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Death Valley National Park

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Overview

A land of extremes, Death Valley National Park is home to a great diversity of life and scenery. Although this park is known for the steady drought and record summer heat in its below-sea-level basin, visitors can also find towering peaks covered in winter snow, lush oases that are a refuge for local wildlife and tiny fish, and vast fields of wildflowers that bloom after a rare rainstorm. Despite its gloomy and foreboding name, the park is home to colorful badlands, rugged canyons, beautiful sand dunes, the driest and lowest spot in North America, and the hottest spot in the world, making it a unique and interesting park for visitors year round.

To learn more about Death Valley National Park, visit www.nps.gov.

Local Info

Visitor Centers:
The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm.

Visiting Tips

Death Valley National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Peak visitation for the park is during the spring and winter, with fewer visitors during the fall. While visitors can still visit the park during the summer, the opportunities for outdoor recreation and camping are reduced due to the extreme heat.

Fees & Passes:
To learn more about park fees, click here.

Camping & Lodging

Camping:
There are nine campgrounds operated by the park. In addition, privately owned and managed campgrounds are available at Furnace Creek Ranch and Panamint Springs Resort. For more information about camping in the park, click here.

  • Furnace Creek: 136 sites. Open year round, reservations accepted from October 15 to April 15. Reservations can be made online or by calling 1 (877) 444-6777.
  • Sunset: 270 sites. Open October 15 to April 15. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Texas Spring: 92 sites. Open October 15 to May 10. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Stovepipe Wells: 190 sites. Open October 15 to May 10. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Mesquite Spring: 30 sites. Open year round. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Emigrant: 10 sites (tent only). Open year round. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Wildrose: 23 sites. Open year round. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Thorndike: 6 sites. Open year round. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Mahogany Flat: 10 sites. Open year round. Sites available on a first come, first served basis.

Backcountry Camping:
Backcountry camping is permitted in certain locations throughout the park. Free voluntary permits for backcountry camping may be obtained at the visitor center or any ranger station. Visit the park's website for more information on backcountry camping.

Lodging:
Death Valley National Park offers several choices for accommodations. Reservations are highly recommended especially during the fall through spring.

  • Stovepipe Wells Village: Open year round. Resort accommodations and a limited number of RV sites. Reservations can be made online or by calling (760) 786-2387.
  • Furnace Creek Inn: Open mid-October through Mother's Day. Resort accommodations. Reservations can be made online or by calling 1 (800) 236-7916.
  • Furnace Creek Ranch: Open year round. Motel accommodations. Reservations can be made online or by calling 1 (800) 236-7916.
  • Panamint Springs Resort: Open year round. Resort accommodations and camping. Reservations can be made online or by calling (775) 482-7680.

Food & Drink

There are several dining options located within the park. Furnace Creek Inn serves breakfast, Sunday brunch, lunch, and dinner. Reservations are recommended and the inn is closed in the summer. Furnace Creek Ranch offers several different dining options including the Forty-Niner Cafe, the Wrangler Steakhouse, the Corkscrew Saloon, and the 19th Hole. Visitors can grab drinks and appetizers at the Badwater Saloon or a meal at the Toll Road Restaurant both located in the Stovepipe Wells Village. Additionally, the Panamint Springs resort serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner year round.

Outfitters, Tours, & Shuttles

Guided Tours:
Death Valley National Park offers a variety of ranger-led programs that vary by season. All programs, unless otherwise specified, are free and open to the public. Some tours require advance registration. To learn more about these ranger-led programs and to see the current events calendar, click here.

REI Adventures:
REI offers over 30 national park trips led by expert guides capable of taking you off the beaten path to discover hidden gems that many visitors never see.

Check out REI Adventures' national park offerings here.

Other Activities

Death Valley National Park is a vast park with over three million acres of designated wilderness and hundreds of miles of backcountry roads. The park contains an amazing variety of terrain, historic sites, plants, and animals for outdoor adventurers to explore. Whether camping, backpacking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, bird watching, or wildflower viewing, visitors can choose from a variety of ways to explore the park. For other activities outside of the park, check out the many trails for mountain biking in the Bishop and Mono Lake and Las Vegas Metro areas. There are also many great areas for rock climbing in Red Rock and the southern Sierra Nevadas.

Maps & Guidebooks

To download a variety of maps to help plan your visit, click here.

Gems in Death Valley National Park - 7

Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Add Your Gems

gem Favorite Curved space, if not time, exists at Mesquite Sand Dunes.

Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes

(48) Badwater, CA
gem Favorite Amazing views! Death Valley - Zabriskie Point.

Zabriskie Point

(48) Badwater, CA
gem Favorite Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin

(41) Badwater, CA
gem Favorite Artist Palette

Artist's Palette

(41) Badwater, CA
gem Favorite Dante's View. Death Valley National Park.

Dante's View

(22) Badwater, CA
gem Favorite Devil's Golf Course at midday.

Devil's Golf Course

(29) Badwater, CA
gem Favorite The view of Death Valley from the old mine high in the Funeral Range.

Keane Wonder Mine

(4) Badwater, CA

Recommended Routes in Death Valley National Park - 12

Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Add Your Recommended Routes

Favorite Badwater at Sunset
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate

Badwater Basin Crossing

6.5 mi 10.4 km • 25' Up 7.58 m Up • 12' Down 3.63 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Darwin Falls cascades peacefully down the rocks into a pool below.
Intermediate Intermediate

Darwin Falls

2.1 mi 3.4 km • 425' Up 129.44 m Up • 425' Down 129.39 m Down

Searles…, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley National Park
Intermediate Intermediate

Mosaic Canyon Trail

3.5 mi 5.7 km • 969' Up 295.33 m Up • 969' Down 295.2 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Badwater, California from Telescope Peak Trail.
Difficult Difficult

Telescope Peak Trail

11.7 mi 18.9 km • 3,101' Up 945.31 m Up • 3,097' Down 943.88 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite The valley you walk through between the canyons (location approximate).
Difficult Difficult

Cottonwood/Marble Canyon Loop

26.8 mi 43.1 km • 4,032' Up 1229.03 m Up • 4,032' Down 1229.01 m Down

Lone Pine, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite The surreal multicolored canyon landscape just below the cathedral.
Intermediate Intermediate

Red Cathedral Out-and-Back

2.9 mi 4.7 km • 522' Up 159.18 m Up • 522' Down 159.25 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite View of Zabiskie Point.
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

Red Cathedral Canyon Crest

1.7 mi 2.8 km • 243' Up 74.04 m Up • 244' Down 74.23 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Looking down into Ubehebe
Intermediate Intermediate

Ubehebe Crater Loop

1.8 mi 2.9 km • 347' Up 105.89 m Up • 358' Down 109.05 m Down

Big Pine, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Amazing views! Death Valley - Zabriskie Point.
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate

Zabriskie Point Trail

0.3 mi 0.5 km • 19' Up 5.74 m Up • 19' Down 5.78 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Wildrose Peak trail offers day hikers a magnificent view of the valley floor 9,000' below.
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

Wildrose Peak Trail

8.3 mi 13.4 km • 2,283' Up 695.79 m Up • 2,282' Down 695.65 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Looking back towards Death Valley
Intermediate Intermediate

Desolation Canyon Trail

3.7 mi 6.0 km • 777' Up 236.76 m Up • 776' Down 236.56 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D
Favorite Death Valley Salt Creek
Easy Easy

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail

0.8 mi 1.3 km • 32' Up 9.79 m Up • 32' Down 9.78 m Down

Badwater, CA
Explore in 3D

Death Valley National Park Hiking

  • 69 Miles 111 Kilometers of Trail
  • 12 Recommended Routes
  • 7 Gems Gems
  • 5 Easy Trails Easy Trails
  • 22 Intermediate Trails Intermediate Trails
  • 12 Difficult Trails Difficult Trails
Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Share what you know about this area!

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Trails in Death Valley National Park - 27

Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Add Your Trails

2.8 mi 4.5 km #1Golden Canyon Trail
Intermediate Intermediate
Badwater, CA
Intermediate Intermediate
Badwater, CA 36 
3.0 mi 4.8 km #2Gower Gulch Trail
Intermediate Intermediate
Badwater, CA
Intermediate Intermediate
Badwater, CA 25 
0.6 mi 0.9 km #3Dante's View Trail
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate
Badwater, CA
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate
Badwater, CA 12 
2.2 mi 3.6 km #4Ubehebe Peak Trail
Difficult Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
Difficult Difficult
Lone Pine, CA
2.7 mi 4.3 km #5Sidewinder Canyon
Difficult Difficult
Badwater, CA
Difficult Difficult
Badwater, CA
1.5 mi 2.5 km #6Keane Wonder Mine
Difficult Difficult
Beatty, NV
Difficult Difficult
Beatty, NV
4.4 mi 7.0 km #7Mount Perry Trail
Difficult Difficult
Badwater, CA
Difficult Difficult
Badwater, CA
0.3 mi 0.5 km #8Ubehebe Crater Floor Trail
Very Difficult Very Difficult
Beatty, NV
Very Difficult Very Difficult
Beatty, NV
0.7 mi 1.2 km #9Natural Bridge Trail
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate
Badwater, CA
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate
Badwater, CA 18 
4.8 mi 7.7 km #10Slit Canyon
Very Difficult Very Difficult
Badwater, CA
Very Difficult Very Difficult
Badwater, CA

Photos of Death Valley National Park - 348

Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Add Your Photos

Amazing views! Death Valley - Zabriskie Point.
Jan 27, 2016 near Badwater, CA
Admiring a Pink Sunset
Sep 27, 2017 near Badwater, CA
Looking south from Telescope Peak at sunset.
Oct 4, 2017 near Badwater, CA
Hikers on Golden Canyon Trail
Oct 11, 2018 near Badwater, CA
hikers
Oct 12, 2018 near Badwater, CA
Sunset at Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park
Mar 31, 2020 near Badwater, CA
Badwater at Sunset
Mar 31, 2020 near Badwater, CA
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Nov 18, 2023 near Badwater, CA

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