These are the show notes for the third of three guest appearances by Lauren Eber, from @afamwithavan about spring desert camping in the great American west. In this three part trilogy Jeremy interviews Lauren about Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.

To listen to Lauren give an overview of Valley of Fire State Park and recommend campgrounds inside and outside of the park, click here.

Lauren loves all three of these locations dearly and she has extensive dry camping experience in all three locations with her family and their beloved van. To listen to Jeremy interview Lauren about Valley of Fire State Park, click on the media player above. Or subscribe to The RV Atlas wherever you get your podcasts. Or just read on for Lauren's extensive show notes about Valley of Fire State Park--in them she includes recommendations for camping inside and outside of the park. She also includes great recommendations for activities and a few options for great food. Thanks to Lauren for contributing such amazing content to The RV Atlas podcast!

Guest Show Notes by Lauren Eber

Valley of Fire State Park 

Getting There: Only a 1 hour drive from Las Vegas, and 2 hours from Zion. Very easy stop either en route to other Western National Parks and sights or as a side trip from Vegas. From Vegas, take Highway 15 for about 50 miles and then turn right onto Valley of Fire Highway, or continue towards the town of Overton and turn right on Highway 169. The park can be accessed from either side, and there is dispersed camping outside both entrances. No park shuttle, so bring your own transportation. The park has spotty cell service, but wi-fi is available for a fee.

Overview: Valley of Fire is a small but dramatic Nevada State Park. It is very popular, especially in spring, but totally manageable even without reservations, especially if you are open to boondocking. It features deep red sandstone rock formations, ancient petroglyphs, and petrified trees, and is definitely worthy of the trip. It makes a very convenient stopping point on the way to better known parks, but it is a star in its own right. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100F and stay high even at night, so stick to the shoulder seasons. 

 

Camping In and Around Valley of Fire State Park

State Park Campgrounds in the Park: The park has 2 official campgrounds, Atlatl Rock and Arch Rock. Atlatl Rock is the main campground, has flush toilets and showers, shade structures, fire pits, flat tent pads, and even has about 20 sites with water and electric hookups and a dump station, a few pull-throughs, can fit RVs up to 35 feet. Arch rock is smaller, with pit toilets and no showers, and geared toward tent camping. Both campgrounds are first-come, first-served and fill up quickly, especially on weekends in fall and spring. And both are surrounded by beautiful red rock formations.

Dispersed Camping / Boondocking Outside the Park: One of the best things about Valley of Fire State Park is the ample availability of easy boondocking on public lands outside the park. When dispersed camping, it is important to leave no trace. Camp on previously impacted areas, preferably with stone fire rings that other campers have left there before, and pack out all of your trash and waste. There are zero facilities, so bring your own food, water, and bathroom (or a good shovel). There are three possible areas to conveniently dispersed camp near Valley of Fire. 

The first, and our top recommendation, is the Snowbird Mesa, aka Poverty Flats, area off of Highway 169, near Overton. This is a very popular and easily accessible boondocking area, with many people who come here over and over and stay a while. If you’ve never tried dispersed camping before,