Valley of Fire — Travelrags

Atlas ObscuraOct 15, 2025

The Explorer’s Guide to Nevada’s Night Skies

Nevada’s big night sky nearly bursts with twinkling stars, and you don’t have to travel far to trade the urban lights for celestial spectacle. In Valley of Fire, just an hour outside Las Vegas, inky black skies are interrupted only by awe-inspiring rock formations. And Great Basin National Park, located near the Utah border, is internationally renowned for its designation as a dark sky park. Wh…

15 things in this story

Valley of FireTrailNevada’s oldest state park, known for red sandstone
Great Basin National ParkTrailinternationally renowned dark sky park near Utah border
Lehman CavesSightethereal stalactites and stalagmites inside the park
Black Rock PlayaSightflat, dry expanse famous for Burning Man
Wheeler PeakSighthighest point in Great Basin National Park
Mountain View TrailTraillowest trail in Great Basin National Park
Perseid Meteor ShowerFestivalmeteor shower that bursts through the sky each August
Walker River State Recreation AreaSightfive distinct park units, formerly large ranches
Nine Mile RanchSightleast developed park unit, also known as the “Elbow”
Bighorn CampgroundSightcampground at Nine Mile Ranch with river access
Lunar CraterSightvolcanic field with 400-acre crater, NASA training site
East Walker RiverSightriver running through rolling landscape
Dark Horse NebulaSightnebula in the Milky Way’s Great Rift
Andromeda GalaxySight
Triangulum GalaxySight

Read the full piece at Atlas Obscura →