Fire Canyon Wash in Valley of Fire State Park, NV

Hike Fire Canyon Wash Valley of Fire State Park, NV

Class 3 7.2 miles 400 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Mar 26, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Fire Canyon Wash GPX Track

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Starting from the Mouse's Tank Trailhead, follow the super-popular trail through Petroglyph Canyon to the unremarkable Mouse's Tank, which is just a series of keeper potholes. Bypass the Mouse's Tank drop-off just to its left and then continue down the wash. You'll pass through short section of narrows, where there's a short Class 3/4 drop (sometimes there is a stack of rocks to help get up/down). Just past here is another drop-off, avoidable on the left via a Class 2 slope. The rest of the hike down Fire Canyon Wash follows a sandy wash with gorgeous and chaotic red sandstone features all around you and no more scrambling. I went the entirety of the wash over to the eastern end of Valley of Fire State Park, but you can turn around at any point.

Unfortunately, Ephemeral Arch apparently broke a few years back, but you can still see Thing Arch, as well as a million other little natural arches everywhere. I noticed one particularly large arch on the cliffside, and as a side-trip, find a Class 2+ route up to that arch to get a nice overhead view of Fire Canyon Wash. I didn't include this side-trip in the hike stats (see map for where it's located).

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Along the Mouse's Tank Trail.
Along the Mouse's Tank Trail.
Mouse's Tank, I guess.
Mouse's Tank, I guess.
Continuing down Fire Canyon Wash.
Continuing down Fire Canyon Wash.
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Narrow section of Fire Canyon Wash.
Narrow section of Fire Canyon Wash.
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The narrow section opens up and becomes a sandy and pretty wash.
The narrow section opens up and becomes a sandy and pretty wash.
Ridiculously large red rock features.
Ridiculously large red rock features.
Wide open wash with colossal red rock features.
Wide open wash with colossal red rock features.
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Lots of random natural arches along Fire Canyon Wash.
Lots of random natural arches along Fire Canyon Wash.
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Thing Arch, just off to the right as you head down.
Thing Arch, just off to the right as you head down.
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Another set of arches.
Another set of arches.
Heading up the side of the wash toward an unnamed arch I noticed.
Heading up the side of the wash toward an unnamed arch I noticed.
The unnamed arch.
The unnamed arch.
Another view of the unnamed arch looking into Fire Canyon Wash.
Another view of the unnamed arch looking into Fire Canyon Wash.
Fire Canyon Wash starts to get boring toward the end.
Fire Canyon Wash starts to get boring toward the end.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!