1…2…3… BLAST OFF! When you travel to Death Valley you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another planet. As one of the hottest and driest places on earth, it has created extreme landscapes that are otherworldly. It’s no wonder that movies like Star Wars were filmed in this out of this world location.
It is the largest park in the contiguous US, so planning a trip can sometimes seem overwhelming. Luckily, you can read this guide that covers great tips and the best things to do in Death Valley. I have tried to include all the details that you may need for your travels, but please leave any questions in the comments!
You Might Also Like These Posts:
- Joshua Tree Itinerary
- The ULTIMATE Death Valley Itinerary
- Why You Need to Visit Lake Manly at Death Valley Right Now!
Table of Contents
About Death Valley
What is Death Valley?
Death Valley is an extreme desert park that is a true natural wonder. The park encompasses more than 3 million acres of land within its bounds, 97% of that land is still designated wilderness. This valley is located in the Mojave desert and adjacent to striking snow-capped mountains.
People come from all over the world to see the incredible environments in the park. Here you’ll see towering sand dunes, imposing badlands, and captivating salt flat features. You could spend months exploring these mysterious lands and there would still be new things to see.
Important Things to Know
- The park fee is $30 per vehicle. If you have a park pass like the America the Beautiful pass, you can show it to the park rangers at the fee stations. The rangers will exchange your pass for a paper pass to put on your dashboard. The plastic passes will warp in the extreme heat.
- Get Gas before you go into the park. This park is huge and it takes hours sometimes to drive between destinations. Gas prices in the park can get very expensive. When we were there, it was $6.56 for one gallon at one of the gas stations in the park.
- Death Valley has some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded. You will need to prepare accordingly. If you’re going on a hike, then you should bring a liter per mile. Also, you will need to apply sunscreen year round, because the sun is very strong.
- There is almost no cell service in the park. The only places you can get a little service are at Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. You should download all maps and trails that you need beforehand. It also helps to plan ahead and know what you want to do before you go into the park.
- Some of the roads in Death Valley can be rocky and rough. You may not be able to see everything that you want to if you don’t have a 4WD car or one with high clearance. There are plenty of backcountry roads that can only be accessed with 4×4 vehicles.
- Death Valley has a couple restaurants and general stores within the park if you need to get food while you’re there. You can find places at both Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells to find sustenance.
- You can disperse camp in the park’s bounds. There are a number of good spots for dispersed camping. However, you’ll need a free permit to camp at Hole in the Wall, Echo Canyon or Green Water Valley.
When to Go
Death Valley has the highest recorded temperature on earth and can be deadly. The best time to go to this park is anytime in the cooler months. You can go on plenty of hikes and do most activities during their peak season from November to March. You may see some snow during the winter, but most days are temperature during the day. The average daytime temperatures are in the 60s in the coldest months.
If you plan on going during the summer, make sure to stock up on gas and plan on just going to view points in the park. Doing hikes in the extreme summer months can lead to dehydration and heat stroke.
Where is Death Valley
The park is located on the Eastern border of California, next to Nevada. To get to this park, you’ll need to drive there. The closest airports to the park are Las Vegas (LAS), which is a two hour drive, and Los Angeles (LAX), a three hour drive. From LA, you can 395 and stop along the way at scenic vistas.
Where to Stay
Death Valley is one of the parks, where staying inside of it will make your trip a lot easier. There are a couple hotels within the park’s bounds Stovepipe Wells Village, The Ranch at Death Valley, and the Inn at Death Valley are centrally located and a short drive from most of the main attractions. You can also stay at Panamint Springs Resort, which is near the Western entrance of the park.
If you want to camp, there are also a few campgrounds or you can disperse camp throughout the park. Furnace Creek is the most popular campground and it fills up quickly. Other campgrounds are available on a first-come first-served basis. You can disperse camp at many areas in the park, but there are a lot of rules you must follow. Ask the rangers for more tips on dispersed camping. We disperse camped our entire trip and did not have any troubles finding spots.
The BEST Things to Do in Death Valley
Play in the Mesquite Sand Dunes (30 mins-2 hours)
Located just past the Stovepipe Wells area of the park and the entrance fee station are the Mesquite Sand Dunes. These sand dunes are formed by winds and are ever changing. This is one of the best sunset spots in the park with the colors glimmering over the sand dunes.
Bring a sandboard to sled down the dunes, walk in your bare feet among the dunes, or hike all the way to the tallest sand dunes (2 miles round trip) in the back of the dunefield. No matter how far you choose to go, you’ll be amazed at the magnitude of the dunes and the beauty all around. Note that it is hard to walk in dunes and your legs may get more tired than you expect!
See the sunrise at Zabriskie Point (15 minutes-1 hour)
Many people will tell you that Zabriskie Point is one of the most stunning locations for the sunrise. Photographers get there early in the morning to set up their tripods and wait for the light to illuminate the badlands below. Pinks and purples adorn these textured rock formations that have been carved by water for many years. From this point, you can see the salt flats and Panamint Mountains behind the rocky mounds. You can also choose to hike from Zabriskie Point to Golden Canyon, which is about 6 miles round trip.
Cruise down the Artist’s Drive & Artist’s Palette (15-45 mins)
Artist’s Drive is a nine mile one way road that features colored mountains all around. They almost look as if they are painted, which is where it got its name. The most famous spot on the road is Artist’s Palette. This spot has mountains that are covered in an array of colors from purples to greens. You can view this point from the overlook or you can choose to visit it and walk amongst the painted hills.
Hike to the Natural Bridge (30-45 mins)
Take a short hike to get to this cool natural feature. If you can’t tell by the name, the trail features a natural bridge that connects to either side of the mountains. The hike is only a mile, but the way there can be a bit steep. Make sure to pack water even for this short walk.
Walk through Mosaic Canyon (20 mins-3 hours)
Hike through narrow slot canyons and colorful walls on this trail. This trail was aptly named for the mosaic like canyon walls with small pieces of rock throughout them. You can choose to do the whole 4 mile hike or you can just hike to some of the narrowest parts of the canyon and turn around after a quarter of a mile. It is one of the most impressive hikes in the park and it should not be missed.
Take in the landscape at Dante’s View (1- 1.5 hours)
Drive up to the highest point accessible by car at 5550 feet above sea level. Dante’s View is located on the Black Mountain ridge and provides stunning panoramas of the valley beyond. Directly below the view are the Badwater Basin salt flats and across from you sits the highest point in the park: Telescope Peak. Drive up to the view and take pictures or take the 8 mile hike along the rim for even more spectacular views.
Marvel at the Devil’s Golf Course (15 mins)
Unfortunately, you will not be able to play golf in this location… but you will most likely be blown away! Jagged salt formations cover the landscape and seem to extend for miles. This is a quick and easy stop to take some pictures and see yet another amazing area that the extreme climate has created.
See Sunset at Badwater Basin (15 mins-1 hour)
See one of the best sunset spots in the entire part at Badwater Basin. The Basin is the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level and the salt flats there cover more than 200 miles of land. The salt flats here create an incredible geometric pattern that is truly marvelous. You can just walk to the edge, but the further you go, the cooler the vistas get. As the sunsets, the colors reflect off the Basin floor creating a magical effect and a romantic vibe.
Climb through Golden Canyon (30 mins-3 hours)
There are many ways to see the Golden Canyon. You can choose from three different trails: Zabriskie Point to Golden Canyon (5.8 miles), Golden Canyon to Gower Gulch (4.3 miles) and Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral (1.5 miles). No matter which hike you choose you’ll be stunned at the badlands that surround you. If you do hike up the longer trails, then you will be rewarded by stunning vistas of the badlands below. These were some of our favorite viewpoints during our trip. I highly recommend the Golden Canyon to Gower Gulch loop trail.
Be wowed by Ubehebe Crater (15 mins-2 hours)
Ubehebe Crater was formed when a volcano erupted over 2,000 years ago. The crater itself is massive at more than half a mile wide and 600 feet deep. You can choose to just stay at the viewpoint or take a 1.5 mile walk around the rim of the Crater. Either way its truly spectacular to see. This crater is an hour from Furnace Creek and 40 minutes from Stovepipe Wells.
View Thousands of Stars
Death Valley is one of the few places in the world that you can still view the night sky like it was for hundreds of years. There is very little light pollution near the valley and the park itself is a Dark Sky community. If you look up at night, you’ll be amazed at how many stars you can see. Make sure to keep a lookout for shooting stars!
See the traveling rocks at Racetrack Playa (6-10 hours, NEED 4WD)
Racetrack Playa is probably one of the coolest and most mysterious parts of the park. This is a dry lakebed that covers more than 2 miles. People travel from far and wide to witness the mysterious rocks that move. Erosion causes rocks to fall on the ground and you can clearly see trails from where they move. People aren’t quite sure why this happens. We could not get to this spot because the whole trip takes about 6-8 hours and requires a 4×4 vehicle. You can rent jeeps within the park to get to this spot. We definitely plan on going back just to get there.
Hike Telescope Peak (14 miles, 6-10 hours)
If we had more time, then we definitely would have tried to conquer this peak. Hike up 3,000 feet and more than 6 miles to get to the highest point in Death Valley National Park. You’ll need to pack plenty of water and be in good condition to make it through this challenging trek up the mountain.
Let me know which thing you want to see first in the comments below!
Faith says
These stars are everything! I also really appreciate your tip about a full gas tank.
lita t says
Yes, the prices in there were insane!
Michelle says
Your pictures are gorgeous. I’d love to visit and hike to some of the places you talked about. I’m saving your post for a future visit!
lita t says
Aww yay! I’m so glad that you can use it.
Ashlee Fechino says
I loved seeing your photos of Death Valley. Badwater basin is so interesting. What a nice article. We’d love to visit someday.
lita t says
Yes you should go, it’s amazing!
Denise says
I have lived in So. Cal for too long not to have been to Death Valley!!!
lita t says
Yes you have to go!