Who else has been personally victimized by a national park?? Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a good national park but hate leaving my dog behind! If you’re looking for a weekend getaway with your pup add Valley of Fire State Park to your list! It’s located just 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Let me show you the best dog friendly things to do in Valley of Fire.
A Few Quick Tips Before You Go
- Be prepared for a lot of sun and very limited shade. Because Valley of Fire is located in the Mojave Desert, you can expect soaring temperatures in the summer. I would recommend skipping a visit here during the summer months (June to September), unless you’re willing to wake up extra early. Luckily, most hikes found here are on the shorter end.
- Follow the park’s pet policies. Your dog must be kept on a leash that is no longer than 6 feet in length. Pets are not allowed in the visitor center. See details here.
- Have access to a vehicle. Although just a short drive from Las Vegas, Valley of Fire cannot be accessed by public transportation. You’ll want to have access to a car. We have an 80 pound dog we travel with, which means we always take the road trip route when we bring him.
- Leave no trace. If you’re reading this, chances are you are a responsible dog-owner that picks up after their pet but make sure you have disposable bags on hand to clean up after your pets.
- Do not forget to pack these items. Booties for your dog! These are essential if you are visiting during the warmer months, because they protect your dog’s paws from extreme heat and keep them from getting blisters. And of course, plenty of water to keep you and your dog hydrated.
- Entrance fee. It costs $10 per day per vehicle to enter the Valley of Fire State Park for residents of Nevada and $15 for those vehicles that are out of state.
Where to Stay With Your Dog
We visited Valley of Fire during a holiday weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and crammed in Death Valley and Valley of Fire so we chose Las Vegas as our home base. But given the location of Valley of Fire, you have a few options when choosing where to stay with your dog.
- VALLEY OF FIRE CAMPING: Rumor has it, sunrise in Valley of Park is absolutely stunning and camping would get you a front row seat. You can find 2 campgrounds at Valley of Fire with 72 combined units. Campsites come with restrooms, picnic tables, grills and water. RV hook-ups are also available. The best part is wifi is available! Reservations can be made Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm by telephone at 702-397-2088. Reservations cannot be made in person or by email. The fee is $25 per night per site and must be paid at the time of the reservation. See all details here.
- LAS VEGAS: The dog-friendly hotel options in Las Vegas are endless! We stayed in Las Vegas, because we found more affordable hotels rates. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Las Vegas Northwest. This is a newer hotel that was completed in 2021. We found our room to be comfortable and dog-friendly! Breakfast was included which is always a plus.
Best Dog Friendly Things To Do in Valley of Fire
As someone who loves to travel, I always miss my cute dog when I’m away so I was happy to learn that Valley of Fire is SO dog-friendly and could bring him along! We carved out just half a day to see the park, because we needed to make our way back to Arizona but we had such a great time exploring with our dog and I know you will too! Since the entire park is dog-friendly (minus the visitors center), I will be sharing some of the most scenic spots you don’t want to miss.
Take Some Iconic Photos At Mouse’s Tank Road
No trip to Valley of Fire would be complete without visiting the most iconic spot in the park! Mouse’s Tank Road can be found in the heart of Valley of Fire, and is easily the most scenic drive here. It’s very easy to get to as it’s located just minutes from the visitor center. You can use Google Maps to your advantage and search for ‘Mouse’s Tank Road viewpoint’ to take you here.
Want to know how to find the infamous photo spot below? You can park at the Rainbow Vista parking lot and take a 3 minute stroll south where you will find some large boulders to your right that you can climb. I recommend getting here early, so you can beat the crowds and take the time you need to take your photos.
Can’t Visit This Park Without Exploring The Fire Wave
The next stop you want to hit before the crowds form is the Fire Wave Trail. It’s an absolute must-do you don’t want to leave off your Valley of Fire itinerary, just trust me on this one! We got here just after 9 am, and somehow were met with very few people.
To get to the Fire Wave trail you’ll want to continue on Mouse Tank Road until you get to Parking Lot #3. Once you park, you’ll cross the street and see a clear trail marked. This is just a short 1.5 mile hike round trip. It didn’t take us long before we caught a glimpse of this stunning rock formation. And let me tell you it lives up to the hype! This will easily be your favorite dog friendly thing to do in Valley of Fire.
*If you are visiting during the warmer months, please make sure your dog is wearing booties to protect their paws from the heat!
Continue Your Journey to the Pink Pastel Canyon
You could easily turn around after catching a glimpse of the Fire Wave, but I highly recommend continuing south past the Fire Wave to explore the pink pastel canyon. Once you head south past the fire wave you will get to a sandy wash where you will want to take a right and head west. You will walk for about 10-15 minutes before you start to see glimpses of deep pink, yellow and orange hues.
If you are looking to skip the hike to pastel canyon, there is an easier way to get here by car. You can look up “Pastel (Pink) Canyon” in Google Maps and it will take you to a little dirt lot on the side of the road. It will take you less than five minutes to walk to the pastel canyon.
Take a Casual Stroll Through Mouse’s Tank Trail
This spot wasn’t originally on my list, but I was doing a little more research on our way to Valley of Fire and read that Mouse’s Tank Trail was a fan favorite so knew I had to add it to my list and I am glad I did! What makes this trail so cool is that it takes you through a canyon filled with Petroglyphs and a small water hole at the end of the trail. And you will be happy to learn this trail is just 0.8 miles round-trip. INSIDER TIP: If you want to spot some really beautiful petroglyphs look to the left side of the trail on the black rock.
Make a Pit Stop at Atlatl Rock
This is the easiest pit stop you will make in Valley of Fire and one of the most unique spots in the park! You actually have a chance to get up close and personal to petroglyphs that are thousands of years old. There is a large paved parking lot that can be found here just feet away from Atlatl Rock. I would avoid visiting this spot in the summer, because the staircase is made of metal and can get VERY hot.
Discover Photogenic Elephant Rock
Can you believe there is actually an elephant-shaped rock here?? It’s easy to see why this cute rock formation is one of the most photogenic spots in the park! This spot can be found next to the east entrance of the park. You will see a paved parking lot to the right of the east entrance and once you park you can take a trail that will lead you to Elephant Rock. It took us less than 10 minutes to spot the rock. You can also easily spot it from the side of the road. You can scale the rocks around it, but do not touch the elephant!
Bonus Spots Worth Visiting in Valley of Fire
Given our limited amount of time here, we weren’t able to see everything we wanted to and are already planning on taking a trip back to do some more exploring. Because Valley of Fire is so dog-friendly, there is no shortage of dog-friendly trails. Here is a list of spots worth checking out:
I hope this guide helps you as you find dog friendly things to do in Valley of Fire! And while you’re in the area, make sure to check out my dog-friendly guide to Death Valley National Park here.
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