VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK
Renowned by photographers the world over for its Aztec Sandstone, Valley of Fire State Park, may be one of the most colorful places in the entire southwest. It’s hard to believe the vivid kaleidoscope of colors are real unless they are witnessed first-hand. Swirls of red, orange, yellow, brown, and pink colors move from one rock to the next painting a psychedelic scene of intense saturation.
There are a few established trails in the park but visitors are free to roam, provided they are careful not to split or break the rocks. My favorite section has to be the Kaolin Wash (picture one), a shallow slot canyon of red and orange rock, filled with pink sand.
RED ROCK CANYON
As both a hiking and climbing destination for the residents of greater Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is a very popular recreation area. The canyon is a vast flatland where yucca and other desert plants lives surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in the region, including La Madre Mountain, at 8,154 feet (2,485 m). The rocks themselves are red and orange and acquired their color from iron oxide that built up over centuries.
Climbers and boulderers can be found here nearly year-round ascending the vertical peaks. For hikers, numerous smaller canyons and seasonal waterfalls are accessible to those willing to explore the mountains more closely. The area was also home to the native Paiute tribes and numerous petroglyphs, and pottery fragments, remain today throughout the area.
CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK
Because of its location more than 160 miles north of Las Vegas, Cathedral Gorge is a hidden gem unknown to casual tourists, yet it is an essential part of the Nevada desert landscape. This tiny park protects beautiful badlands that have eroded and contoured into diverse and interesting shapes. Wind, rain, and ice have combined to shape the soft bentonite clay into unique formations in and around the gorge.
The most remarkable hikes in the park may be the Miller Point Trail, which provides an elevated view into the gorge and Cathedral Caves, which takes you into the twisting slot canyons within the badlands and provides a relief from the summer heat. Interestingly, the park’s landscape provided a dramatic backdrops for open-air plays and annual Easter ceremonies throughout the 20th century.
