Overton NV: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Valley of Fire was dedicated in 1935 as Nevada's first state park, and it is named for its red Aztec sandstone, which seems to burn in low sun. The rock was laid down as sand dunes in the age of the dinosaurs and later stained by iron. One scenic road crosses the park and a second runs north to the White Domes. In summer the heat passes 40 degrees, so start at dawn and carry plenty of water.

A short history of Overton NV

Overton is a small farming settlement in the Moapa Valley, founded by Mormon settlers. In the area stood a lost city of the Ancestral Puebloans, excavated in 1924, and when the Hoover Dam was completed in 1936, Lake Mead flooded part of the ruins and the nearby town of St Thomas. In 1935 the Lost City Museum was established in Overton to keep the finds that were saved. The town is also the northern gateway to the Lake Mead recreation area and to Valley of Fire park.

The ten best sights in Overton NV

1
Lost City Museum
Finds from the ancient pueblos of the valley, with rebuilt adobe houses outside
2
Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum
A small volunteer-run museum of the Mormon farmers who settled the valley; short hours
3
Atlatl Rock
Rock art high on a cliff, reached by a metal staircase
4
Mouse's Tank and Petroglyph Canyon
An easy sandy walk past dozens of petroglyphs to a natural rock basin
5
Valley of Fire Visitor Center
Maps, water and air conditioning; ask here which trails are open in the heat
6
Elephant Rock
A sandstone arch shaped like an elephant, a few minutes' walk from the east entrance
7
Fire Wave
Striped red and white sandstone; go at the end of the day, closed in summer heat
8
White Domes
A short loop through a slot canyon at the end of the scenic road
9
Rainbow Vista
A short trail over rocks in every shade from red to cream
10
Overton Wildlife Management Area
Wetlands where the river meets Lake Mead; birds, especially in winter

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Tours in Overton NV →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Overton NV:

Free walking tours in Overton NV

Valley of Fire

Elephant Rock · Wind and water cut the arch out of the sandstone, leaving a trunk that seems to dip to the ground. It stands right by the east entrance, the one closest to Overton.
Atlatl Rock · The rock is named for a petroglyph of an atlatl, a spear-thrower used by hunters here long before the bow and arrow arrived. The carvings are high on the cliff, so the park built a steel staircase to reach them.
Mouse's Tank · The basin is named after a Southern Paiute man the settlers called Mouse, who hid in these canyons in the 1890s while on the run from the law. Rainwater collects in the rock basin and can last for months, which is how he survived.
Rainbow Vista · The colours come from iron and other minerals that seeped through the sandstone in different amounts. Here red, orange, pink, purple and cream bands sit side by side in a single view.
Fire Wave · The rock is cross-bedded sandstone, the layered slopes of ancient dunes, striped red and white like a wave about to break. The path is about 2.5 km there and back over open slickrock, and it closes on the hottest summer days.
White Domes · The 1966 western The Professionals, with Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin, was filmed here, and the stone ruins of its set still stand beside the trail. Hollywood came back in 1994 for Star Trek Generations, whose final battle was shot in Valley of Fire.

The Muddy River valley

The Muddy River rises from warm springs near Moapa and runs only a few dozen kilometres to Lake Mead, but in this desert it made a green valley of farms. Ancestral Puebloan people farmed here for centuries, then Southern Paiutes, and in the 1860s Mormon settlers arrived. The towns of Logandale and Overton still live from hay, cattle and visitors to Valley of Fire. The route follows the river downstream for about 40 km.

Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza · The plaza belongs to the Moapa Band of Paiutes, whose reservation lies around it. In 2017 the tribe opened a large solar power plant on its land, described as the first utility-scale solar project on tribal land in the United States.
Muddy River · The river is fed by warm springs at its head, and those springs hold the Moapa dace, a small fish found nowhere else on earth. The water stays warm all year, which is why the fish can live here in the middle of the desert.
Clark County Fairgrounds · Every April the Clark County Fair and Rodeo takes over the fairgrounds, and Las Vegas families drive out to the small farm town for it. There are livestock shows, a carnival and a rodeo in the arena.
Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum · Mormon settlers founded farms on the Muddy in 1865, believing they were in Utah or Arizona. When a survey placed the valley in Nevada and the state demanded back taxes in gold, nearly all of them left in 1871, and the valley was resettled only later.
Lost City Museum · The museum was built in 1935 to hold what archaeologists rescued from Pueblo Grande de Nevada, a string of ancient villages along the river. Much of the site was then drowned by Lake Mead, which filled up behind the new Hoover Dam.
Overton Wildlife Management Area · Where the Muddy and Virgin rivers reach the north end of Lake Mead, the state keeps fields and ponds for wildlife. In winter ducks and geese gather on the ponds, a strange sight in the Mojave Desert.

Down to Lake Mead

South of Overton the Northshore Road runs along the upper arms of Lake Mead through grey and red desert. The lake is the reservoir of Hoover Dam, and after decades of drought it has shrunk far from its old shores, leaving marinas stranded. Along the way there are warm springs under palms and some of the brightest red rock in the region. The loop to the Bowl of Fire and back is about 110 km.

Overton Beach · A marina once stood at the end of this road, on the northern tip of the lake. As the water fell, the shoreline moved kilometres away and the marina was closed and abandoned.
Echo Bay · Lake Mead filled behind Hoover Dam in the 1930s and was, when full, the largest reservoir in the United States. From its peak in 1983 to its low in 2022 the water dropped by more than 50 metres, leaving a white ring of minerals on the cliffs.
Rogers Spring · The spring wells up out of a fault at about 27 degrees, filling a clear pool shaded by palms. Small fish swim in it all year, and the warm water flows off into the desert towards the lake.
Northshore Road · The road runs for about 90 km through the national recreation area, from near Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire turn-off. Lake Mead was the first national recreation area in the country, set aside in the 1930s.
Lake Mead · The reservoir supplies most of the water for Las Vegas, and in the drought years the city had to build a new intake deep at the bottom of the lake. Low water has also uncovered things lost for decades, from sunken boats to the old Mormon town of St. Thomas.
Bowl of Fire · The bowl is a basin of the same red Aztec sandstone as Valley of Fire, but with no road into it and few visitors. The walk in follows a dry wash and has no marked trail, so it is for confident hikers only.

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Getting to Overton NV and getting around

Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza · The big fuel and food stop on Interstate 15 at the Valley of Fire turn-off; fill the tank here
Mesquite Airport · A small airfield for private planes; airline flights mean Las Vegas, about an hour and a quarter away

Cheap eats in Overton NV

Overton is a small farm town and its food is simple: an ice-cream and burger place, a pizza and breakfast spot, a couple of fast-food chains and a supermarket. There is nothing to eat inside Valley of Fire, so buy food and plenty of water here before you go in. Prices are lower than in Las Vegas.

The Inside Scoop · Ice cream, shakes and burgers on the main road, about $6-14
blp Breakfast Lunch and Pizza · Breakfast, sandwiches and pizza, about $8-16
Subway · Sandwiches to take into Valley of Fire, about $8-12
Lin's Fresh Market · Supermarket deli, water and ice for the cool box, about $5-12
Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza · Snacks, coffee and fuel on Interstate 15, about $3-10

Museums in Overton NV

Lost City Museum · Pottery, baskets and rebuilt pueblo houses; an hour
Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum · A room of pioneer tools, photos and clothes
Valley of Fire Visitor Center · Displays on the geology, the people and the animals of the park
Atlatl Rock · Petroglyphs up a staircase; ten minutes

Nature and day trips near Overton NV

Fire Wave · The park's most famous rock; late afternoon light
White Domes · A 2 km loop with a narrow slot canyon
Mouse's Tank · Flat sandy walk lined with rock carvings
Rogers Spring · Warm palm-shaded pool; no swimming
Overton Wildlife Management Area · Birdwatching by the ponds, best in winter

Things to do in Overton NV with kids

Elephant Rock · Five minutes from the car to a rock that looks like an elephant
Lost City Museum · Kids can walk into the rebuilt pueblo houses outside
Atlatl Rock · Climb the staircase and find the spear-thrower carving
Seven Sisters · Seven red rock towers with shaded picnic tables
Overton Park · Grass, shade and a playground in town

Where to eat in Overton NV

Lafonda's Mexican Restaurant · Mexican dinner on the main road in Overton
Salts With A Touch Of Sugar · A local diner in the centre of Overton
blp pizza · Pizza for dinner after the park
The Inside Scoop · Burgers and a shake for a simple evening meal

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Frequently asked questions about Overton NV

What is there to see in Overton NV?

The top sights in Overton NV are Lost City Museum, Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum and Atlatl Rock. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Overton NV?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Overton NV without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Overton NV?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Overton NV, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Valley of Fire.

How do you get to Overton NV and get around?

The main ways are Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza and Mesquite Airport. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Overton NV, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Overton NV that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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