In this video we explore one of the most beautiful and oldest State Parks in Nevada, Valley of Fire. Valley of Fire is located about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas in the Mojave Desert.
The drive through Valley of Fire is gorgeous. The state park derives its name from the 46,000 acres of red Aztec Sandstone that glows red for miles into the horizon and appears to be on fire when reflecting the sun’s rays. Valley of Fire was formed from shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago.
This park has several hiking trails… we hiked Mouse’s Tank. The trail meanders through a narrow box canyon to Mouse’s Tank, a natural basin in the sandstone that collects water after rainfall. It wasn’t long after we started the hike when we saw several amazing petroglyphs carved in the black patina by Ancestral Puebloans 2,500 years ago. There were more petroglyphs on this single trail than we have ever seen. It is also noteworthy that within Valley of Fire there are more carvings resembling desert bighorn sheep than any other type of animal. We learned that these depictions appear in a variety of styles and interpretations, indicating their importance to many different people over generations. Mouse’s Tank is named for the tanks used by Little Mouse, a Southern Paiute Indian, who hid out in the area in the 1890s after being accused of killing two prospectors. Little Mouse used water from these natural tanks to survive in the brutal desert climate.
Next we stopped at the Visitor Center and attended a demonstration of rattlesnakes as part of their Live Snake Program. Even though we are not particularly fond of snakes, especially rattlesnakes, we could not resist the chance to learn more about these scary creatures. Bob, a retired National Park Ranger, who has worked with and studied snakes for many years, did an excellent job presenting. Bob brought a number of live rattlesnake species, some safely behind glass and others out in the open at a safe distance. He set out to debunk the myths surrounding snakes and present us with actual facts. He discussed snake identification, behavior, and habitats in addition to snake safety.
The presentation lasted over an hour because there were so many questions, like what do you do if you get bitten by a rattlesnake! Bob was happy to take questions and spent time answering all of them.
Enjoy the VIDEO!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 🦃
