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Fire Wave Trail
Hiking Trail
Easy
1.31 mi
225 ft
The most famous hike in the Valley of Fire.
The Fire Wave trail is far and away the most famous hike in Valley of Fire State Park, thanks to a mellow trail leading to a spectacular rock formation.
The hike begins by following a sandy track that slowly winds its way down from the trailhead. You'll begin at the top of the hill and have to hike down to the Fire Wave and thus finish with a climb back to the car. Thankfully, this entire 1.3-mile out-and-back hike only gains (and loses) ~200 feet of elevation.
The hiking to the Wave is easy and non-technical, and you'll get to enjoy views of a towering sandstone cliff face that looms above the trail. Before you know it, you'll reach the beginning of the sandstone slabs that form the Fire Wave.
The Fire Wave itself is a stunning sandstone rock formation that resembles an ocean wave with swirling patterns of red, white, and pink sandstone. Hikers will clamber all over the Wave to get their pics for Instagram, and professional photographers will set up at sunrise and sunset to capture the hues of the sandstone as it glows fiery red during golden hour. Be sure to take your time exploring the Wave, and consider hiking around on the hardened sandstone to soak in the surreal landscape.
Once done at the Wave, retrace your steps back up the trail to get back to the car. Some hikers will head for the road and attempt to follow it back to the trailhead, but there is no shoulder on the road, and there are even signs posted to dissuade hikers from attempting the somewhat dangerous trek. So play it safe and just follow the trail back to the car. Written by Greg Heil
The Fire Wave trail is far and away the most famous hike in Valley of Fire State Park, thanks to a mellow trail leading to a spectacular rock formation.
The hike begins by following a sandy track that slowly winds its way down from the trailhead. You'll begin at the top of the hill and have to hike down to the Fire Wave and thus finish with a climb back to the car. Thankfully, this entire 1.3-mile out-and-back hike only gains (and loses) ~200 feet of elevation.
The hiking to the Wave is easy and non-technical, and you'll get to enjoy views of a towering sandstone cliff face that looms above the trail. Before you know it, you'll reach the beginning of the sandstone slabs that form the Fire Wave.
The Fire Wave itself is a stunning sandstone rock formation that resembles an ocean wave with swirling patterns of red, white, and pink sandstone. Hikers will clamber all over the Wave to get their pics for Instagram, and professional photographers will set up at sunrise and sunset to capture the hues of the sandstone as it glows fiery red during golden hour. Be sure to take your time exploring the Wave, and consider hiking around on the hardened sandstone to soak in the surreal landscape.
Once done at the Wave, retrace your steps back up the trail to get back to the car. Some hikers will head for the road and attempt to follow it back to the trailhead, but there is no shoulder on the road, and there are even signs posted to dissuade hikers from attempting the somewhat dangerous trek. So play it safe and just follow the trail back to the car. Written by Greg Heil
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