Vegas on Two Wheels: Valley of Fire


It’s been a while since I have done a scenic ride for you and myself for that matter. Las Vegas is a special place for these kinds of rides. It holds some of the most beautiful scenic rides in the southwest. They are the city’s secret gems. One gem, in particular, can be found just north of Las Vegas and rises out of the east. It’s called the Valley of Fire!

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It is a bit of a ride to get there, though. You take the I-15 north for a good 30-40min clear into the Sierra Nevada Desert. Exit 75 onto the Valley of Fire Highway and hold on tight! I-15 is a great ride and with little law enforcement on that stretch of road, you can really rip on the throttle! But as soon as you hit the Valley of Fire Highway, things change big time! Cops are basically non-existent, but the road is not ideal for the two-wheeled motorist. Large cracks, potholes, and mounds of sand littler this highway for miles. The road dips up and down constantly and whips around from left to right. Some of the downhills are more than 15 degrees and then exit immediately into a hairpin turn. This road should be taken slow if you are a newbie to riding. For the “Live to Ride” biker, take caution; keeping speed between 30 and 50 mph is ideal.

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There is a small fee to enter the national park but one you arrive, the roads are smooth and seamless. Unfortunately, wailing on the throttle is almost guaranteed a 200 dollar fine due to wildlife officers monitoring speeds from the air via helicopters and from the ground, so you will have to keep to the 25-35mph speed limits inside the park.

Honestly, it’s worth your while to keep it slow anyways. As soon as you enter the park, you begin to understand why they call it the Valley of FIRE. Towering rock formations, mountains, and rolling hills seem to be painted in reds, oranges, pinks, and whites. They remind me of a watercolor painting with all of these colors melting and transitioning into each other both horizontally and vertically.

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Each layer in the rock is unique and just like Red Rock, each layer represents a period of time. It tells a story, its visual and physical history and completely fascinated me the entire time I was in the park.

There are several roads to take within the park that lead to different rock formations but in my opinion, follow the road that leads to Rainbow Rock. You climb a steep, narrow road that winds through these burnt red cliffs that tower above you. The rock is plagued with hollow points and holes that scatter up the cliffs reminding me of honeycomb. At the top, the cliffs drop off to the sides and open to the Rainbow Rock range! It runs in the distance for a few miles bleeding desert reds, oranges, pinks, tans, browns, and whites across the horizon, like a fire slowly billowing in the distance; smoldering. It’s an incredible site, an overwhelming meal for the eyes.

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The road continues into these rocks and dead ends. It’s time to get off the bike and climb; it’s worth the 15 min hike in full-on bike equipment and boots to look at the world from the top of the fire. Take it in, breathe deep and soon you will feel you worries and trivial thoughts about your life melt away. It’s quiet here. There are no honking horns, people screaming or crying, trains and planes rolling or flying by. It’s just…quiet. When I ride out here I feel connected to the bigger picture and, for a moment, absolute peace comes over me.

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This place is not just a great place to ride; it’s a spa, a vacation for the soul. Oh and just a reminder, this place is a part of LAS VEGAS! You know, the place everyone THINKS is just drugs, sex, drinking, night clubs, buffets, and gambling. It’s ok, though. I thought Vegas was that too before I moved here. But this city is the perfect example of not judging a book by its’ cover. Inside this book is something deeper something beautiful, and I love sharing its pages to anyone who will listen.

[Photos: Greg Bennett]

4 thoughts on “Vegas on Two Wheels: Valley of Fire

  1. Red Rock is west of the strip and valley of fire is north-east . I have been to red rock and love it. That quiet peace is what i got mid loop on a lookout. Now i have to go to valley of fire.

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