Description
Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest state park. The park gets its name from the red rock formations which appear to be on fire as the sun sets. These Aztec sandstone rocks were formed from sand dunes 150 million years ago. The region was further shaped by uplifting and faulting followed by extensive erosion. The Anasazi people visited this area from about 300 BC to 1150 AD. Scarcity of water would have prevented their living here but they probably hunted, gathered food and performed religious ceremonies. There are several sites where their petroglyphs can still be seen. In 1931, 8,760 acres of federal land was transferred to the state of Nevada. In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began developing the park which opened in 1934. The CCC continued working on the park into the early 1940’s and built campgrounds, trails, visitor cabins, ramadas and roads. In 1935, the Nevada State Legislature designated the area as Valley of Fire State Park. In 1968, the park was recognized as a National Natural Landmark. This scene of ancient petroglyphs was photographed at Petroglyph Canyon. Valley of Fire State Park is located 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas near Overton, Nevada, USA.