The Fire Wave | Valley of Fire State Park

In Valley of Fire State Park there is a really cool feature called the Fire Wave. Much like the better-known Wave in northern Arizona, the Fire Wave has brilliant red, orange, and pink stripes that stand out particularly well in the morning or just before sunset. This hike is easy and short at just 1.5 miles round trip. Most hikers in reasonable health should be able to make this trip, though on a summer day, make sure to take plenty of water and prepare for the heat.

Hike Info:

• Length: 1.5 miles
• Rating: Easy
• Elevation Gain: 236 feet
• Fee: Valley of Fire State Park Fee

The Fire Wave starts off in soft sand as the trail descends gently from the parking lot. After rounding a huge stone structure, the trail splits. One fork leads off to the left, but you need to keep right to find the Fire Wave. A few dozen yards after the split, the trail climbs up on the slick rock. It continues down to the right, and there are trail markers to help you find your way. It is pretty easy to follow the striations in the rock as they get more and more colorful.

There is no definite end to this trail, but eventually, a large tower of rock comes up on the right, and the slick rock fades into the sage brush. At this spot, you can see many colors in the rock, and there are always quite a few people taking photographs. The colors swirl around in circles at the Fire Wave.

The Fire Wave in Valley of Fire is very beautiful! In fact, it is our favorite hike in this State Park. To read more about this park and its hikes, check out our complete post on Valley of Fire State Park.