These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
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White Domes Trail is the first hike I’ve ever done in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, years ago. Dustin was jealous because I went with my girlfriends instead of taking him. So, after hiking the awesome yet treacherous Moapa Peak trail, not too far from the Valley of Fire, I decided to take Dustin and our friend Terry on this short hike to stretch our sore muscles. The White Domes Trail, a very popular hike in Valley of Fire, is known for its stunning narrow slot canyon. However, it also has other awesome features such as interesting rock formations, colorful rock walls, an old movie set, and breathtaking scenery. This trail is perfect for beginners and families.
White Domes Trail Trailhead
36.485885, -114.532867
There is a decent size paved parking lot in front of the trailhead.
Valley of Fire State Park charges a fee to enter. For more information, please visit their website.
Vault toilet at the trailhead.
Dogs are allowed but they need to be on a leash.
This trail is closed from June 1 through October 1 due to the heat. This seasonal trail closure is intended to protect the life and safety of the park’s visitors and staff. For more info, check out the park’s website.
1.1 mi Loop
177 ft
Easy to Moderate.
30 mins to 1 hour
We recommend going early or later in the evening to avoid the heat. The rocks are also more vibrant in the softer light too.
White Domes Trail is located at the end of the scenic Mouse’s Tank Road inside Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. It is about 1 hour from Las Vegas. The best route to Valley of Fire from Las Vegas is through the I-15.
Take I-15 North toward Utah for about 33 miles before exiting off Valley of Fire Hwy. Then, follow Valley of Fire Hwy for about 18 miles to the junction of Mouse’s Tank Road. Turn left onto Mouse’s Tank Road and follow it toward the end where a big parking lot is located. The trailhead is at the end of the parking lot.
We got to the parking lot for White Domes Trail bright early. Even so, because it was on the weekend, we barely managed to snatch one of the last few parking spots. After parking, we walked toward the trailhead, marked by informational signages. Even though this trail is a loop, this is the start of the trail and runs through one direction. At the start of this hike, there are multiple warning signs about the heat. This whole area gets very warm, especially during the summer. So, we don’t recommend going hiking during that time. The White Domes Trail closes during the hottest season of the year, from June 1 through October 1. If you do this hike any time of the year, make sure to bring A LOT of water.
After the heat warning signs, we followed the sandy wash on White Domes Trail through the tall sandstone formations. Soon, we came across a big sandstone fin on the left-hand side. Terry bolted up to the top of the fin. Dustin and I begrudgingly followed him as our legs screamed their little hearts out. The view from the top of this fin is quite pretty. We could look down to the White Domes Trail below.
Once we climbed back down, we continued to follow along the wash. The trail is so sandy and it’s a bit tiring to walk. It makes the White Domes Trail feel longer than it really is. Not too long after the fin, we got to a short, rocky section of the trail. It’s not bad but it can be challenging for some people. The views along White Domes Trail just keep getting better and better. It’s hard to describe in detail. It’s something that you have to see in person to really appreciate its beauty. There is so much to see here that if you put 10 people here, they all see different things.
Soon enough, we reached the ruins of the movie set. It is a wall made of stone with timbers and plaster, a leftover from a 1965 movie production. This was where they used to film The Professionals. Valley of Fire State Park was also a filming location for other movies such as Transformers, Casino, Total Recall, Star Trek: Generations, and Austin Powers. There is an informational sign here if you want to learn more about this location.
After leaving the ruins, we followed the trail marker on White Domes Trail to go right, along the wavy canyon walls. These walls got taller and narrower the further we went. They got narrow enough for all of us to stem it. This section reminded us of the slot canyon at Buckskin Gulch. If you haven’t visited that one, we highly recommend it. Buckskin Gulch is one of the longest continuous slot canyons in the world. By the way, as with any slot canyons, don’t be here when there’s rain in the forecast. There’s flashflood.
The slot canyon section on White Domes Trail is quite short. After leaving the slot section, we continue the trail by following the trail marker. This last section is where we found colorful rocks and interesting wind caves. My favorite are those colorful rocks composed of pink and yellow. They reminded me of rainbow sherbet. Toward the end, the White Domes trail meets back up with the Mouse’s Tank Road, then tracing along the parking lot, making a loop.
If you’re looking for more hikes in the area, we recommend the Fire Wave hike down the street. Or you can combine that with Pastel Canyon. For more things to see, check out our scenic road drive. If you love slot canyons, there is one near Lake Mead, not too far from Las Vegas, the White Owl Canyon. And if you love hot springs and slot canyon together, check out the Arizona Hot Springs! That trail is awesome.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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