Spring 2019: Valley of Fire State Park (Nevada)

Valley of Fire State Park is quite a gem.  I place it in the “red rock” category, and I love red rock areas.

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These rocks reveal odd erosional patterns, e.g. a circle (center) and caves (above).
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The red rocks and the green mountains were formed by separate geological events separated by long ages. For me, part of the enjoyment is seeing the contrasts beetween the two.
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Over the eons, water has given these horizontally layered rocks these gentle curves.
Is there any wonder why this place is called the Valley of Fire?
Is there any wonder why this place is called the Valley of Fire?
Petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock
Petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock
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The Charlies’s Spring Trail doesn’t end until it reaches Charlie’s Spring a little lower, but the hiking sharts getting pretty difficult here. I discovered an old interesting-looking intersecting trail nearby and decided to take it instead despite the interesting scene in this canyon.
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Look what I found beyond the end of the trail. Although this is a popular park, I bet almost no one ever goes here. It’s hard to believe that a popular park can have places like this that are so underappreciated.