Hotels near Valley of Fire State Park

Nevada's first state park, dedicated in 1935, covers roughly 40,000 acres of red Aztec sandstone about an hour northeast of the resort corridor. That hour is the point during race week. While crews weld grandstands onto Las Vegas Boulevard, Valley of Fire has petroglyphs carved around 2,000 years ago, the striped rock of the Fire Wave and the 1.1 mile White Domes Trail, and none of it knows the Grand Prix is happening. Entry is $15 (about €13) per non-Nevada vehicle and $10 (about €8.60) for Nevada plates. The park runs sunrise to sunset daily except a maintenance closure from 1 to 14 December; the visitor centre opens 09:00 to 16:00.

One race-week complication is worth planning around. Since 3 August 2026 the west entrance has been closed Monday through Thursday while contractors build a new entrance lane and a second fee booth, work Nevada State Parks expects to continue through the end of 2026. Thursday 19 November, the first day of running, falls inside that closure, so on Thursday you enter from the east on State Route 169 through Overton. Friday and Saturday the west entrance is open as normal. Mid-November sunset in southern Nevada lands close to 16:30, so a late start costs you a trail.

There is no public transport of any kind to Valley of Fire, and race week is the worst week of the year to hunt for a rental car in Las Vegas. Book the vehicle first, and allow extra time coming home.

Pro Tip: On Thursday 19 November leave the resort corridor by 07:30 and take Interstate 15 north to the Logandale and Overton exit, then State Route 169 south to the east entrance, which is open all week. On Friday and Saturday use Exit 75 and the west entrance instead. Fill the tank before you leave Las Vegas; there is no fuel inside the park.