Sunset Park at East Sunset Road and S. Eastern Avenue is a traditional urban recreational park with ballfields and playgrounds. While lacking an extensive trail system, there is fresh green grass and shade trees aplenty that will be a welcome sight for any dog visiting Las Vegas. A paved trail traces the edge of a prominent artificial pond and beyond that is a patch of undeveloped mesquite-dunes land similar to what all Las Vegas looked like before the coming of neon.
For some serious hikes with your dog head out of town to the northeast and Valley of Fire State Park. The stunning red sandstone rock formations that give the Valley of Fire its name are the result of great shifting sand dunes. Two thousand years ago the Basket Maker people traveled here and left rock art reminders of their visits that can be seen today. In 1935 the Valley of Fire, now 34,000 acres, was dedicated as Nevada's first state park.
Dogs are welcome on all nine short interpretive trails, all easily accessed from the main park roadways. In many places the hiking is over fine red sand trails. The feature trail here is the White Domes Loop Trail in the far northern section of the park. The path circles through rock formations and a slot canyon on its one-mile odyssey. Look for the stone ruins of a movie set from The Professionals when Lee Marvin led a crew of four hard-edged adventurers on a rescue mission for a kidnapped woman. Many movies have used the Valley of Fire as a backdrop but this is the only set in the park as filmmakers are no longer allowed to abandon their sets.
The quick hikes in the Valley of Fire are especially attractive for dogs visiting in the summer when the sun's rays bouncing off the red rocks make the landscape appear on fire - and feel like it. Canine hikers visiting Las Vegas in more hospitable weather can also enjoy red rocks just west of town, heading out West Charleston Boulevard to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A 13-mile scenic drive winds through the iron-tinged sandstone mountains and climbs about 1000 feet. Parking areas are liberally sprinkled along the route that provide access to 19 hiking trails. Many of the routes explore side canyons with only moderate elevation gains of a few hundred feet.
The most difficult of the Red Rock Canyon trails is the climb along the Turtlehead Peak Trail. This five-mile round trip is never too punishing as it makes its way to the 6,323-foot summit. Your purchase is sweeping views of the Calico Hills and the city of Las Vegas.
To reach Valley of Fire State Park take I-15 north out of Las Vegas for 55 miles to the Valley of Fire Road. Head east to the park's West Entrance Station.
copyright 2006
Doug Gelbert is the author of over 20 books, including The Canine Hiker's Bible. To subscribe to his FREE Newsletter on hiking with your dog and receive a copy of Rules for Dogs in 100 of the Most Popular National Park Service Lands, visit http://www.hikewithyourdog.com In the warmer months he leads canine hikes for hikewithyourdog.com tours, guiding packs of dogs and humans on hiking adventures. Tours, ranging from one-day trips to multi-day explorations, visit parks, historical sites and beaches.
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