Valley of Fire & Death Valley (6-Day Tour)

Explore two desert regions for the price of one on this tour through forty thousand acres of raw beauty and red Aztec sandstone. Begin with a spectacular loop through Lake Mead National Recreation Area to Hoover Dam. Explore the Great Basin’s Valley of Fire – Nevada’s oldest state park, dotted with petrified trees and 2,000-year-old petroglyphs. Then head to the Mojave Desert’s Death Valley National Park – the country’s largest National Park – for four more days of riding and hiking through Southwest wonders. Painted badlands, eerie landscapes and Old West history make for an unforgettable journey!
National Parks on this tour: Death Valley National Park
This tour is operated under special use permit/s with the Tonopah Bureau of Land Management and Death Valley National Park. Bicycle Adventures is an equal opportunity provider.
Itinerary
Day 01
HOOVER DAM – A “DAM” FINE RIDE!
Meals
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Hilton Lake Las Vegas
Distance
47.9 miles
Elevation
+3,921 ft / -3,923 ft
Ability Level
All Levels
Completed in 1936, the Hoover Dam holds back 112-miles of the Colorado River, creating Lake Mead – America’s largest reservoir. While it has long been surpassed as the world’s tallest dam, it remains an engineering marvel of its time. An entire city – Boulder City – was built to complete its construction. Super-sized fridges had to be designed to cool the massive concrete blocks which otherwise would have required over a century to harden! Marvel at the death-defying tales of Native American “high scalers” who worked on the vertiginous canyon walls. Most important of all, enjoy the scenery, this ride is magnificent! Our route takes us along the lake to the dam and returns via Boulder City for a relaxing evening at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas.
Day 02
Ride the Valley of Fire (Nevada's oldest state park)
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Hilton Lake Las Vegas
Distance
Short Route
37.9 miles
Long Route
66.6 miles
Elevation
Short Route
+2684 ft / -2829 ft
Long Route
+4864 ft / -4867 f
Ability Level
All Levels
Hop in the van for a brief shuttle to Valley of Fire Highway into Nevada’s oldest and biggest state park. Ride a road that is one of those gorgeous surprises parked in the middle of nowhere. Glowing red-gold Aztec sandstone is highlighted with 3,000-year-old Anasazi petroglyphs, ancient trees, beaver tail and cholla cacti. Roadtrippers says, “…it will have you reaching for the camera at every turn.” Springtime is ablaze with desert marigold, indigo bush, and desert mallow. Watch for desert bighorn sheep! Spend another night at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas.
Day 03
Ride over Daylight Pass and enjoy a gentle 26-mile descent into Death Valley.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
Lodging
Ranch at Death Valley
Distance
37.8 miles
Elevation
+1150 ft / -5049 ft
Ability Level
All Levels
Transfer to Death Valley National Park this morning. Pedal from the ghost town of Rhyolite on the park’s eastern edge up to Daylight Pass. The view from the summit (4,317 feet) captures Death Valley in microcosm: sun-blanched, desolate and vast. Cruise a 26-mile downhill for your first look at the valley up close. Spend the next 3 nights at the Ranch at Death Valley. Enjoy the pool!
Day 04
HIKE THROUGH GOLDEN CANYON TO ZABRISKIE POINT, RIDE TO BADWATER AND ARTISTS PALETTE.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
Lodging
Ranch at Death Valley
Distance
38.0 miles
Elevation
+1304 ft / -2162 ft
Ability Level
All Levels
Hike Golden Canyon this morning, a 3-mile stroll along a path lined with massive boulders and pastel-hued dunes. Finish at Zabriskie Point, one of Death Valley’s most famous viewpoints. The maze of crazily eroded, painted badlands makes a great photo spot. Snap a few, then ride to Badwater Basin for lunch at the lowest point on the continent: 282 feet below sea level! Before you head back to the Ranch for a drink and a splash in the pool, visit Artist’s Palette. Here, oxidation in the metals contained in the rock paints the hills in an amazing rainbow of hues. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Day 05
Hike at Ubehebe Crater, Then Ride to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Dinner
Lodging
Ranch at Death Valley
Distance
44.3 miles
Elevation
+856 ft / -3398 ft
Ability Level
All Levels
The Ubehebe (“yoo-bee-hee-bee”) Crater is a 600-foot-deep crater that was created when hot magma met the groundwater in this region, creating a giant bubble of steam and gas that exploded from the earth. Shuttle to the crater in the morning for a 1.5-mile hike around the rim. Then hop on your trusty velocipede for a mostly downhill pedal to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Should these dunes appear somehow familiar, perhaps they are. You may recognize them as the dunes of planet Tatooine in the original Star Wars movie. Lunch is on your own today.
Day 06
FINISH AT DANTE'S VIEW FOR A SPECTACULAR PANORAMA OF DEATH VALLEY.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
Lodging
Distance
14.2 miles
Elevation
+2607 ft / -0 ft
Ability
Head to Dante’s View. Perched 5500 feet above Badwater Basin, take in a panoramic eagle-eye view of the Black Mountains and the gigantic valley you’ve been riding and hiking through all week. See if you can spot the tiny specks of people strolling the salt flats below. Snap a victory finale photo. Then hop into the van and head back to the Ranch for a shower prior to returning to Las Vegas.
*Bicycle Adventures operates under special use permits while on Federal Lands managed by the National Forest Service (USDA), National Parks and Bureau of Land Management. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination: write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.