United States National Park Service Areas in Nevada - National Natural Landmarks in Nevada, Valley of Fire State Park (Paperback)

Chapters: National Natural Landmarks in Nevada, Valley of Fire State Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, List of National Natural Landmarks in Nevada. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 24. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada's oldest state park. It covers an area of 34,880 acres (14,120 ha) and was dedicated in 1935. It derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs. These features, which are the centerpiece of the park's attractions, often appear to be on fire when reflecting the sun's rays. Valley of Fire is located 50 mi (80 km) northeast of Las Vegas, at an elevation between 2,0002,600 ft (610790 m). It abuts the Lake Mead National Recreation Area at the Virgin River confluence. It lies in a 4 by 6 mi (6.4 by 9.7 km) basin. Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created the present landscape. The rough floor and jagged walls of the park contain brilliant formations of eroded sandstone and sand dunes more than 150 million years old. Other important rock formations include limestones, shales, and conglomerates. The park entry from Interstate 15 passes through the Moapa Indian Reservation. The park has a visitor center that should be visited by anyone planning any off-road activities. The site is marked as Nevada Historical Marker 150. Valley of Fire Petroglyphs Elephant RockPrehistoric users of the Valley of Fire included the Ancient Pueblo Peoples, also known as the Anasazi, who were farmers from the nearby fertile Moapa Valley. Their approximate span of occupation has been dated from 300 B.C. to A.D. 1150. Their visits probably involved hunting, food gathering, and religious ceremonies, although scarcity of water would have limited...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1674925