Since I started working in March last year, Roan and I have been on the lookout for any form of time-off from work. Long weekends are our favorite; they call for traveling, whether by plane or by land, and we take advantage of every opportunity we get. Being the road trip junkies that we are, Roan and I agreed to drive all the way to Nevada for Labor Day weekend last year.
Arch Rock, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Knowing that hotel bookings will be more expensive than usual during this weekend, Roan and I stayed in a hotel in Henderson, just 11 miles away from The Strip in Las Vegas. Unlike most people, however, The Strip was our least priority. Our primary agenda was to stay outdoors for the most part, in spite of the harsh summer weather, so we drove 50+ miles northeast of The Strip to the Valley of Fire State Park.
Clark Memorial, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Fire Canyon-Silica Dome, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
The Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada's first and oldest state park—dedicated on March 26, 1935 and designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1968. The Valley of Fire derived its name from red sandstone formations, the Aztec Sandstone, which was formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs. These brilliant sandstone formations can appear to be on fire when reflecting the sun's rays.
Want to know some more fun facts? The scene where Captain Kirk fell to his death in the movie Star Trek Generations as well as the scene where the Autobots were driving along the valley with other military vehicles during sunset in the 2007 Transformers movie were both filmed in the Valley of Fire! How cool is that?
Valley of Fire State Park29450 Valley of Fire Hwy,
Overton, NV 89040
http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire
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