Spring a great time of year to visit Valley of Fire

Cheerful golden sun rays nod their welcome to Valley of Fire State Park. These handsome relatives of sunflowers steal the wildflower show this spring, their exuberance drawing attention away from many other varieties. When visiting the park this month, take note of some of the lesser blooms, such as white-flowered gravel ghost, orange globe mallow, pale yellow primrose, pinkish-white dune primrose, lavender Mojave aster and tiny white rock aster. Several varieties of cactus finish up the spring show as hot summer days approach.

Located just an hour's drive north of Las Vegas 11 miles from Interstate 15 at exit 75, Valley of Fire attracts sightseers year-round, but most visitors find spring and autumn best for picnicking, camping, road biking and exploring on foot. No off-road vehicle use is allowed within the park. Rangers collect a $6 entrance fee at east and west entrances to the park's scenic drive.

Picturesquely named for the flaming colors of the sandstone formations exposed there, Valley of Fire protects thousands of acres of unique landscapes. Popular for recreation since pioneer times, Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest and largest state park. Named a park by the state legislature in the 1930s, the area early benefited from projects completed by the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC boys built the first visitor facilities, including the stone cabins where their careful craftsmanship still stands.

The park seems very busy this spring. Arrive early to avoid congestion at the visitor center and popular viewpoints where school buses, tour buses and tour company vans unload their passengers. The centrally located visitor center provides an introductory video and extensive exhibits and displays featuring the area's history and the desert plants and animals at home there.

Take time to visit the small gallery of photo studies and paintings featuring the park and other Southwestern beauty spots. A gift shop offers varied mementoes, gifts and books, including a selection of illustrated field guides helpful in identifying flowering plants. The visitor center remains open daily except Christmas from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If you plan to picnic, stake out your picnic table early at shaded picnic sites with grills at Atlatl Rock, Seven Sisters, the Cabins, Mouse's Tank or White Domes. White Domes, reached by a snaky drive several scenic miles north of Mouse's Tank, seems the least busy. All have restrooms and water. There is no additional charge for use of the picnic areas, but a fee applies at group sites, which require reservations.

Valley of Fire boasts more than 70 campsites concentrated at a couple of campgrounds near Atlatl Rock. Campsites in Valley of Fire State Park are available on a first-come basis. Fees of $14 per vehicle include the $6 entry fee. Campsites with hookups for RV use cost more. The campgrounds fill up fast at this season, so plan for arrival before noon for best site selection.

Named for an ancient hunting relic discovered there, Atlatl Rock features an extensive display of petroglyphs left by native people long ago. Steep stairs take visitors high up the cliff to more closely view the rock art symbols that include geometric designs and representations of humans and animals.

Look for ore petroglyphs on the short hike to Mouse's Tank, a rock catch basin that holds rainwater for weeks after a storm, one of the park's new natural water sources. Named for an early renegade who hid out in the maze of canyons in Valley of Fire, the tank probably provided him with water. Water available today throughout the park comes from a deep well.

If you explore on foot elsewhere among the eroded sandstone formations, you likely will discover even more examples of petroglyphs. Ask at the visitor center about cross country routes to points of interest. A few short designated trails include the walk to Mouse's Tank, a stroll to the Cabins and a route through the petrified logs, a legacy left from an early time when the region had forests. When you hike in the area, carry plenty of drinking water, wear boots or closed shoes, slather on sunblock and don a wide-brimmed hat.

Margo Bartlett Pesek's column appears on Sundays.