Mouse’s Tank Trail

Mouse’s Tank Trail is a 0.7-mile round trip from the Petroglyph Canyon trailhead through a sandy wash to a natural sandstone basin, then back the same way. It is short and mostly level, with the carvings and close red-rock walls as the main reasons to go. Allow about 30–45 minutes if you pause to look at the rock art and the basin. The loose sand slows the walk, so the distance can feel longer than the number suggests. The named route ends at Mouse’s Tank; the optional continuation beyond the signed turn is a separate spur and is not included.

Begin at the signed Petroglyph Canyon / Mouse’s Tank trailhead on White Domes Road and use its designated parking area. The park prohibits roadside shoulder parking. A shaded picnic area and restrooms are nearby across the road. The route follows the bottom of the wash rather than climbing a hill, but the fine, sometimes deep sand shifts underfoot. There is no dependable drinking water along the walk; bring your own. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet.

The wash bends southeast between orange-red sandstone walls. The first prominent petroglyph panels appear after roughly one-eighth mile on the left side, with more carvings farther along. Some are cut through a dark desert varnish, making the lighter stone show through. Slow down and scan the walls while walking; several visitors pass carvings when they focus only on the sandy footing. Stay in the established wash, do not climb around the panels, and never touch or mark the rock. The imagery is a protected cultural resource, not a trail-side surface to handle.

The canyon opens briefly and narrows again before a sign near the end points left to Mouse’s Tank. A short final stretch reaches smooth ledges above the basin. The rock hollow can catch rain, but its water level changes and it may be dry; it is not a drinking-water source. After the stop, return along the same wash and look for panels you missed on the way in. The official 0.7-mile figure describes the full out-and-back, not just the one-way corridor.

Valley of Fire’s red Aztec sandstone is the remnant of windblown dunes formed about 150 million years ago. Park interpretation places some rock art in the Basketmaker period roughly 2,500 years ago, with later cultures also represented, but we did not establish a precise age for the panels along this particular wash. The marks cut across desert varnish; their shapes are visible, while exact meanings are not established. A story attributed to the trailhead sign links the name “Mouse” to a Southern Paiute man said to have hidden in the canyon in the 1890s. Treat that as a local account: we found no independent historical confirmation.

High heat can make even a short desert walk dangerous. Carry drinking water, take breaks, and choose a cooler time of day; the basin is not a substitute for a water supply. The entire park closes for annual maintenance from December 1 through 14, so this walk is unavailable during that period.