The Hottest, Driest, Lowest — and Most Surreal
Death Valley holds records that sound imaginary: 134°F (the hottest air temperature ever recorded on Earth, at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913), 5.1 inches of average annual rainfall, and 282 feet below sea level at Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America). Yet this 3.4-million-acre park — the largest in the lower 48 — is hauntingly beautiful, with landscapes that look like they belong on another planet.
The park spans from below sea level to 11,049 feet at Telescope Peak, a vertical range of over 11,000 feet. That range creates distinct ecological zones — from salt flats where nothing grows, through creosote scrub and Joshua tree woodland, to bristlecone pine forests at the highest elevations. Most visitors see only the valley floor; the mountains and canyons hold some of the park's most spectacular landscapes. Plan for at least two days to do more than scratch the surface.
Getting There
Nearest airports: Las Vegas (2 hours), Los Angeles (4.5 hours), Reno (4 hours).
Two entrances: The east (Furnace Creek) entrance from Las Vegas is the most common. The west entrance from Lone Pine is scenic but remote. From Las Vegas, take NV-160 west to Pahrump, then NV-190 west through Death Valley Junction. From Los Angeles, take I-15 north to Baker, then CA-127 north to Death Valley Junction and NV-190 west.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle. America the Beautiful pass accepted. No cell service in most of the park — download maps and the NPS app for offline use before arriving.
Book Death Valley lodging — options are extremely limited. The Oasis at Death Valley (Furnace Creek) and Stovepipe Wells Village are the only in-park options. The Ranch at Death Valley (part of the Oasis complex) offers mid-range rooms; the Inn at Death Valley is the luxury option. Both have pools (the Inn's is fed by a natural hot spring). Stovepipe Wells is the budget alternative with basic rooms and a small pool.
Must-See Destinations
Badwater Basin: 282 feet below sea level. The "sea level" sign on the cliff above puts the depth in perspective. The salt flats stretch for miles — walk out onto the hexagonal salt polygons for the full experience. Best in early morning before the heat becomes dangerous. The polygon patterns form through freeze-thaw cycles — they're most defined after a wet winter. A round trip to the salt pool and back is about 1 mile; you can walk as far as you like on the flats. Avoid after rain — the salt crust can be soft and treacherous.
Zabriskie Point: The most photographed location in the park. Golden badlands formations lit by sunrise create a color palette that doesn't look real. Be here 20 minutes before sunrise — the pre-dawn light on the badlands is nearly as striking as the sunrise itself. The viewpoint is a short walk from the parking lot; a 0.25-mile loop trail along the rim offers additional angles. The nearby Golden Canyon trailhead is 2 miles south and connects to Zabriskie via the Gower Gulch trail.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: The most accessible dunes in the park. A 15-minute walk from the parking area puts you among dunes up to 100 feet tall. Go at sunrise or sunset for long shadows and cooler sand temperatures. The dunes cover about 14 square miles; the tallest are at the eastern edge, about 1 mile from the parking lot. Look for kit fox and coyote tracks in the morning sand — the dunes are alive with wildlife at night.
Artists Palette: A one-way 9-mile scenic drive past hills colored green, pink, red, and purple by mineral deposits. The colors are most vibrant in late afternoon light. The drive is on Artists Drive, which begins about 9 miles south of Furnace Creek on Badwater Road. The one-way section begins after 4.5 miles and is narrow — RVs over 25 feet are prohibited. Stop at the Artists Palette viewpoint (the most colorful section) and walk among the hills for the best photos.
Dante's View: 5,475 feet above sea level with a direct line of sight down to Badwater Basin — a 5,700-foot elevation difference. You can see the lowest point in North America from one of the highest vantage points in the park. 30°F cooler than the valley floor. The drive is 23 miles south of Furnace Creek on CA-190, then 13 miles up a winding road. Go at sunrise or sunset for the most dramatic light. On a clear day you can see Mount Charleston, 100 miles away in Nevada.
Twenty Mule Team Canyon: A 2.7-mile one-way scenic drive through colorful badlands, less visited than Artists Palette and open to all vehicles. The road passes through borate mining country — the 20-mule teams hauled borax from the valley floor in the 1880s. Quick (15 minutes) and worth the detour.
Ubehebe Crater: A 600-foot-deep volcanic crater in the northern part of the park, 56 miles from Furnace Creek. Created by a steam explosion roughly 2,000 years ago. The rim walk is 1.5 miles; the trail into the crater is steep and the climb out is strenuous. Combine with the Racetrack Playa trip (see below) since both are on the same northern route.
Best Hikes
Golden Canyon to Gower Gulch (4.3 miles, moderate): A loop through narrow canyons and colorful badlands. The Red Cathedral amphitheater at the halfway point is spectacular. Start early — no shade. The loop can be done clockwise (Golden Canyon first) or counterclockwise (Gower Gulch first); clockwise is more dramatic as the canyon narrows progressively. Trailhead is 2 miles south of Furnace Creek on Badwater Road.
Mosaic Canyon (3 miles, moderate): A slot canyon with polished marble walls and mosaic conglomerate. The canyon narrows to 4 feet wide in places. Best before 10am. The trailhead is at the end of a 2-mile gravel road from Stovepipe Wells. The first half-mile is the most dramatic; beyond that the canyon opens and the hiking gets easier.
Telescope Peak Trail (14 miles, strenuous): The highest point in the park at 11,049 feet. Snow can persist into June on this trail. A 3,000-foot gain with views of both the lowest and highest points in the contiguous US. Not recommended in summer. Trailhead at Mahogany Flat, accessible via a rough dirt road (high-clearance vehicle required). The trail passes through bristlecone pine forests — some trees are over 3,000 years old — before reaching the summit with views of the Sierra Nevada and the Panamint Range. Allow 7–10 hours round trip.
Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral (3 miles, moderate): If the full loop is too long, this out-and-back takes you through the canyon's narrowest section to the Red Cathedral, a towering red rock amphitheater. The route passes marker #10 on the Golden Canyon interpretive trail — pick up a guide at the trailhead or the visitor center.
Natural Bridge Canyon (1 mile, moderate): A short hike to a natural rock bridge spanning the canyon. The trailhead is 1.5 miles south of Furnace Creek on Badwater Road. Quick and worthwhile, especially in the morning light.
The Night Sky
Death Valley is a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park — the highest designation. The Milky Way is visible with the naked eye on moonless nights. The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Badwater Basin offer flat horizons for astrophotography.
Best stargazing: New moon nights from October through March. Summer nights are too short and too hot. Bring a star chart or astronomy app and binoculars — even basic binoculars reveal Jupiter's moons. The Death Valley Dark Sky Festival takes place each February, with ranger-led astronomy programs and telescope viewing at the Furnace Creek area.
Astrophotography tips: The Harmony Borax Works site (2 miles north of Furnace Creek) offers interesting foreground ruins for Milky Way photos. The Mesquite Dunes are best photographed with a wide-angle lens (14–24mm) at f/2.8, ISO 3200, 20-second exposures. Bring a red headlamp — white light ruins night vision for 30 minutes.
Extreme Heat Safety
Death Valley kills people who underestimate it. This is not hyperbole.
- Carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day — more in summer
- Do not hike after 10am from May through September — daytime highs regularly exceed 120°F
- Stay on paved roads if your vehicle breaks down — a broken-down car provides shade and is easier to find than a person
- Tell someone your itinerary — cell service does not exist in most of the park
- Fill up with gas at Furnace Creek — the next station may be 50+ miles away. Gas in the park is expensive (often $1-2 more per gallon than outside)
- Carry an emergency kit — water, shade canopy, and signaling devices
- Do not rely on your car's AC as your heat plan — if it fails 40 miles from Furnace Creek in July, you need to be able to survive until help arrives. Keep extra water in your vehicle at all times.
When to Visit
Best: November-March for hiking and sightseeing. October-November and February-March are ideal — 70-80°F days and 40-50°F nights.
Shoulder: April-May and September-October for warm but tolerable temperatures. Spring wildflowers possible after wet winters — the "super bloom" of 2005, 2017, and 2019 brought blankets of desert gold, sand verbena, and desert five-spot across the valley floor. Check the NPS wildflower update in March.
Summer (June-September): Only for heat tourism and night sky photography. Daytime highs of 120-130°F make hiking dangerous. Stay in air-conditioned vehicles and buildings. If you visit in summer, do your sightseeing between 4 AM and 8 AM — by mid-morning, the car thermometer reads 120°F.
Planning Your Time
- Minimum: 1 full day (Badwater, Zabriskie Point, Artists Palette, Mesquite Dunes)
- Recommended: 2 days (all of the above + Golden Canyon hike + Dante's View sunset)
- Thorough: 3-4 days (all hikes + Telescope Peak + Eureka Dunes + Racetrack Playa)
Eureka Dunes, in the remote northwest corner of the park, are the tallest dunes in California (680 feet) and one of the most isolated places in the Lower 48. The drive is 88 miles from Furnace Creek via Big Pine Road; high-clearance or 4WD is required for the final stretch. The dunes are known for "singing" — dry sand avalanches can produce a low humming sound. Like the Racetrack, this is a full-day expedition.
Death Valley is unlike anywhere else. See where it ranks in our complete national park rankings.
Combining Death Valley with Other Parks
Death Valley is remote but well-positioned for a Southwest road trip:
Death Valley + Joshua Tree (3-4 days):
- 2 hours between parks via Highway 62. Start in Joshua Tree, drive to Death Valley, or vice versa. The transition from Joshua tree woodland to salt flat badlands is one of the most dramatic ecological shifts you can drive through.
- Tioga Road connects the eastern Sierra to Yosemite (seasonal, June-October). Stop in the Alabama Hills and Mono Lake on the way. The contrast between Death Valley's 282-feet-below-sea-level floor and Yosemite's High Sierra granite is the starkest in the national park system.
- 2 hours from Las Vegas. Fly in, rent a car, and explore Death Valley as a day trip or overnight. This is the easiest way to add Death Valley to a Vegas vacation — and the park is only 120 miles from the Strip.