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We packed our car for a fun weekend of hiking with our pups at the Valley of Fire State Park and were really looking forward to exploring the Fire Wave Trail. Pretty much all of the trails at this state park are dog-friendly, so we had plenty to choose from and this trail was at the top of our list.

The Fire Wave Trail is 1.5 miles round trip and it is relatively easy, but you will have to trek through some sand in the beginning. Be prepared to wear proper shoes so you don’t get all that fine sand in your footwear and in between your toes.

Parking

We went on this trail in early January during sunset and were able to find parking just fine. There are two lots and they’re not particularly large, so we imagine during high season, it can be a challenge to find a spot.

The Hike

More sand! This wasn’t the first trail we trekked in the park, so when we saw sand, we immediately blurted out, “More sand!?”. We’re more accustomed to trails that are either paved or rocky, so we weren’t expecting to walk in the sand on all of our hikes. It was a good thing we wore shoes that kept the sand out.

This hike used to be a hidden gem for many years, but in 2015, the park added the trail to its official map and it has been a popular trail ever since. We’re so glad someone made the decision to add this trail because it was our second favorite hike in the park (White Domes Loop being our favorite).

The trail starts off with trekking through a lot of sand, but midway through you get to a rocky area which gives your calves a much-needed break. Once we reached the rocky areas, Zooey was especially having a blast jumping and running around on the rocks.

She is a very energetic pup and anytime she sees something she can climb, she goes for it. Kuma, on the other hand, is more cautious but don’t let her tiny legs fool you. She is always up for a challenge and does just as much jumping (on the smaller rocks) as Zooey.

Eventually, the sand starts to dissipate and the trail gets easier. We approached some tall stones which were sometimes a challenge to walk on, but a fun challenge. We stopped to take some photos as we really loved the texture and patterns of the natural rocks. We also took a short break to give our pups some water and treats.

As we moved forward, we were able to see the end of the trail in the distance. The Fire Wave is very distinct and hard to miss. Zooey ran ahead of us and immediately reached the top in excitement. The swirls in the rock are really distinct and it feels like you’re standing on a wave that’s on fire.

We spent quite a bit of time here admiring the views and taking a ton of photos. The sun was beginning to set, so we decided to start heading back. The trails are well marked, so we didn’t have any trouble finding our way back.

As we got closer to the beginning of the trail, we turned around and found a spot with a higher vantage point to take in the views one last time. The colors in the sky were gorgeous and it was a great way to end the night.

Final Thoughts

This trail is definitely a must if you are visiting the park. Stripes on rocks are something we don’t see often in nature, so this was a real treat to see. At the beginning of our hike, a woman made a comment to Kuma that she probably wouldn’t make it with her tiny legs, but she was wrong.

The Fire Wave Trail is very accessible for both humans and dogs. If Kuma can hike this, so can you!

What To Wear

We visited during the first week of January and the early mornings were in the low 40s (Fahrenheit). The temperature gradually rose throughout the day to about the mid 60s, so dressing in layers is key.

Where To Stay

Most people make a day trip to this park from Las Vegas as it’s only an hour away. However, we wanted to explore multiple hikes and stayed nearby in a town called Moapa Valley where we found one dog-friendly hotel and stayed at North Shore Inn at Lake Mead for the weekend.