Nevada's Valley Of Fire State Park Offers An Iconic Trail Known For Its Vibrantly Colored Canyon Walls

Whether you're planning a trip specifically to see the fiery vistas of Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park or are just stopping off there on a roadtrip between Las Vegas and The Grand Canyon, you should try to make time for the park's Seven Wonders Loop Trail. As you might have guessed, this trail gets its name from the number of incredible sights that you'll want to keep your eyes out for along the route — but there's definitely more than seven examples of incredible geology to see on the trail.

If you only have time to do one thing in Valley of Fire State Park, this trail is the perfect way to see all the best highlights. Only an hour on I-15 N and the Valley of fire Highway from the lights of the Las Vegas strip, this incredible trail can show you the best of the park in a short time. The entire route is just slightly over three miles long, but takes most hikers more than two hours to complete. It leads you close to many different colorful rock formations. Just be aware that this state park is regularly above 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the summertime, and this trail has very little shade to protect you from the sun beating down. This trail, and several others in Valley of Fire, closes between mid-May and the end of September for safety reasons, so make sure to plan your trip accordingly if you want to hike this trail.

When you set out on Seven Wonders Loop Trail, you should come to a spot known as Fire Cave first. This unusual looking carved out dome of almost pink rock is remarkably beautiful, and has naturally formed but almost alien-looking carvings inside. People travel here specifically to see Fire Cave, but if you're hiking the Seven Wonders Loop, it's just the first stop on the trail.

Next, you'll see Thunderstorm Arch, a natural archway made of striped, almost rose pink stone. You'll see even more impressive bands of color at the next stop: Crazy Hill. Here, the sandstone is many different bright colors, from red and orange to pink, yellow, and white. Next, you should arrive at Striped Rock, a spot where the pale stone looks like it has streaks of orange paint. If you're missing the pink stone from earlier in the journey, you're in luck. Next up is Pastel Canyon, which is all that pretty rose color and full of long, layered grooves. These wave-like markings on the smooth walls are definitely worth the trip.

While some experienced hikers like to travel this trail alone, it can be dangerous and hard to navigate, and definitely is not a good fit for your first solo hike. Keep in mind: the Seven Wonders Loop is not clearly marked and it isn't always obvious where to go. You should pick up a map and study it in advance. Some even prefer to put the GPS coordinates of each stop on the trail into their phone first to help them find their way.