Jackie Steffan Death Valley National Park is a record breaking park for more reason than one. There’s the obvious, it’s the hottest place in the world, it’s the driest spot in the Western hemisphere, it’s also the lowest point in North America, and the largest National Park in the continental United States. I had expectations that Death Valley would be interesting, but it was basically just a desert. I was very wrong. Death Valley blew my mind with the variety of landscapes and colors. There are valleys as well as mountains, desert browns and vibrant greens and pinks, salt flats and sand dunes.
As someone who doesn’t tolerate heat well, we chose to visit Death Valley in December. While the days were some of the shortest of the year, we never had to worry about making sure we were out of the sun by a certain time or if we were overheating. The highs were in the 70s with lows in the 30s. The park has the lowest number of visitors between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Trip Logistics
If you are looking to stay in the park, there are a couple different options: 2 hotels in Furnace Creek, a hotel in Stovepipe Wells, and camping. You can stay outside the park, but the closest town is about an hour away, so be prepared to drive.
There are food options in the park, but like other National Park restaurants, they are on the pricey side. At the Ranch at Death Valley, there is a steakhouse, The Last Kind Words Saloon and a buffet, The Ranch 1849 Buffet. There is also an ice cream shop and a general store with groceries. In Stovepipe Wells, there is the Toll Road Restaurant and Badwater Saloon. There is also a general store in Stovepipe Wells.
We flew into Las Vegas, Death Valley was about a 2 hour drive from Vegas. What no one ever mentions about Las Vegas is that it’s completely surrounded by big, beautiful mountains. Forget the lights and casinos and give me more of those mountains! If you are renting a car, I’d recommend getting a 4-wheel drive or high clearance vehicle. Many of the roads to hikes are not paved. Make sure to fill your gas tank up before you get into the park, because while there is gas in the park, it’s very expensive.
Friday
We landed in Las Vegas in the morning, got our rental car, and started the 2 hour drive to Death Valley National Park. We stopped for groceries, lunch, and gas in Pahrump, NV. This is the closest town to Death Valley and has all the essentials at lower prices than you’ll find in the park.
From Pahrump, you’ll drive into California and, after another 20 miles, into the park. There are no manned pay stations at the entrances to the park, but you are required to get a pass and display it when you are stopped and parked. There are electronic pay stations near the entrances or you can stop by the Visitor Center. If you have an annual park pass, you still need to stop at the Visitor Center to get a paper pass. The harsh desert sun can cause the annual passes to warp and get destroyed. There is a Visitor Center in Furnace Creek, about 10 miles from the east entrance.
On our first afternoon, we spent the day hitting up some of the highlights on Badwater Road.
Badwater Basin-
Badwater Basin is one of the most iconic spots in the park. It’s a huge salt flat that is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in North America! There isn’t really a trail here, but there is a boardwalk that leads you out to the salt flats to explore as much as you would like. The salt naturally forms into hexagonal shapes which are really interesting and unique.
From the parking lot, if you face away from the salt flats, there is a sign on the mountain that shows where sea level is. This really make you understand how low you are! One thing I learned that we found really interesting is that Mount Whitney (the highest point in the continental US) is only 84 miles from Badwater Basin. It’s wild to me how close the highest and lowest points in the Continental US are to each other.
Natural Bridge-
Natural Bridge is a rock formation that forms an arch, or a natural bridge. The hike is short at 1 mile, but it is a bit steep on the way up.
Devil’s Golfcourse-
Devil’s Golf Course gets its name because “only the devil would be crazy enough to golf on it”. The terrain is formed of many vertical salt pillars. It’s super cool to see, but we only spent a few minutes here taking pictures and taking in the unique landscape.
Artist’s Palette-
Artist’s Drive is a one way road through colorful rock formations. There are lots of pull-offs where you can get out of your car and hike out onto the rocks. I would highly recommend doing this, especially when you get to Artist’s Palette. The greens, pinks, and different shades of brown blew my mind! The colors are more vibrant in lower light, so I recommend visiting closer to dawn or dusk.
Saturday
Sunrise at Zabriskie Point-
Zabriskie Point is hands down, my favorite place in the park and seeing it at sunrise is unparalleled. Zabriskie Point is a very short hike to a viewing platform overlooking the badlands below. In the distance you can see the salt flats and Telescope Peak, the highest point in Death Valley National Park. Sunrise is a very popular time to go to Zabriskie Point. I’d recommend getting there about 30 minutes before sunrise to make sure you get a parking spot, a good viewing/photo spot, and don’t miss out on any of the beautiful sunrise colors. If you go in the Winter like we did, be prepared to bring some layers.
We returned to Zabriskie Point later that day to watch the sunset, to make sure we got the full lighting experience.
Hike from Zabriskie Point through Golden Canyon-
From Zabriskie Point, take the 1/2 mile trail to the Badlands Loop. Both directions of the badlands loop are to your right, either down the gorge or up the hill directly to your right. We took this loop up the hill, counter clockwise. When this trail met up with Gower Gulch, we continued left and then right at the second intersection. The Gower Gulch section has some rock scrambles, which we found it much easier to go down these, so I’d recommend taking this loop clockwise. You will meet up with the Golden Canyon parking area, continue right to finish up the loop. A mile later, there is a split to Red Cathedral. It will add a mile onto your hike, but we opted to skip this one because you also get great views of Red Cathedral from Golden Canyon. When you reach the Badlands loop, you can either go back the way you came or complete the loop. Our total route was 7 miles.
If you are looking for a shorter hike, you can also park at the Golden Canyon parking area and hike the 2 mile out and back Golden Canyon trail, add on the 1 mile Red Cathedral spur, or continue on to Gower Gulch. This area was incredibly beautiful with so many colors and textures.
Dante’s View-
Dante’s view gives you incredible views of the valley below. There are lots of viewing platforms and a few hikes here as well. We meant to do one of the ridge hikes, but a cold front was coming in overnight making the ridge super cold and incredibly windy. Let us know if you decide to take this hike!
Twenty Mule Team Canyon-
If you’ve got some extra time, drive through the Twenty Mule Team Canyon. It gives you another view of the badlands at the base of the Amargosa Range.
Harmony Borax Works Interpretive Trail-
Part of the history of Death Valley is borax mining. You’ll see lots of things named after borax from the Twenty Mule Team Canyon to Harmony Borax Works. This interpretive trail is about 1/2 mile and is the original site of the Harmony Borax Works. If you’re interested in the history of the mining (or are married to an engineer who likes old engineering) check this site out! Afterwards, take a drive through the neighboring Mustard Canyon.
Sunday
On Sunday, we woke up to a sight most people don’t get to see in Death Valley, rain! While the rain was light, we were concerned about the potential for flooding after talking with the rangers, so we spent the morning driving to the west side of the park. It was a beautiful drive!
Father Crowley Vista Point-
Father Crowley Vista Point gives you incredible views of the Rainbow Canyon. Pilots from Top Gun trained in the canyon until 2019. There is also a 1/4 mile hike to Padre Point, another viewing area of the Panamint Valley below.
Darwin Falls-
Darwin Falls is the only permanent waterfall in the park. It’s green and lush and a complete contrast to the desert vistas we’ve been enjoying thus far. The hike is 2 miles and takes you through a canyon, crossing over the Darwin Wash many times. A few times near the beginning the ‘trail’ can be hard to find, but fortunately you’re hiking up a canyon so you can’t really get lost.
Mosaic Canyon-
Andy’s favorite hikes are ones that involve rock scrambling and ropes, so of course I had to find him one in Death Valley National Park. Mosaic Canyon is a 4 mile hike through the Mosaic Canyon. The first 0.5 miles are through polished rock walls, so if you’re not a daredevil this section is great for everyone! From here the hike gets harder, there are a couple rock scrambles and tight squeezes through rocks. Make sure to pay close attention to the rock arrows on the ground. They’ll point you in the right direction. The end of the hike will lead you to a 25 ft. tall dry fall.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes-
Our final stop was the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. There isn’t a specific trail here, but like the salt flats, you can wander as short or far as you’d like. These aren’t the largest sand dunes in the park, but they are the most accessible. We also returned here after the sunset for some star-gazing. After all, one of the things the Rangers love to say is “half the park is after dark”. On our way back to the hotel, we were greeted by a desert fox that was crossing the road. Reminder to always be on the lookout for wildlife while driving, especially during desert nights when most are more active.
Other sites to see in Death Valley National Park if you have more time
The summer of 2022 brought massive flooding to Death Valley, so there were large potions of the park we were not able to visit. If you have more time and are looking for other things to do, check out the sites below.
Salt Creek Interpretive Trail- A set of boardwalks along Salt Creek, home to the Salt Creek Pupfish.
Scotty’s Castle- Tour this castle in the desert and learn about what it was like to live in Death Valley.
Ubehebe Crater- A 1.5 mile hike around the rim of a crater.
The Racetrack- One thing Death Valley is known for is the rocks that move on their own. To get here, you need a 4 wheel drive vehicle. There are also tours you can take.
Charcoal Kilns- ten beehive shaped structures, remnants of the mining industry.
Wildrose Peak- If you’re looking for a long hard hike, check this one out. It was closed for winter while we were there.
Telescope Peak- The tallest peak in the park! If you’re looking for a long hard hike, check this one out. It was closed for winter while we were there.
