Wow – I can’t believe I am still writing about our trip to Nevada. This should be the last one, and then I have to tell you all about our recent visit to Grand Junction, Colorado. I’m one spoiled pup, eh? Life IS one big, great adventure.
Okay, we left off at Mesquite, NV. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, and the lady upgraded us. I got my very own room! Well, it was the living room part of a suit, but I claimed it as mine. I even had my very own television. Woof.
Mesquite is the closest town to the Valley of the Fire State Park (about an hour away). You can certainly make a day of it from Las Vegas (1 ½ hours), but we found the prices more affordable in Mesquite. It’s a newer, smaller town without all the crazy casinos. The park is located off I-15 like you are heading toward Salt Lake City, UT. The address is: 29450 Valley of the Fire Road, Overton, NV 89040.
Mom found a dog park online that is right outside of the west entrance of the park, so we popped on over to give my legs a stretch before touring the Valley of Fire. We once again learned you cannot believe everything you read on the Internet. I’ve never seen such a small patch of grass fenced in. If I lifted my leg too high, I might hit the other side. Good gravy! This was no dog park. It was simply a patch of grass in the middle of nowhere. Boo.
On to the park! The fee to get in is $15 per vehicle if you are not a resident of Nevada. You have to show your 
NV ID to get the discounted price. Dogs are welcome and can even walk around on a six-foot leash except for the visitor’s center.
Summer temps can reach 120 degrees with nighttime somewhere between 60 and 90. Winters are mild, so pick your season accordingly to your interests and heat tolerance. Since we come from the desert, we were okay with 90 degrees. And Dad is still hobbling along with back issues, which means no hiking anyway.
The park is only seven miles from west to east entrance, but it packs a lot of “wow” into that space. With petrified logs, campground, hiking trails, view overlooks, picnic areas and petroglyphs, you can make a half or full day of it if you like. Get a map and explore! Since this park is in the middle of nowhere, you won’t have the crowds like other places. We liked that!
The Valley of Fire became a state park in 1930 and is Nevada’s first and largest state park. It gets its name from the red sandstone formations, which were once sand dunes during the age of the dinosaurs some 150 million years ago. Whoa. That’s a long time ago!
We enjoyed the drive through the park and stopped at several places, including the historic cabins. Over by the campground, mom spotted a rock that looked just like a Shiba Inu dog! We dubbed it the Shiba Inu Monument. Look for other formations like Elephant and Balancing Rock. You might see something not listed just like us. Art is in the eye of the beholder.
The sunlight changes the colors and adds a new dimension to the rocks, especially where some limestone 
exists. If you can, be sure to see it in the morning and late afternoon light for a contrast. We were definitely glad we made time in our trip to visit. Next time, we would like to do hiking. Hopefully after a procedure my dad has tomorrow, he will be on the mend and able to get back to living life to the fullest. Stay well!
My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, is kind enough to help me share my Great Adventures, big and small. My mom is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, executive recruiter, business consultant, coach, fitness expert, and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever!
Enjoy my blog at https://www.lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/kuma/kumas-great-adventures/
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Get outside! You never know what you’ll discover, and our paths just might cross. Happy tails!
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