Photographing the Valley of Fire

I was staying in Las Vegas and drove out to the Valley of Fire early in the morning. The drive from Las Vegas is roughly an hour, depending on where you are, but that is just to get to the entrance gate. If you are after a particular time (sunrise/sunset), I would recommend an additional 30 minutes at least to find your spot. It is $10 to get in for the day, camping varies depending on your situation. There are group use areas and standard camp sites as well. Any of the locations here are well marked on any map of the park and should be easy to find.

My goal was to make it before sunrise so I would be able to find a spot to wait for the sunrise. It didn't work out like I wanted, but I was able to get to a great place in time. I started out at the Silica Dome and set up to capture the sun coming through the Fire Canyon. Spectacular light coming through the rock formations and incredible patterns and textures in the rock. I could have easily spent the entire day wandering though the Fire Canyon but, as this was my first time there, I didn't want to miss out on other parts of the park. If you do spend the day in here make sure that you stay oriented to where you are and where you need to get back to. It can be easy to get turned around once you get into the canyon.

After I caught my morning light, I headed back past thr Rainbow Vista (spectacular) and headed to the Arch Rock/Atlatl Rock loop. The Arch rock is right near the parking area, so it was more of a stroll than a hike. If you catch the sun just right, later in the morning during the summer, you can get some great light coming through the arch. 

On my way back to the park exit, I stopped at the Beehives. These are rock formations that look like huge cartoon beehives made out of rock. Not only are these unique and interesting, but there are some great landscape views from this spot. 

Everything that I mentioned has easy parking access and is relatively close to the road, but you can delve into the less traveled areas. I can't say enough about the colors that surround you in this area. I was lucky enough to be there during a time when the vegetation was green and offered a stark contrast to the blazing red rocks. It was worth every minute of the drive and more than every penny of the entrance fee. If you love the desert, you can't miss this spot!

If you decide to explore this awesome place, definitely pack food for your time out there and plenty of water. The heat can get intense, so any and all sun protection you can think of. There are bathrooms well marked on the maps, but be prepared if you are hiking. Photographically, make sure to bring a tripod for sure. Any filters are your own discretion, graduated neutral density wouldn't go amiss. Lastly, if you want to stay into the night and do any night photography, I would bring a light to light up the rock formations and make sure not to forget your trigger!