Moapa Valley trades neon for nature. An hour northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, this quiet farming valley along the Muddy River is the gateway to Valley of Fire State Park, Lake Mead’s Overton Arm, and nearly two thousand years of Native and pioneer history. A few of these picks sit just past the towns at the park or the lake, so think of this as the best things to do in and around Moapa Valley. Here are 10.
What’s in This Guide
- 1. Explore Valley of Fire State Park
- 2. Hike the Fire Wave
- 3. Visit the Lost City Museum
- 4. See the Mouse’s Tank Petroglyphs
- 5. Boat the Overton Arm of Lake Mead
- 6. Ride the Logandale Trails
- 7. Walk the Warm Springs Natural Area
- 8. Hike the St. Thomas Ghost Town
- 9. Find Atlatl Rock
- 10. Catch the Clark County Fair & Rodeo
Plan your trip:
- Valley of Fire is the headline: the scenic drive, the Fire Wave, and ancient petroglyphs anchor any visit.
- The Lost City Museum in Overton gives real context to the valley’s 2,000-year Native history.
- Lake Mead’s Overton Arm and the Logandale Trails add water and off-road adventure.
- The re-emerged St. Thomas ghost town is a haunting, only-here experience.
- Visit October through May, summer heat closes key trails and is genuinely dangerous.
The 10 Best Things to Do
1. Explore Valley of Fire State Park
The reason most people come north, Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada’s oldest and largest, roughly 40,000 acres of blazing red Aztec sandstone. Start with the scenic drive and the visitor center, then branch out to the trails and viewpoints. Even a slow loop through the park by car is unforgettable. Address: Valley of Fire Highway, Overton, NV 89040.
2. Hike the Fire Wave
The park’s signature hike leads to the Fire Wave, a surreal bowl of red-and-cream striped slickrock that looks painted. It is a relatively short but exposed round trip, best at golden hour for photography. Note that this trail closes annually from mid-May through September for heat safety, so plan a cool-season visit and start early.
3. Visit the Lost City Museum
In Overton, the Lost City Museum preserves artifacts of the Ancestral Puebloans who farmed this valley for a thousand years, much of it rescued before Lake Mead flooded the sites. Walk through reconstructed adobe pueblos and see pottery, basketry, and tools. It pairs perfectly with Valley of Fire. Address: 721 S Moapa Valley Blvd, Overton, NV 89040. Phone: (702) 397-2193.
4. See the Mouse’s Tank Petroglyphs
Also called Petroglyph Canyon, the short Mouse’s Tank trail in Valley of Fire passes one of the densest concentrations of ancient rock art in the state, etched by Native peoples thousands of years ago. The easy sandy walk ends at a natural water-collecting basin. It is one of the most rewarding short hikes in southern Nevada.
5. Boat the Overton Arm of Lake Mead
Just east of the valley, the Overton Arm is the quiet northern reach of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, with boating, fishing, paddling, and shoreline camping, usually far less crowded than the southern marinas. Overton Beach is the main local access point. Access via Northshore Road, Overton, NV 89040.
6. Ride the Logandale Trails
The BLM-managed Logandale Trails system spreads over 200 miles of routes through colorful sandstone country, popular for off-highway vehicles, horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking. It is a local favorite and a big draw for the OHV community. Access off NV-169 near Logandale, NV 89021.
Book a Valley of Fire Day Trip
7. Walk the Warm Springs Natural Area
The Warm Springs Natural Area near Moapa protects rare desert wetlands fed by warm springs, with easy interpretive trails and abundant birdlife. Nearby, the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge shelters the endangered Moapa dace, a tiny fish found nowhere else on Earth. It is a gentle, family-friendly contrast to the red rock. Access near Moapa, NV 89025.
8. Hike the St. Thomas Ghost Town
One of the region’s most unusual experiences: the pioneer town of St. Thomas, flooded by Lake Mead in the 1930s, has re-emerged as the lake has dropped. A trail within Lake Mead National Recreation Area leads among the exposed foundations of a town that spent decades underwater. Access depends on lake levels, so confirm conditions first. Access off Northshore Road, Overton, NV 89040.
9. Find Atlatl Rock
Back in Valley of Fire, Atlatl Rock features some of the park’s most striking petroglyphs, including a depiction of the atlatl, an ancient spear-throwing tool, reached by a metal stairway up the rock face. It is a quick, high-impact stop near the campground and a favorite with families.
10. Catch the Clark County Fair & Rodeo
If you visit in April, the Clark County Fair and Rodeo in Logandale is one of the largest community events in southern Nevada, with rides, livestock, rodeo, music, and food that capture the valley’s rural heart. It is a window into a side of Nevada the Strip never shows. Address: Clark County Fairgrounds, 1301 Whipple Ave, Logandale, NV 89021.
How to Prioritize Your Day
If your time is limited, here is how these stack up by priority, difficulty, and impact:
| Activity | Priority | Difficulty | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valley of Fire scenic drive | Must-do | Easy | Very high |
| Fire Wave hike | Must-do | Moderate | Very high |
| Lost City Museum | Must-do | Easy | High |
| Mouse’s Tank petroglyphs | Recommended | Easy | High |
| Overton Arm of Lake Mead | Adventure pick | Moderate | High |
| Logandale Trails | Adventure pick | Moderate | High |
| Warm Springs Natural Area | Add-on | Easy | Medium |
| St. Thomas ghost town | Adventure pick | Moderate | High |
| Atlatl Rock | Add-on | Easy | Medium |
| Clark County Fair (April) | Seasonal | Easy | Medium |
Getting Around
Personal Sedan Services runs Moapa Valley and Valley of Fire trips from any Las Vegas hotel at pre-confirmed fixed rates with no surge pricing. The valley is about an hour up I-15, with no transit and attractions spread across miles of rural highway, so a chauffeured vehicle makes the day effortless: photograph the Fire Wave at golden hour, browse the Lost City Museum, and take in Lake Mead without the long desert drive, parking, or fuel stops. For sightseeing and day trips see our attractions transportation service, and for the full background, see the Moapa Valley city guide.
Source: Travel Nevada on Moapa Valley | Nevada State Parks, Valley of Fire
Summary: 10 Things to Do in Moapa Valley
| # | Activity | Why It Matters | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley of Fire State Park | Nevada’s oldest, largest park, red sandstone wonderland | Easy |
| 2 | Fire Wave hike | The park’s iconic striped slickrock | Moderate |
| 3 | Lost City Museum | 2,000 years of Native history in Overton | Easy |
| 4 | Mouse’s Tank petroglyphs | Dense ancient rock art on an easy trail | Easy |
| 5 | Overton Arm of Lake Mead | Quiet boating and paddling | Moderate |
| 6 | Logandale Trails | 200+ miles of OHV and trail riding | Moderate |
| 7 | Warm Springs Natural Area | Rare desert wetlands and wildlife | Easy |
| 8 | St. Thomas ghost town | A town that rose back out of Lake Mead | Moderate |
| 9 | Atlatl Rock | Striking, easy-access petroglyphs | Easy |
| 10 | Clark County Fair & Rodeo | Southern Nevada’s rural heart, each April | Easy |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources and Notes
Recommendations combine public information from Nevada State Parks, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and Travel Nevada with Personal Sedan Services knowledge of Valley of Fire and Lake Mead day trips. Several listed activities sit just beyond the towns at the park or the lake and are included as in and around Moapa Valley. Park trail closures (May 15 to September 30), museum hours, fees, and St. Thomas access change with season and lake level, so confirm before you go. Drive times are approximate. Last updated May 2026.
