Silica Dome is in Valley of Fire State Park. There is an entrance fee of $10.00. It is open from dawn to dusk year round. The visitor’s center is open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily. They can reached at 702-397-2088.
The area you are entering is not a traditional trail location. Please be mindful of your surroundings! Watch your Step and enjoy the VIEW!
The landscape of Valley of Fire SP is from the migration of giant sand dunes over millions of years. These sand dunes generated immense pressure leaving the sedimentary deposits behind. Movement of fault lines below force the grounds up and wind erosion removed the loose particulate from the area leaving the structures in front of you today.
The ground that forms the domes and valley around you now is a type of sedimentary rock called Sandstone. Sandstone contains two different types of materials, A matrix material and a cementing agent. This area the matrix material is primarily limestone, impurities within the matrix material will give the rock coloration, the cementing agent is silica. Sandstone particle size can tell you good information of the amount of time it took to form. Small particles form from extensive weathering processes while large particles occur from rapid acts of nature. The tighter the pack of the sandstone is from heat and pressure, it is during this time that the cementing material moves into the matrix material.
1. Using the area signage, what impurity gives the local sandstone it's red color?
2. From the peak of the Dome what Man-made object can be seen to the East (besides the parking lot area)?
3. Inspect the particle size of silica dome, does it indicate a fast or slow formation and how did you come to that conclusion?
4. Bonus: What movie was filmed on this site and what famous character pasted away here?