Valley of Fire — East Side Loop

Rating: About 5 miles with 1000 feet of climbing. Easy to rough terrain, with strenuous climbing in a few spots. Basic stamina and scrambling skills and are sufficient.

----

This hike is in conjunction with Red Rock Hiking.

----

If you've never been to the Valley of Fire, you are in for a real treat. The place looks like a science fiction movie set, and in fact several such movies have been made there. The terrain is usually solid rock or fine sand, and while climbs are often quite steep, they are also quite short, rarely exceeding 150 feet.

Basically, it's a roller coaster of a hike, and an extremely colorful one too. Wherever you go, the eye candy never stops. Seriously. If you enjoy looking at rock formations in many colors, this is the place for you.

We'll be starting our hike in the center of the Valley of Fire proper, and performing a big loop to the east, out beyond the valley, going in and out of several major drainages.

It's a wonderland of rocky color, with little pools in the larger washes this time of year, along with quicksand flats between the pools if we're lucky. ;)

Truthfully that quicksand is too shallow to be dangerous, but it is pretty funny when unwary people step in it, oh yes. Looks just like regular sand!

You may also spot bighorn sheep, which frequent the area in winter.

The hike route often travels thru wildly colored sandstone, sandy washes, narrow clefts, and rocky slopes. It's generally a fine time for the rougher sort of hiker and even strong beginners like it.

There are no big climbs, just lots of little ones that add up to one big one. The hike is semi-longish, through mostly rough cross-country terrain, so some decent stamina is required. However, only moderate climbing skills are needed. There will be several rather tilted slopes, but reasonably agile people will have no trouble with them. Any really difficult spots can be assisted or worked around.

There will be occasional areas of loose rocks and boulders scattered on hardrock slopes, but they tend to be in the prettiest areas so no one will really mind when we have to slow down and pick our way along there.

However, very rarely there will be small gravel on a hard slope, and that's when one or two hiking poles will really pay off. Leather gloves are also a good idea in case of a slip and fall.

----

So if you want to get yer scramble on in a fantastical place, but not get in over your head, this is your hike.

See you there! M+J :)

----

Prep: The usual for the desert; stout boots, leather gloves, hat, plenty of water (1-2 bottles), some food, and a yen for desert scenery, ahh....

A hiking pole is a big help due to areas with gravelly slopes. These areas are rare, but they do exist and can be very treacherous, oy.

Meetup: Meet at 8am MST at the Terrible's gas station. The drive to the trailhead is about 1.8 hours.

The Drive: 1.8 hours one way on pavement, $15 entrance fee per car. Be sure to have a writing pen to fill out the self-pay envelope at the entrance to the park, along with $15 in cash.

Those in Mesquite can go to Lower Flat Top Exit on I-15, at the Flying J gas station, at about 7:30am Nevada time, and meet the rest of us there. Coming from Vegas you can go to VOF and stop at Parking Lot 2 on White Domes Road in the middle of the main valley. Be there by 8:50am Nevada time.

----

Notice: Meetup organizers are not touring guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.