This is easily one of the most underrated US national parks I’ve ever visited! It’s located 2 hours west of Las Vegas and straddles the Nevada and California border. It has everything you could ever want in a park like incredibly unique landscapes, amazing hikes and some cool little hidden gems. We just recently took a road trip here for the first time, and here is the best beginner’s travel guide to Death Valley National Park.
If you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas soon, you don’t want to miss this national park.
How To Get to Death Valley National Park
To get to this beautiful National Park it will require some driving. The biggest cities within close proximity of Death Valley are Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Las Vegas is about 2 hours away and Los Angeles is about 4 hours away.
Driving Directions From Las Vegas (111 miles, 2 hours)
There are two options to get to Death Valley from Las Vegas. You can take 95 N towards Beatty, NV and cut through NV 373. We took this route, because we were staying on the north end of Las Vegas.
The more direct route is taking California Highway 190 through Pahrump, NV.
Driving Directions From Los Angeles (214 miles, 4 hours)
You can take a couple different routes to Death Valley from Los Angeles, and both take you to the Furnace Creek entrance. You can either take California 14 to U.S. 395 and hop over California 190 E. OR you can take Interstate 10 to Interstate 15 N to Baker followed by California 127 that leads you to California 190 E.
Where to Stay in Death Valley
No travel guide to Death Valley would be complete without a round-up of accommodations. The good news is there is no shortage of hotel options! You can stay in Las Vegas and take a day trip to Death Valley or you can find hotel options next door to Death Valley. So this is more of a choose your own adventure type of situation.
It’s no secret there is no shortage of great hotels in Las Vegas. Our trip to Las Vegas was for the purpose of visiting Death Valley National Park, so we saw no need to stay on the Las Vegas strip this time and decided to stick to a reliable Marriott hotel on the north side of Las Vegas.
We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Las Vegas Northwest
This is a newer hotel that was completed in 2021. We found our room to be comfortable and dog-friendly! Breakfast was included which is always a plus.
If you want to stay closer to Death Valley National Park expect to pay more, but this is the best option if you want to maximize your time here. Dog-friendly accommodations are limited.
- The Inn at Death Valley (your nicest option)
Longstreet Inn Casino & RV Resort (dog-friendly!)
Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel (old west themed property)
Best Tips for Visiting Death Valley
When is the best time to visit Death Valley? This park is considered the hottest place on Earth, with a recorded temperature of 134°F in July 1913. So do yourself a favor, and skip this place in the summer. Winter is the ideal time to visit, because you get far less crowds and better weather.
What is the Entrance Fee? The fee to enter Death Valley National Park is $10/vehicle. This can be paid at the visitor center or one of the automated fee machines across the park.
When is Death Valley National Park Open? Death Valley National Park is open all year round, but if you want to check out the visitors center (I highly recommend) you can pop in between 8 am – 5 pm daily.
Cell Service in Death Valley National Park? You can forget all about having service here, so make sure you have what you need like your map and itinerary on hand before entering the park. Pop into the visitors center to get a map and a guide, to help you in the case you can’t find what you need.
Can I get gas in the park? You can find 3 gas stations inside the park: Stovepipe Wells, Furnace Creek and Panamint Springs. They can be unreliable. We tried to fill up at Panamint Springs and they were actually out of gas. I recommend filling up right before you enter the park
Death Valley National Park App
Yes, that’s right! This National Park actually has its own app!! With limited service in the park, this free app provides some of the best Death Valley information by expert rangers themselves. Here are some more exciting features you can expect from this app: what to see, things to do, lodging and camping options, hiking trails, sunrise/sunset locations, audio guided tours and night sky viewing! And this can all be used for offline use.
*We didn’t learn about this app until we entered the park, and unfortunately did not have the service needed to download this app so don’t repeat our mistakes and download this app before you get to Death Valley National Park!
Best Things to Do in Death Valley
Death Valley is considered one of the biggest national parks in the US with 3.2 million acres filled with twisted slot canyons, majestic sand dunes rocky peaks and the most incredible salt flats! Inside this travel guide to Death Valley, learn how explore and enjoy this beautiful national park.
Because this is a big park, make sure to give yourself enough driving time. Get an early start if you are limited on time here. We arrived at sunrise (just before 7 am) in January, and explored as much as we could before the sun set at 5 pm AND still didn’t get a chance to see everything we wanted.
Pick Up A Junior Ranger Program Booklet
If you think you’re took old for this program, think again! The Junior Ranger program is for all ages, and it’s a fun way to learn more about Death Valley National Park. Best part is once you complete the booklet, you get a badge with a logo of Death Valley and they make for an awesome souvenir!
Where to find one? Head to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and ask a Park Ranger for a booklet. Once it’s complete you can head back to the visitor center and drop it off or mail it in to get your badge.
Don’t Miss The Salt Flats at Badwater Basin
This was our first stop in the park. There are so many beautiful spots in this park that are worth an extra early morning wake up call, and Badwater Basin is one of those spots! There is just something so special about seeing the sun rise over such a beautifully unique landscape.
Considered the lowest point in North America at 282 feet, you can find the most incredible views of salt flats that span for miles at Badwater Basin. Given its unique landscape, it’s easily one of the most popular spots in the park. The parking lot is limited in space, so get here early if you can.
You can find a boardwalk just off the parking lot to view the salt flats, but if you want to find the best views you’ll want to move beyond the boardwalk. It will take you about 30 minutes to get to the more photogenic salt flats or 1.8 miles round trip. And trust me, it’s worth the trek!
Insider Tip: If you really want to catch the magic of Badwater Basin, visit at sunrise or sunset. The views are truly incredible and you get far less crowds.
Devils Golfcourse Is So Underrated
Perhaps one of the more underrated spots in the park and located less than 10 miles from Badwater Basin. We were so surprised we had this place all to ourselves for nearly 30 minutes. Fun fact: this area of the park received its name after a 1934 NPS Death Valley guidebook said, “only the devil could play golf” here given the harsh landscape.
So how was this part of the park formed? This was one home to Lake Manly over 10,000 years ago. Over time the lake dried up and left behind dissolved minerals. What you see today is a result of salty water rising up from underlying mud and as it evaporates you see these salty spires form with a little help from wind and rain.
You can easily miss the sign to Devils Golf Course, and Google Maps did not direct us to the right spot so we had to do a little backtracking. Here is what you need to know: When driving on Badwater Road you want to keep your eyes peeled for Salt Pool Road. This will be on your left hand side if you are heading here from Badwater Basin. The road is unpaved for 1 mile and will lead you to Devils Golf Course.
Artists Palette Is Worth The Hype
Chances are you have seen this rainbow wonderland all over social media, and I can confirm it lives up to the hype! To get to Artists Palette you’ll take a 9 mile scenic loop drive through colorful hills. And keep in mind this drive is one-way, so don’t hesitate if you see a spot you want to stop and check out.
I have to confess i’m often guilty of planning a trip around a cool spot I see on Instagram. Anyone else?? When I saw photos of Artists Palette in Death Valley I just knew I had to see it for myself!
Artists Palette really is quite stunning, and truth is these hills really are filled with the most beautiful pastel colors but photos don’t do it justice. With just a little photo editing this landscape really lives up to its name.
If you’re wondering how to get to the most photogenic spot here, don’t worry because you will see a big sign that points you to the Artists Palette overlook. If you miss it you will have to go all the way back around.
Explore Popular Hikes in Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon is home to the most popular hikes in Death Valley National Park. So what makes this place so special? The landscape here is filled with badlands, towering, twisted rock spires, hidden slot canyons and colorful golden and pink hues.
This is definitely the type of spot where you have so many options to choose your own adventure. You can actually find three separate trails here that overlap with each other. That doesn’t include all the mini trails that branch off from the main trail here. Read on to see what options you have here.
Definitely a fan favorite hike due to the ease at which you can hike this trail. You can simply walk through the mouth of the canyon until you see the canyon end at which you can turn right back around. It’s about 1 mile roundtrip. This is a great option if you are limited on time like we were. You can still catch some amazing views of this area. We even branched off the main trail to make our way to higher ground and catch some great views!
If you want to catch a glimpse of the iconic Red Cathedral continue on the golden canyon trail. Once you reach the end of the canyon, you’ll have to scramble 0.5 miles to see the Red Cathedral. You will spot a trail that takes you up to higher ground to catch even better views. This is a moderately difficult hike and is 3.5 miles round trip.
This is a 4.3 mile round trip hike that provides some incredible views of the Badlands. You will stay on the Golden Canyon trail for 1 mile before reaching mile marker #10. You will follow that marker to the right and this will lead you out of the canyon and reward you with some great views.
If you want get a close up look of the iconic Zabriskie Point, this is the trail for you! From Red Cathedral you can choose to take the Badlands loop for 1.1 miles and it will lead you to Zabriskie Point.
Visit The Photogenic Zabriskie Point
When I tell you this place is popular, I mean it. We were on our way to Badwater Basin to catch the sun rise, and when we passed the parking lot to Zabriskie Point just before 6:30 am it was PACKED! But it’s popular for a reason. You will find some of the most beautiful golden colored badlands here.
You don’t have to worry about any extensive hiking here. From the parking lot you take a paved trail 0.4 miles up to an overlook that provides stunning views of this landscape. INSIDER TIP: If you do want to do a little off-road hiking, there is a little trail to the right of the overlook you can take that will get you a closer view of Zabriskie Point. Keep in mind the climb back up is a work-out.
The parking lot found here is HUGE, so if you can’t get here at sunrise don’t sweat it because there is plenty of parking.
Discover Rolling Golden Hills at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Most people think Death Valley National Park is just covered in sand, but less than 1% of the park actually has sand dunes! The sand dunes found here truly are iconic though. And Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is definitely a fan favorite, because this spot is so photogenic and so easy to get to.
You will actually find a 100 foot sand dune here!! And if you’re feeling brave you can bring a sled and try your hand at sledding down this massive dune. We saw a large group of people sledding when we visited in January, and it looked like so much fun! This is the only area of the park that allows sand boarding.
And before you repeat my mistake, I am going to let you in on a little “secret.” You can actually explore FIVE different dune areas here. If you have time available check out these other sand dunes in Death Valley National Park:
Read details above!
This spot flies under the radar, but is filled with the some of the tallest sand dunes in North America! It can be challenging to get here as the road consists of dirt and gravel and can often be closed due to weather conditions in the winter. But rumor has it this spot is worth it if you can get there!
You can find these sand dunes near the salt flats, but it’s highly recommended you have 4WD to reach them because the road can be filled with sharp rocks. If you do make time to visit, there is a really good chance you will have this place all to yourself because it’s one of the least visited areas of the park.
I am starting to get repetitive, but this road is also unpaved and having 4WD will make it easier to get here. These are the only sand dunes in the park that are not found in a valley, but on a slope so they are very easy to spot.
The sand dunes found here are TALLER than the sand dunes found at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. And if you need some help finding these, AllTrails has got you covered. Not going to lie, after seeing photos of this spot I am eager to check this place out next time I visit!
Update: Since February 2023, this trail has been temporarily closed due to flooding.
Wildrose Charcoal Kilns- A Death Valley Hidden Gem
It is a mystery to me why more people don’t visit this spot. Tbh, this spot is a bit of a drive and much further than other more popular spots in Death Valley National Park, but it’s SO worth it! Wildrose Charcoal Kilns can be found about an hour south of the Mesquite Sand Dunes on Emigrant Canyon Road, 28 miles from HWY 190.
We visited in January and we were not expecting to walk into a winter wonderland. It made it challenging to get here in our Ford Escape without 4WD and I would not necessarily recommend. We almost got stuck in the snow because of it.
Here are some important tips when visiting the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns:
- The roads do get rough, and it’s recommended you have 4WD. We didn’t, but managed to drive extra slow
- Check the weather before you go, as you can see we ran into bad weather and it was less than ideal to drive in
- The road for the last 2 miles is gravel, but is generally suitable for most cars
Don’t Overlook Twenty Mule Team Canyon
This was our last stop of the day before the sun set, and we almost skipped it but I am glad we ended our trip here. Twenty Mule Team Canyon consists of impressive badlands and some pretty colorful hills although not as colorful as those found at Artists Palette.
This area gets overlooked due its much more popular neighbors like Golden Canyon and Zabriskie Point, but we really enjoyed exploring the landscape here. We got here at sunset and were rewarded with hills covered in deep purple hues and light blue.
The road that leads here is unpaved, but it’s an easy and scenic 4 miles. And chances are you’ll get this place to yourself since many people choose to skip this spot. This also happens to be one of the more dog-friendly areas of Death Valley National Park where you can actually give your dog a proper walk here!
Death Valley National Park Honorable Mentions
We were only able to spend one day here, and crammed as many spots as we could into our itinerary but I am already dying to go back. Here are some additional spots on my list we didn’t have time to visit, but deserve an honorable mention:
I hope this travel guide to Death Valley helps you make the most of your trip as you explore one of the most underestimated US National Parks in the country!
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