Valley of Fire (Part 1)

Valley of Fire State Park is located about fifty miles northeast of Las Vegas in southern Nevada. It covers an area of around 42,000 acres adjacent to Lake Meade at an elevation ranging between 2,000 to 2,600 feet. The main attraction of the place are the countless formations of eroded red sandstone rock and sand dunes estimated to be around 150 million years in age...

... which are all pretty cool...

... pretty colorful place when you contrast the red, tan, gray and pink sandstone against the green desert vegetation and blue sky...

... as well as the 'high desert' backdrop...

... lots of interesting formations...

... like this small rock arch...

... most formations are pretty large (buddy 'Matt' added for scale)...

... think that technical rock climbing may be banned - which in this case is good - couldn't imagine this place "all chocked up" and "bolted to death" - but there's tons of fun "scrambling" to be had...

... and plenty of exploring to do - we passed a few cars while "out and about" but ran into zero people (except hanging around the visitor center)...

... the early 'Anasazi' people called it home from around 300 BC to 1150 AD (we've learned) - evidenced here by this ancient rock shelter...

... as well as the many rock art 'Petroglyphs' found throughout the park...

... early version of those annoying rear auto window "family" stickers popular now'day's - this guy apparently had five wives and some animals...

... we were right - "UG loves wives 'Butt too Big', 'Butt too Small' and 'Butt just Right'" can be read in the lower right of this rock...

... typically, most of the areas and many formations have been named for mapping and identification - this is 'Rainbow Vista'...

... this is 'Fire Canyon'...

... and the prominent peak is 'Silica Dome', to name a few - more on these to follow - like to keep these things relatively short...