Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

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CHAPTER 11 . SIDE TRIPS FROM LAS VEGAS
washed down from faraway highlands and became petrified fossils, which can be
seen along two interpretive trails.
Human beings occupied the region—a wetter and cooler one—as far back as
4,000 years ago. They didn’t live in the Valley of Fire, but during the Gypsum
period (2000 B.C.–300 B.C.), men hunted bighorn sheep (a source of food, clothing,
blankets, and hut coverings) here with a notched stick called an atlatl that is
depicted in the park’s petroglyphs. Women and children caught rabbits, tortoises,
and other small game. In the next phase, from 300 B.C. to A.D. 700, the climate
became warmer and dryer. Bows and arrows replaced the atlatl, and the hunters
and gatherers discovered farming. The Anasazi people began cultivating corn,
squash, and beans, and communities began replacing small nomadic family
groups. These ancient people wove watertight baskets, mats, hunting nets, and
clothing. Around A.D. 300, they learned how to make sun-dried ceramic pottery.
Other tribes, notably the Paiutes, migrated to the area. By A.D. 1150, they had
become the dominant group. Unlike the Anasazi, the Paiutes were still nomadic
and used the Valley of Fire region seasonally. These were the inhabitants whom
white settlers found when they entered the area in the early to mid-1800s. The
newcomers diverted river and spring waters to irrigate their farmlands, destroying
the nature-based Paiute way of life. About 300 descendants of those Paiute
tribespeople still live on the Moapa Indian Reservation (about 20 miles northwest)
that was established along the Muddy River in 1872.
GETTING THERE
From Las Vegas, take I-15 north to exit 75 (Valley of Fire turnoff). However, the
more scenic route is to take I-15 north, then travel Lake Mead Boulevard east to
Northshore Road (Nev. 167), and proceed north to the Valley of Fire exit. The
first route takes about an hour, the second 1 1 ⁄2 hours.
There is a $5 per vehicle admission charge to the park, regardless of how
many people you cram inside.
Plan on spending a minimum of an hour in the park, though you can spend
a great deal of time more. It can get very hot in there (there is nothing to relieve
the sun beating down on all that red and reflecting off it) and there is no water,
so be certain to bring a liter, maybe two, with you in the summer. Without a
guide, you must stay on paved roads, but don’t worry if they end, you can always
turn around and come back to the main road again. You can see a great deal
from the car, but there are also hiking trails.
Numerous sightseeing tours go to the Valley of Fire. Coach USA (& 800/
828-6699; www.coachusa.com) offers a 6-hour tour from Las Vegas, including
Lake Mead in the morning and the Valley of Fire in the afternoon, plus lunch.
Cost is $100 for adults, $96 for children 2 to 12. Inquire at your hotel tour desk.
Char Cruze of Creative Adventures (p. 197) also offers a fantastic tour.
The Valley of Fire can also be visited in conjunction with Lake Mead. From
Lake Mead Lodge (see above), take Nev. 166 (Lakeshore Scenic Dr.) north,
make a right turn on Nev. 167 (Northshore Scenic Dr.), turn left on Nev. 169
(Moapa Valley Blvd.) west—a spectacularly scenic drive—and follow the signs.
Valley of Fire is about 65 miles from Hoover Dam.
WHAT TO SEE & DO
There are no food concessions or gas stations in the park; however, you can obtain
meals or gas on Nev. 167 or in nearby Overton (15 miles northwest on Nev. 169).
Overton is a fertile valley town replete with trees, agricultural crops, horses, and
herds of cattle—quite a change in scenery. On your way in or out of the teeming