
The park’s bighorn sheep are quite famous for their lack of fear of people. You might also see desert iguanas, snakes, roadrunners, and desert tortoises.
Most of the footing in Valley of Fire State Park is loose sand, though there are some hard pack sandstone trails that can get quite technical with step downs, step ups, steep spots, and narrow sections with sharp drop offs. In other words, if you plan to ride in anything other than a wash, it is a workout and your horse really needs to confidently know where to put his feet.
Valley of Fire is best explored in the cooler months of fall, winter, and spring. Temps can easily soar above 100 degrees in the summer. There is no water here so plan to carry your own. Cell service is hit or miss in the park – mostly miss.
Getting Here
Where to Park: Parking for equestrians is quite limited. Plan ahead and go early.
Option 1: If you look at the park map below, you’ll see “equestrian access” marked near Lone Rock and the Cabins. That spot looks like this:
This is a small turnout area that could fit a few rigs. From here you can pick up the Old Arrowhead Road.
Option 2: (The most popular option) You can park in the large turnout by the welcome sign on the east side of the park:
This space is large enough to fit several rigs. From here you can ride any number of washes and trails on both sides of the main park road.
Trail Maps
