Valley of Fire

This State Park is an easy drive along I-15, about an hour north of Vegas. The park gets its name from the gorgeous red and orange sandstone rock formations (in some places, they’re a pink/orange color that looks more sorbet than desert) that wind through the park in the form of slot canyons and oddly shaped arches. There’s plenty of space for hiking and camping—the stars are insane—and a visitor center to help make sense of the petroglyphs and ruins that document human activity on the land. They also have vintage photographs of film crews making movies in the park, which is a favorite Hollywood set for approximating martian planets.