Parking
Use the paved Elephant Rock parking area just inside the east entrance; park entry fee applies. The signed trail begins behind the brick structure at the back of the lot.
Overview
About Elephant Rock Direct Route
Why go
- A distinctive sandstone arch is only a short walk from the lot.
Heads up
- The direct route is over quickly; choose the separate loop for a longer walk.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Valley of Fire map
Full mapElevation1,772–1,837 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Valley of Fire alerts
- ClosureWest Entrance closed Monday–ThursdayThe West Entrance is closed Monday through Thursday; use the East Entrance on those days.Official details
- CautionFire restrictions in effectFire restrictions are in effect throughout Nevada State Parks, including Valley of Fire; follow them to help prevent wildfires and protect lives, property and natural resources.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Valley of Fire Tour Guide
Your drive to Elephant Rock Direct Route, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Valley of Fire State Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Elephant Rock: Find the Silhouette0:00 / 0:25
“Elephant Rock is coming up near the east entrance, a sandstone arch with a long, trunk-like span.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Valley of Fire Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Flowers Waiting Underground
- Natural Arch Trail: Look for the Small Windows
- A Seed Collector After Dark
- East Petrified Log: One Trunk, a Short Stop
- 34 audio storiesacross Valley of Fire’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Mojave Desert Tortoise, Sidewinder, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 23 trails, 28 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Elephant Rock Direct Route
The short direct routeElephant Rock Direct Route is a 0.
Elephant Rock Direct Route is a 0.2-mile out-and-back from the East Entrance parking area to the red sandstone arch that looks like an elephant. The mapped path is about 0.1 mile each way; allow 15 to 25 minutes to walk it and look around. It is a good quick stop for the formation itself, not a substantial hike.
Follow the direct pathStart at the paved Elephant Rock lot just inside the east entrance.
Start at the paved Elephant Rock lot just inside the east entrance. The signed sandy path begins behind a brick structure and reaches a junction with Arrowhead Trail in less than 0.1 mile; turn left toward the rock. The direct route returns over the same path. Some short-walk descriptions give about 0.3 mile because they use a separate return beside the highway; that is a different outing.
Look at the shape from the groundThe trunk-like opening is on the formation's west side, and the elephant profile changes with…
The trunk-like opening is on the formation's west side, and the elephant profile changes with your angle. Shift a few steps on the ground until the opening shows clearly against the sky. The arch is made of chunky blocks of red sandstone, formed from ancient dunes more than 150 million years ago. Do not climb Elephant Rock; the park prohibits it.
Plan for desert heatThis is a brief walk across open, sandy desert terrain.
This is a brief walk across open, sandy desert terrain. The park advises against hiking above 85°F (29°C), so choose a cooler time and bring water in warm weather. Dogs are allowed on leashes no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Valley of Fire
638 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
11 sightingsMojave Desert TortoiseMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
23 sightingsSidewinderMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
18 sightingsBlack-tailed JackrabbitMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
11 sightingsRingtailMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
19 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Valley of Fire. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
