As I was sitting at work browsing attractions and things to do in Death Valley National Park, I overhear my coworker (who had been watching me flip through multiple browser tabs) say, "You're going to Death Valley?!", with a jokingly mocking tone. The funny thing is, when I told my husband I wanted to go there, he said, "They call it DEATH VALLEY for a reason!", sharing my coworker's same sentiment. I'm here to tell you, its name really gives it a bad rap and Death Valley National Park definitely deserves a place on your travel list.
In this post, you'll find:
Why You Should Visit Death Valley
Let me illuminate you on all the reasons, and there are definitely many!
Death Valley is Fascinating
There is such rich history in this vast desert. Death Valley was a lake system in the last Ice Age approximately 10,000 years ago. As the climate changed, the lakes evaporated, leaving behind this nearly barren landscape. It was first populated about 9,000 years ago by hunter-gatherers. Pioneers later discovered Death Valley and named it so because they all thought the formidable terrain was going to be their grave. In the 1870s, the area became a mining mecca, with pioneers making a fortune mining gold, silver, and borax among other minerals. Tourism in Death Valley boomed in the 1920s and it was later designated a national monument in 1933 and upgraded to a national park in 1994. In recent history, it has made it into Hollywood, being the backdrop for many movies, such as Star War and shows like The Twighlight Zone.
It's At the Top of a Few Lists
Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 48 states, with 3.4 millions acres of natural beauty. You also can't beat the heat here, as it is the hottest place on Earth, with a record daytime high of 134 degrees in 1913. Subsequently, it is the driest place in North America with less than 2 inches of rainfall annually. And finally, it is the lowest point in North America, with Badwater Basin sitting at 282 feet below sea level. How cool is that to be in a place that holds so many titles!
Uniquely Beautiful
Death Valley's environment has been shaped by millions of years of geology. That transformation has made the landscape unlike any other, with salt flats, striated mountains, flowing sand dunes, and colorful mountains painted by mineral deposits, making it a photography haven. The park definitely gives you an otherworldly vibe!
Very Accessible
Many of the main attractions in Death Valley are located off the main road and very accessible, requiring very little effort for the high payoffs of beautiful views. The more popular hikes are also manageable for all skill levels and there are challenging ones for those seeking just a bit more.
It's Not That Popular Yet
You won't see busloads of people shuttled in like at other national parks (at least not yet), so you can really feel like you're in the vast wilderness. For the most part, you have the desolate landscape to yourself without hoards of people encroaching into your view. So enjoy that before the tourism in the area picks up!
Where is it Located
Death Valley National Park is a desert valley located in the Mojave Desert, situated in the eastern border of south-central California and stretches into a portion of Nevada. Visitors coming from out of state usually fly into Las Vegas and make the two hour drive down. Or if coming from southern California, the drive is approximately 4 hours.
Best Time to Visit
If it's not already evident, Death Valley gets hot, like super hot. So the best time to visit is November through March. Even when I visited in the middle of March, the temperature at 11am was already in the mid 80s, making a visit to the Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes that morning unbearable. The best time of year to visit wildflowers in this desert would be around mid February to mid May. If you must visit in summer, be prepared and plan your activities for the morning, bring plenty of water, apply the sunblock, and have a hat.
Where to Stay
Camping within the park is a great option so that you can eliminate the long travel time when staying outside the park (about 1 hour in most directions). Furnace Creek has a couple of hotels and campsites and is centrally located. It also has a gas station where we noted almost $9/gallon! As a side note, make sure you fill up a full tank before entering the park; you don't want to get caught stranded in the vastness of this desert and there is no cell reception to call for help. Anyway, we ended up staying in Pahrump (on the Nevada side), which is probably the most developed up and coming town outside of Death Valley. It was an hour away and was one of the very few places that had decent hotels available. Other towns are Beatty (Nevada side) and Panamint (California side). Next time I go again, I'm definitely camping so I can do some sunrise activities like hike the sand dunes!
What to Do
There is plenty to see and do in Death Valley. However, you can also squeeze in most of the main attractions in a day! We arrived at Death Valley, from Las Vegas, around 4pm and left the next day by noon, so essentially 2 half days. I do wish I could have spent more time there, so if you can, spending a couple of days will give you a chance to soak it all in. I also didn't visit the attractions that required driving on unpaved roads, even though the average car is able to handle it just fine (just didn't want to drag my mommy van through that torture).
Death Valley National Park Signs
It's just a thing I've come to look forward to doing when we visit a national park, like a little badge of honor, but mostly because it gives me the official sense of arrival after a long trek. There are 3 that I have located through my own research: 1) on the 190 northbound by Darwin, 2) on the 374 southeast near Beatty in Nevada, and 3) on the 190 eastbound once you get off the 127 (pictured below).
Badwater Basin
Our first stop was a stunner! As I have mentioned, Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. Once you arrive to the parking lot and walk towards the Badwater Basin sign, turn back towards the parking lot and look up at the mountain. There is a tiny sign indicating where sea level is, showing you just how low you really are. Most people walk the main path, far into the salt flats hoping to see the hexagonal ring formations unique to this area. However, on my visit, we veered just right into an area that hasn't been trampled over and still had beautiful hexagonal rings, so we didn't have to go far to be rewarded. It was such a beautiful sight. It recently rained, so there were patches of mushy salt scattered throughout. The contrast of the white against the rocky backdrop was breathtaking. We spent almost an hour here taking photos, tasting the salt (yep, we had to make sure it was salty), and enjoying the lucky breeze that swept through that afternoon.
Artist's Drive and Artist's Palette
The next stop was an easy scenic cruise through Artist's Drive, a one-way winding road through mountains colored by oxidized iron deposits. When you get onto this paved drive, you should stop at the first gathering of cars you see, which is very close to the beginning. Even though this wasn't Artist's Palette (which is just a bit further into the drive), the colors on the mountain was so beautiful. I actually didn't stop, which I now regret, and since it is a one-way road, I couldn't turn back. So do it for me and check this area out. When we approached Artist's Palette, we pulled off to the side from the main road and walked towards it but couldn't really walk into the the hills. So don't make my second mistake and make sure you drive into the designated parking area where you can get even closer to the colored mountain for even better pictures and views. We saw this area around 5:30pm and the colors were very visible. The rest of the drive was spectacular as the road whips and turns through the rocks, so make sure you drive slow and get your camera ready for some cool angles!
Zabriskie Point
The last stop on our first day was Zabriskie Point for sunset. There is a big parking lot and a short walk up the hill to the viewing area with the most stunning view. By this point, I've already taken in so many beautiful views in Death Valley, but for me, this was the cherry on top! The colorful striations in the rocks and the formations feel like you're on another planet. You can stay in the viewing area, or hike down to get even closer. Be careful though, the path can be slippery and we saw a girl slip off the path and split her forearm open. We watched the sun slowly slip below the mountain ahead and it made for a beautiful ending to an already awesome day.
Visitor Center
The next day, we had a bit of a late start but still wanted to visit The Furnace Creek Visitor Center for some souvenirs (they had a great selection as well as snacks and drinks). Honestly, I'm so glad we did because it is one of the most informative and educational visitor centers I have ever visited and the boys really enjoyed it. You can learn about not only the geological history and how Death Valley came to be but the human history in the area as well. We spent way longer there than we expected, which was why we didn't last very long at Mesquite Flats Sand Dune because the heat crept higher as the morning carried on.
Mesquite Flats Sand Dune
This was our very last planned stop for our trip and where we unfortunately spent the least time. The Mesquite Flats Sand Dune is one of six sand dunes in Death Valley, but is the closest one to the main attractions. It is also one of two in which sand sledding is allowed (read more here). So, we brought a sled and literally lasted no more than 30 minutes out and back, for a few reasons: 1) it was 83 degrees at 11am so it was already pretty hot with no breeze as in the previous day, 2) we all wore sandals thinking it would be easier with all the sand that can get into shoes but the sand was super hot it burned our feet, 3) walking on sand is exhausting because you just sink with each step, and 4) the really higher dunes are further out, requiring you to trek at least 30-40 minutes out. Don't get me wrong, you don't want to miss this stop, but you do want to get there earlier in the morning and make the effort to go further into the dunes for the best pictures that really capture the height of the dunes. All this is more reason for me to come back to fully appreciate it, especially for sunrise!
Other Things to Do
Stargazing - Death Valley National Park is a designed Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, which is the highest rating of darkness, so the view of the night sky will be out of this world.
Mosaic Canyon Trail - An approximately 3 mile, out and back trail taking you through rock and marble canyon with some light rock scrambling. An unpaved road leads to this hike.
Salt Creek Interpretive Trail - A 0.5 mile boardwalk trail over a creek that is home to the rare Death Valley pupfish.
Golden Canyon - This a popular hike that has some variations that take you to the Red Cathedral, Gower Gulch, and all the way to Zabriskie Point if you choose. I want to come back and do this one! An unpaved road leads to this hike.
Natural Bridge - A 1.4 mile, out and back trail with a view of a natural red rock bridge formation. An unpaved road leads to this hike.
Devil's Golfcourse - A salt field with jagged terrain that gets its name because someone said it looks like only the devil could play golf there. An unpaved road leads to this viewpoint.
Dante's View - A scenic bird's eye view of the entire valley. Options to hike around this area for better vantage points. A popular area for sunrise and sunset viewing.
Harmony Borax Works - A historic borax mine where you can learn about the 20 mule teams used to transport borax to the nearby railways.
Ubehebe Crater - A 600 feet deep volcanic crater that is also half a mile wide. I want to see this for myself next time!
Surrounding Area
Death Valley is a perfect day trip from the Las Vegas strip, just two hours away. In fact, it was our last stop as we headed home from Las Vegas for spring break. Lone Pine is also two hours away.
So, have I convinced you yet? Would you make a visit? I definitely hope so! As always, happy planning!
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