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Death Valley - The Extrem Land...
Photo by Steve Gribble | Unsplash
Located in the desert region of California, Death Valley is the hottest, driest, and lowest National Park in the United States, making it a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme in Death Valley offers many contrasts. Peaks are frosted in winter snow, rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers, lush oases shelter tiny fish and provide refuge for wildlife and humans, and despite its morbid name, Death Valley is home to a diverse array of thriving life. In this article, we'll tell you everything you need to know to discover this park that will leave you speechless.
In This Article:
Last Update 10/20/2025
What is Death Valley?
Death Valley is a valley in the Mojave Desert (United States) located in California and included in Death Valley National Park. It is an elongated, north-south oriented endorheic rift valley. Its lowest point, Badwater, is, at −85.5 meters (282 feet) below sea level, the lowest point in the United States. The highest temperature recorded on Earth was on July 10, 1913, at Furnace Creek, at 56.7 °C (132.8°F). These extreme conditions have created a diverse landscape, each one as different as the next.
The valley received its English name in 1849, during the California Gold Rush. It was named Death Valley by prospectors who attempted to cross it. Trapped for several months in a dry valley almost devoid of any animal or plant life, they gave it the name "Death Valley." They survived by burning wood from vehicles, eating their oxen, and finding water sources. The site they occupied was identified near the sand dunes and called "Burned Wagons Camp." They managed to leave the valley via Wingate Pass. A woman reportedly said before leaving, "Goodbye Death Valley!" In reality, only one member of the expedition, an elderly and sick man, had died in the valley. During the 1850s, gold and silver were mined in the valley, and in the 1880s, borax was discovered and mined by mule-drawn wagons.
Plan Your Visit to Death Valley
Fees & Passes
Things to know:
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The park does not accept cash
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There is no entrance gate to purchase passes
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Entrance tickets or passes must be visible on vehicle windshields. Rangers regularly check vehicles in parking lots.
Purchase Passes
You can purchase you passes online or in-person at these locations:
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Furnace Creek Visitor Center
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Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station
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Furnace Creek Campground
Pass | Price |
|---|---|
Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
Pedestrian | $15.00 |
Motorcycle | $25.00 |
Commercial (7-15 seats) | $75.00 |
Commercial (26+ seats) | $200.00 |
Commercial (16-25 seats) | $100.00 |
Commercial (1-6 seats) | $35.00-$75.00 |
Annual National Park Pass | $80.00 |
Annual Entrance Park | $55.00 |
Opening Hours
The park is open 24 hours, daily all year.
Death Valley Summer Visit
Here are a few tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable summer visit:
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Stay on paved roads and close to your vehicle.
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Ensure you have proper equipment for changing tires
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Drink and Carry Plenty of Water (at least 4 liters/per)
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Be sure to eat salty foods or drink electrolyte beverages in addition to water.
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Carry extra drinking water in your car in case of emergency.
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Watch for signs of trouble (feel dizzy, nauseous, or get a headache)
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Don't Hike at Low Elevations.
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Have an emergency plan, including sharing your itinerary with a trusted friend or family member not on your trip.
Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth. In the summer months (May-September) temperatures average over 100°F (38°C), and often exceed 120°F (49°C).
Best time to Visit Death Valley
The best time to visit Death Valley National Park is generally October through May, with mid-spring (March-April) and mid-fall (October-November) being particularly ideal. During these months, the weather is mild, offering pleasant temperatures for exploring the park's vast landscapes and unique attractions.
Where to Stay in Death Valley?
Furnace Creek Campground
Furnace Creek Campground, near the Visitor Center at 190ft below sea level, is the only NPS campground in the park that accepts reservations. It offers full RV hookups and dry RV/tent sites. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance for dates between October 15th and April 15th. The remainder of the year, the campground reduces to 41 sites and is first-come, first-served. As the most popular campground in the park, reservations are strongly recommended
Photo by US National Park Service
Stovepipe Wells Village
The Stovepipe Wells Village concession offers recently renovated resort accommodations, limited recreational vehicle camping with full hookups, a restaurant and saloon featuring fresh seasonal fare, a gift shop, and a 24-hour gas station in the scenic Stovepipe Wells area.
Photo by US National Park Service
The Ranch at Death Valley
Ranch at Death Valley is the energetic center of activity in Death Valley. Set along Highway 190 next to the National Park Service Visitor Center, you can enjoy a classic town square with towering date palms and mission California architecture. You’ll find a new restaurant, ice cream and coffee bar, general store with souvenirs as well as groceries, and you can have drinks and dinner in the must-see Last Kind Words Saloon – straight out of a western movie.
Thing to See in Death Valley
Furnace Creek Visitor Center
The visitor center, museum, and headquarters of Death Valley National Park are located at Furnace Creek. This is where you will also find a thermometer that will allow you to take a picture of the outside temperature
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Stop by the visitor center to:
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Speak with park rangers
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Pay park fees and purchase national park passes
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View the exhibits
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Watch the park film (20 minutes in length)
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Shop at the bookstore - light snacks/sandwiches/water are available for purchase
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Become a Junior Ranger! Complete the activities in the booklet and earn a badge.
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Operating hours: Daily 8:00am - 5: 00pm
Bad Water Basin
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, 86 m below sea level. The salt flats cover nearly 518 km² and are composed primarily of sodium chloride (table salt), calcite, gypsum, and borax. Badwater is named after an early surveyor's mule that refused to drink the spring-fed pool near today's boardwalk. The pool is home to an endemic snail found naturally only at this location, and its perimeter is dotted with salt-tolerant plants, including samphire.
The pool and boardwalk are easily accessible from the Badwater Road parking lot, but the best views of the salt polygons require an easy 2 mile (3.2 km) round-trip walk to the salt flats.
Be sure to look up toward the cliffs of the Black Mountains to the east; There you'll see a sign indicating sea level. Also take a moment to see Telescope Peak at 11049 ft (3,368 m). Nowhere else in the United States can you see such spectacular vertical relief up close.
It's important to wear suitable footwear and be careful of sharp rock formations.
Dante's View
Located at 5575 ft (1,699 m) above Badwater Basin, atop the Black Mountains, Dante's View offers breathtaking views of the valley, including Badwater Basin and Telescope Peak. The access road can be tricky. It is a popular spot for sunrises, sunsets, and stargazing. Its name comes from miners who thought the landscape was reminiscent of scenes from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Dante's View was used as a filming location for the "Mos Eisley" scene in Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977.
Zabriskie Point
Named in honor of Christian Zabriskie, a key figure in the heyday of the Pacific Coast Borax Company, Zabriskie Point offers a high vantage point from which to admire the badlands below. These yellow- and brown-striped hills were shaped by the powerful force of the water and are among the most photographed in Death Valley National Park. Beyond the badlands, the salt flats that cover the Death Valley floor can be seen in the distance, with the imposing Panamint Mountains as a backdrop.
The most visible high point from Zabriskie Point is Manly Beacon, which is particularly magnificent at sunrise or sunset.
Devil's Golf Course
Devil's Golf Course an immense area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain into jagged spires. So incredibly jagged that "only the devil could play golf on such rugged courses." If you listen carefully, you'll hear sounds like tiny cracks and pings: billions of tiny salt crystals bursting from the heat.
Artist's Drive & Artist's Palette
The Artists Drive Loop winds through hills sculpted by erosion and offers views of the rugged Black Mountains and swirling white salt flats.
Tucked behind a muted yellow landscape, the Artists Palette Rainbow is the highlight of the Artists Drive Scenic Loop. Here, visitors marvel at a palette of colors (red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, and green) spread across the hills. These colors come from volcanic deposits rich in compounds such as iron oxides and chlorite, creating a rainbow effect.
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Although Artists Drive and Artists Palette are beautiful at any time of day, sunrise and sunset offer changing light and shadows, further enhancing the charm of this incredible location.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are large, easily accessible sand dunes that provide an impressive backdrop, especially at sunrise and sunset.
These dunes are named after the mesquite tree, which grows abundantly in the region.
The sand dunes are home to many animals, including nocturnal kangaroo rats and rattlesnakes. No official trails exist in the dunes, so be careful when exploring and avoid disturbing burrows.
The Mesquite Dunes are known for their spectacular shadows at sunrise and sunset, where the ripples and edges of the dunes stand out in greater contrast. They are also a great place to observe Death Valley's famous night sky.
Mosaic Canyon
Mosaic Canyon is the perfect hike for geology enthusiasts and adventurers. Here, hikers are almost immediately greeted by narrow, winding passages. Mosaic Canyon is frequently subject to flash floods, and these passages have been smoothed by the waters.
As you ascend the canyon, keep an eye out for the incredible mosaic breccia for which it is named.
The length of the hike varies depending on the desired level of difficulty. Many hikers stop at the rock jam about 2 km up the canyon, but it is possible to bypass this obstacle and continue through more narrow passages and an open canyon, until the path is finally blocked by an impassable 7.6 m (25 ft) dry drop.
Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon takes its name from the incredible yellow color of the canyon walls. While a glimpse of the canyon's mouth from the parking lot offers visitors a glimpse into the canyon's secrets, hiking the canyon offers much more: towering walls, colorful side canyons that invite exploration, ripples formed by rushing water, and the comings and goings of wildlife.
This easy/moderate 2-mile round-trip hike includes a 3-foot rock scramble. Although most hikers turn around at the junction with the Red Cathedral, the more adventurous can continue 0.5 miles to the fluted vertical walls of a natural amphitheater: the Red Cathedral (some climbing and rock crawling is required).
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