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As one of the longest trails in Valley of Fire, this is a good trail to log some miles.


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Map Key

7.1

Miles

11.4

KM

98%

Runnable

2,483' 757 m

High

1,686' 514 m

Low

193' 59 m

Up

902' 275 m

Down

3%

Avg Grade (2°)

19%

Max Grade (11°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Wildlife

Valley of Fire is open sunrise to sunset. You need to be in or near your vehicle by sunset. An entrance fee of $8 for Nevada residents or $10 for non-residents is required.

Runner Notes

If you are doing an out-and-back from the park entrance, it is about a 15 mile run. There are no places to refill hydration pack along the trail, so start off with enough water to get you through this run.

Description

The trailhead is about 0.5 miles from the west entrance on the right side of the Valley of Fire highway. The trail is marked with an arrowhead on one side and a hiker on the other attached to a post about 4 ft in height. These signs are found throughout the trail, and you can't go more than 0.25 miles without seeing one.

This trail is not well maintained in certain places, so it is very easy to go off route, miss a sign and think a wash is the trail. Throughout this trail, you'll cross many washes, so be aware of this fact. The trail consists of mostly single and doubletrack. To start, about 1 mile into the trail, you'll pass some cool red rocks just to your left as the trail bends around these formations. At about 1.5 miles into the trail, you'll cross your first of many washes. (Side note, this first wash can be used as an alternate route. It follows adjacent to the actual trail and pretty much stays to the left of the trail, if you're heading west to east, for the next ~4 miles until you re-intercept the Arrowhead Trail with the sign on the left side of the wash up on a small embankment at about the 5-5.5 mile mark. If you follow this wash, you'll notice it spans out nearly 100 ft wide in some places. This wash is very manageable, consisting of mostly compact gravel and hard dirt/clay. I would consider it just as good as the trail itself, and you are less likely to make a wrong turn. This wash does have some tripping hazards like exposed fiber optic cables, so be careful).

If you stay on trail, I marked this first wash crossing with a rock pile; hopefully, you have success crossing your first wash. You'll notice on this trail, it can be difficult to determine if you are still on trail. If you scan the horizon, you can usually spot your next trail sign off in the distance which will keep you on the path. The Trail Run Project mobile app is pretty accurate as well, so if your carrying your phone and see that you drifted from the route then you might want to retrace steps.

At mile ~5, you'll cross that same giant wash mentioned as alternate route. Once you get across this wash and see the sign on embankment, the terrain changes into a darker rock/clay and its very scenic over the next mile (easy to lose the trail on this section) until you eventually hit the V. of F. highway. Cross the street and continue heading west for about 0.25 miles where you'll come upon a dirt parking area leading to entrance to Elephant Rock Loop, a very sandy and a bit rocky, but the most enjoyable section of the trail.

Flora & Fauna

Bighorn sheep and wild rabbits abound. This trail is preferable in the winter when temps are cooler. The trail spans the Nevada desert, so I would avoid running it in the middle of the summer. In the summer, you always have to keep your head on a swivel for rattlesnakes as well.

Contacts

Shared By:

Dave JM with improvements by HG Hiker

Trail Ratings

  2.5 from 2 votes

#45477

Overall
  2.5 from 2 votes
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Trail Rankings

#328

in Nevada

#45,477

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1,334 Since Feb 17, 2017
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Photos

While it looks like its name to many, Elephant Rock looks like an excavator to my wife.
Mar 5, 2017 near Moapa V…, NV
Elephant Rock
Dec 7, 2017 near Moapa V…, NV
View to the north past the park boundary.
Oct 24, 2021 near Moapa V…, NV
Coming over the ridge on the Old Arrowhead Road and looking into the heart of Valley of Fire State Park.
Oct 24, 2021 near Moapa V…, NV
Entering Elephant Rock loop from Valley of Fire highway
Dec 7, 2017 near Moapa V…, NV
Fiber optic cables in giant wash.
Dec 7, 2017 near Moapa V…, NV

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