![]() ![]() The Mouse’s Tank trail is 0.7 miles in length and meanders its way through a sandy red rock canyon with beautiful scenery on both sides of the canyon. ![]() We had to wait a few minutes to get a parking space. Because this is the first pullout with restrooms the small parking area can get very crowded. The whole loop is 1.2 miles, but the elephant is just a short distance from the trail head. The trail is named after a large elephant shaped red rock. This trail is a great way to start your day and provides you a little glimpse of the beautiful scenery to come. The Elephant Rock Loop is the very first trail you will discover as you enter the park on the east end. Here are a few of the trails we enjoyed on our visit. There are several hiking trails that will lead you through the red rock scenery and provide up close views of the Native American Rock Art. Visitors at the park can enjoy many outdoor activities such as hiking, sightseeing, camping, and if you are lucky views of the resident big horn sheep. The remnants of these occupations can be seen through the many petrogyphs located throughout the park. The Basketmaker culture were the first people to occupy this area some 2,500 years ago. This 40,000 acre park is home to beautiful red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in gray and tan limestone that were formed by ancient sand dunes dating back to the Jurassic period. In this beyond Utah adventure we visit Nevada’s oldest state park the Valley of Fire. We only recommend products or services we personally use. If you click a link and make a purchase, Utah Outdoor Activities may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This little adventure in New Mexico was a perfect way to stretch our legs as we drove through the desert.This article may include affiliate links. Need hiking boots? Check out my picks for the best women's hiking shoes and boots. ![]() I was happy that I had one of my roll-up straw sun visors. The hardened lava terrain is fairly uneven, and falling on it would hurt.īecause the lava field is direct sun with zero shade, you might also want a hat. Walk on the lava, check out the plants, and dodge the tarantulas.Įven though you're not really going on a hike on the lava fields, I do recommend wearing hiking boots (or shoes with excellent tread). The really cool thing about the Valley of Fires is that you can walk off the paved trail right out onto the hardened lava. Exploring the Lava Flow Valley of Fires: Walking on Lava Oh the horror.įor the record, we did not see any tarantulas. ![]() You can also read about how tarantula spiders like to burrow in the lava flows. It's a mile long, and you can look at the plants and lava without leaving the trail. Instead of paying the entry fee for this park, we opted to buy a US National Parks Pass at the visitor center, since this was the first stop on our national parks road trip. It's $3-$5 per car, depending on how many people are in your car. When you arrive at the park, stop at the visitor's center to pay the entry fee. The site is right next to the Malpais Lava Flow National Monument, so if you're fascinated by lava flows, you can explore both sites! Flowering Cactus Lava Flow in the Valley of Fires Valley of Fires Entrance Fee The Valley of Fires is a National Recreation Area where you can explore one of the youngest lava flows in the continental United States. A dark spot on the map.Ībout an hour north of White Sands is the Valley of Fires in Carrizozo, New Mexico. Near the white gypsum sand from White Sands, he saw something else. Not so long ago, while he was planning a road trip to White Sands National Park in New Mexico, he started exploring satellite images in the area. Do you spend much time exploring Google Earth? ![]()
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