Valley of Fire State Park Roadways
Mouse’s Tank, NV

There is a natural basin at the edge of a cliff at one canyon and on the floor of another. Between the two boulders, two small pools of water collect during rainstorms. The water stays here most of the year. Why, however, is it named Mouse’s Tank? One of the greatest legends about the Valley of Fire is about the renegade Paiute Indian named Mouse. All of the tellings vary, but according to legend, Mouse was a known outlaw who worked the ferry that crossed the Colorado River. He was accused of killing two prospectors and hid from the authorities in this basin. Hidden within a maze of rock formations and with the natural supply of water, he managed to survive for months. Some tales say that eventually a posse tracked Mouse down and killed him in a gunfight. Others say he managed to evade the law and was never captured. Regardless of what happened to Mouse, his tank is still here today with a small supply of water.