Death Valley National Park, CA, USA
03.22.2022
Before I dive right into the many amazing spots to enjoy in Death Valley National Park, allow me to give you some background on when and how I visited.
I visited in late March so the morning temps were cool and the high temperatures in Death Valley (the hottest place in the United States) were only set to reach the upper 80s. I stayed in Las Vegas the night before and left my hotel at 6am, joining the already buzzing highway out of the city that never sleeps.
Prior to Las Vegas I had been having car trouble and was planning to cut out my trip to Death Valley because of the long baron stretches of uninhabited desert road. Then my car was able to get fixed and visiting this park was 100% worth it but it was also a long day of driving. My final destination for the evening was south of Los Angeles, which is even farther than driving back to Las Vegas. Since I was not making a round trip back to Las Vegas, it was essential to plan my stops sequentially as I crossed this largest National Park in the lower 48.
I entered the park on 190 via Pahrump. Here are the stops I visited in order from first to last: Dantes View, Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, Artists Palette, Furnace Creek Visitors Center, and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
First stop – Dantes View
Just after entering the park on 190 from the East, turn left onto Dantes View Road. It’s 14 miles of paved road and the last several miles involve a winding, car-revving incline to the top parking lot which sits at an elevation of 5,475 ft. There is no additional hike after making it to the top, you can simply step out of your car and see the view. Except getting out of your car may not be so simple.
As soon as I turned my car off, I could hear the wind whipping outside and knew I needed to bundle up with every layer I brought with me before stepping out. Outfitted in my winter jacket, hat, and gloves I stepped out of the car literally played in the wind. It nearly toppled me over and swept the stocking cap off my head, just like in Patagonia! The view of the basin below and the undulating mountains around you are reason enough to visit this spot, but experiencing the wind was something special.
So, be prepared with winter clothing. The other two visitors here were clearly not having as much fun as one couple was huddled in their car. The other couple were holding thin scarves over their faces and looking at me like I was crazy for laughing and playing in the wind.
Zabriskie Point
The crown jewel (of the badlands area) in Death Valley National Park is Zabriskie Point. This stop is right off the main road, has a large parking lot with restroom, and a paved trail up to the stunning viewing area.
Not only can you soak in all of the stunning badland views here, but you can actually hike in them. The 6.4 mile Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop trail or the 2.7 mile Badlands Loop trail are great options. Both trails can be accessed via the Zabriskie parking lot and I highly recommend taking at least the shorter loop so you can immerse yourself in the unique terrain. The trail weaves you through the badlands and is hardly ever shaded, so start early. I also experienced gusty winds on this hike so hang onto your hat and wear some sunglasses to protect your eyes from the dust.
If you’re a little crunched for time and have to choose spots to quickly stop at and spots to invest some time in, this one deserves some time.
Note: When I visited in late March, I was surprised to find green shrubs, yellow daisies, and purple wildflowers blooming along the roadway!
Badwater Basin
Here you will find the icon of Death Valley National Park and the lowest point in the USA, 282 ft below sea level. Find a spot in the parking lot and prepare to experience some intense light and (probably) heat as you walk out on the salt flat. The pounded-down trail is pure white and goes approximately 1 mile straight out and I do recommend going the full distance. The farther out you head, the taller and more pronounced the salt pool walls and patterns become. The trail end is marked with a cairn of stacked salt blocks.
The view all around you is stunning on this stroll and you will be walking straight toward the snowcapped Telescope Peak, which sits at a stunning elevation of 11,049 ft! I also found this place to be an oddly silent experience. It seemed nobody else was conversing much while here, just quietly moving around, taking in this odd place like we were all at a war memorial.
To get to Badwater Basin, you have to turn off 190 and head south for 16 miles on Badwater Road. This road contains many iconic stops but as Badwater Basin was my furthest stop down this road. I went here first so I wouldn’t have to backtrack after completing the one-way Artists Drive, which was my next stop.
Tip: Two stops between Badwater Basin and Artists Palette that are probably worth stopping at are Natural Bridge and Devils Golf Course. I was unable to stop at these as the short roads to get to these sites are gravel and I was driving a low clearance Corvette.
Artists Palette
On the way back toward 190 on Badwater Road, there is a one-way loop road called Artists Drive. The drive itself is stunning as it meanders tight curves and colorful canyons. Though the views all along this scenic drive are wonderful, Artists Palette is the gem here with it’s pastel colors of oxidized soil undulating out of the canyon walls.
For some reason, the parking lot only had two other cars in it when I pulled in but it probably is usually more busy and the lot is quite small. That said, be patient and wait for a spot, you don’t need a ton of time here as you can simply view Artists Palette from the parking lot or do a mini .3 mile hike in the canyon. There’s lots of space to spread out from other visitors here.
Furnace Creek Visitors Center
There are a handful of amenities within Death Valley National Park and most of them are located in Furnace Creek. This town is where a small population just over 100 residents and park workers stay. I only stopped here to get my souvenir brochure map from the Visitors Center and explore the gift shop. I was surprised that I had to show a park ranger my Park Pass before they would give me a map, which meant I had to walk back out to get it from the dash of my car. I would love to return to Death Valley and stay inside the park at Furnace Creek for one night just so I had more time to explore the park’s hidden gems and have the opportunity to see some of the iconic sites during sunrise and sunset.
Tip: Make sure you fill up your car with gas ahead of time as gas inside the park is nearly double the price. When I was there, it was listed as over $8 per gallon!
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
This was my last stop on my day trip to Death Valley National Park and was a 1/2 hour drive across the park to get to from Furnace Creek. The road to get there, 190, had a high speed limit of 65 mph, which I have never seen in a National Park before. Use caution as I was surprised to encounter both Badwater Road and 190 around the Sand Dunes area had many bicyclists enjoying the park at a different pace.
The parking lot at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is large and there is a ton of space to spread out here so you can enjoy the dunes however you wish. The farthest dunes out are over 1 mile away and people were climbing and enjoying every corner here. There is no shade, and the sand is very hot, so know you are going to get you shoes filled with sand. There’s simply no way around it. Climbing on these huge piles of sand in the middle of a basin surrounded by mountains in Death Valley National Park is totally worth it. I walked out maybe 1/2 of a mile or more before deciding to turn back. It was the hottest point in the day and you could sure feel it out on the sand.
The diverse nature and desert landscapes here are truly stunning and spectacular, especially considering all of these sights are all within a 1 hour drive of one another. I cannot recommend this park enough! Even as a solo traveler, I encountered kind people in the parking lot who loved to strike up a short conversation with me. I think this was mostly because of my Wisconsin license plate. Yet I was also able to find seclusion and silently soak in the views at every place I stopped at. There’s just a ton of space to spread out and enjoy no matter how you want to experience this sublime place.
You do need a park pass to enter the park, here is a link to the official Death Valley National Park website and their map (toggle to view their brochure map).
The Road to Get There
A quick word on the roads leading in and out of the parks. They are vacant and it’s not a place I would ever want to cross alone again. I was incredibly thankful that my car was fixed and reliable. Even though I saw plenty of cars inside the park, I rarely came across any when traveling to and from the park. These roads are long and, on the west side out of the park, not very smooth. It’s as if the tar melted out of the blacktop, leaving the roads flat but rough and noisy. Getting to and from the park was such a different driving experience, it was nearly as memorable as the park itself. Safe travels!
