One of the most colorful places in Nevada is Valley of Fire State Park. My husband, dog, and I frequent this magical place filled with sandstone creations. Each hike has a different pigment of the stone and variations in the sand. A trail we particularly love to run on is the Fire wave trail. We first came across this path while hiking. My husband sat to relax and I painted. Later, we both grew to love it for our run. It has a nice balance of flat terrain and hills to push ourselves. I am glad we always take time to stop and appreciate such a beautiful place!
The trail is quiet and peaceful in the early hours when the sun is just starting to rise. The flowers bloom alongside the sandy path. Our dog loves to stop and smell the flowers when they are first starting to wake up. We are all intrigued by cactus flowers. My husband likes to see if the desert tortoises have eaten any of the paddles and I like to photograph them for future paintings.
The trail comes to a downhill slide into a wash. The wash is filled with sand and stone where we could spend hours exploring. The erosion and lines in the rock are captivating. The run is very tranquil and afterwards we hike for a while so we can take photos of what we really enjoy. I am thankful that I can come home and paint our memories and share them with everyone. I have really been excited about painting the many different species of flowers in the desert. The Fire Wave trail is filled with so much beauty it is hard to see it all in one trip. The desert is ever changing with wind, sands of time, and glorious rain storms. We see something new each time we visit the park. We are grateful that we live so close to this wonderful place.
The hike can get really hot in the summertime so be careful and always remember to bring a water bottle! I hope you enjoy this post and are able to find an amazing hike where you live that you truly love.
-Karen Hilliard