Nevada's oldest and largest state park sits about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, and the drive alone — past the northern tip of Lake Mead — is worth the trip. The park covers 46,000 acres of Mojave Desert, but the stars of the show are the Aztec sandstone formations that glow in shades of red, pink, and orange, especially at sunrise and sunset, when the whole landscape seems to catch fire and gives the park its name.
The short hike to Fire Wave is the most photographed spot: bands of swirling colour in the rock that look almost painted on. The White Domes trail loops through a narrow slot canyon and past the ruins of an old movie set, while petroglyph panels at Atlatl Rock and along the Mouse's Tank trail date back thousands of years and are remarkably well preserved. Bighorn sheep are a common sight, and the scenic road through the park is a destination in itself.
The visitor center has good exhibits on the geology and the Ancestral Puebloan people who once lived here. There is an entrance fee per vehicle, and camping is available at two developed campgrounds, though they fill fast in the cool season. Summer temperatures regularly top 45°C, so spring and autumn are the sensible times to visit; if you must come in summer, do it at first light and carry far more water than seems reasonable.
It pairs naturally with a stop along Lake Mead or Hoover Dam on the way back to the city, making a full and varied desert day.