Last weekend, we took a spontaneous day trip to Valley of Fire State Park—just a short drive from Las Vegas—with our 2.5 year old twins and our neighbors who have kids ages 7, 4, 2.5. Yes, it was 100 degrees. Yes, we still went. And yes, it ended up being a great family adventure!
With a cooler full of water and snacks, and sun hats, we set off early in the morning determined to make some desert magic happen before the midday heat kicked in.
When writing this post in 2025, Valley of Fire State Park closes most of the trails in mid-May because of the dangerous heat. We ended up here just 3 days before the trail closures.
First Stop: Elephant Rock
Our first adventure was the Elephant Rock trail, a short, family-friendly walk right next to the east entrance of the park. The rock formation really does look like an elephant, and the kids were super excited to practice their elephant noises upon seeing the animal of rocks.
There is a nice shaded area with some State Park fun-facts, and some restrooms- which were very useful with the kids.
But the real highlight? On the trail, we saw a huge lizard darting across the red rocks! The kids all loved looking at the lizard and watching it run and look for shade. We continued to look for other lizards and desert animals the rest of the trip because the kids were so excited to see what they could find.
The kids were in full explorer mode, climbing in and out of the rock holes and pretending they were caves. They loved finding the super small holes and seeing if they could fit inside.
Not only was climbing in the holes fun- but they were some great shade and cooling spots.
On the trail, we took it slow and paused often for water. Early morning is definitely the way to go in late spring/summer!
Cooling Off at the Visitor Center
After our mini hike, we made our way to the Valley of Fire Visitor Center—and it really was the best decision of the day. The air conditioning felt fantastic, and it gave everyone a chance to cool off and reset. There were also water filling stations where we easily filled up all of our water bottles.
The kids were fascinated by the exhibits, especially the displays of desert animals, bones, and Native American artifacts. (The adults were pretty fascinated too!)
After taking advantage of the water bottle refill station and restrooms (which were clean and easy to access)- we made our way to our next stop.
Pro tip: if you’re going in hot weather with kids, make this your halfway stop. It’s the perfect combo of educational and refreshing.
Lunch at the Seven Sisters
After the Visitor Center, we drove right down the road to the Seven Sisters area, where we had our packed picnic lunch. This spot has several shaded picnic tables that sit among tall red rock formations. It was the perfect area to cool down under the shade and have some lunch.
We kept lunch simple: sandwiches, cold juice boxes, and fruit.
We also used the ice packs that kept the food cool to cool ourselves down from the heat!
We stayed for about an hour, relaxing and soaking in the scenery and took some great family pictures before leaving.
Wrapped Up by Early Afternoon
By 1 PM, the heat was getting intense, the kids were getting cranky and we were all starting to slow down. We loaded up, put the A/C on blast, and within ten minutes both kids were out cold in the backseat—sweaty, tired, and totally happy.
Reflections from the Red Rock
Even with the heat, Valley of Fire delivered. The kids got to run wild, explore nature, and imagine new worlds inside ancient rock formations. And we got to see them fully unplugged and in their element.
I love a good family hike. I love watching the kids run around and get dirty, and just be kids. This State Park definetly allows for that.
If you’re planning a trip to Valley of Fire with young kids, here are my mom-approved tips:
- Go early in the day
- Stop at the Visitor Center for A/C, water, and bathrooms
- Bring tons of water and snacks
- Look for shaded spots like Seven Sisters for lunch
- Let the kids climb and explore (safely)
It was hot. It was sandy. And it was so worth it.
