Must Visit Places in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is full of extremes: it’s the largest national park in the contiguous US as well as the hottest, driest, and lowest. It’s also packed FULL of crazy, unique landscapes. After traveling to over 30 countries, there’s still nothing quite like the variety of desert scenery found here. (PS - If you’re a photographer, you won’t want to leave!! So many creative backdrops 😍)
The best part? All of the highlights can be explored in just a few days! So it’s the perfect weekend destination.
When to Go:
There’s a reason it’s called Death Valley - it holds the record for the hottest temperature on Earth at 134 degrees F 🤯 That being said, it’s best to avoid the heat of the summer months due to health and safety reasons!
Spring is a great time to visit if you are looking for the possibility of seeing wildflowers (depending on the year’s rainfall).
Winter is best if you don’t mind colder temperatures at night and possible rainstorms (meaning the rare occurance of the salt falts being flooded & turned into a giant mirror - on my bucketlist to whiteness!).
Fall is also a great time to visit for warm temperatures and clear skies (although it reached the high 90s when I visited in early October so still be prepared for heat!)
Where to Stay:
Options to stay within the park are fairly limited - with only 2 hotels & a few campgrounds as well as some dispersed camping options. See below👇
Due to the size of the park, I’d recommend choosing one of the options below since getting an AirBnB or hotel outside the park probably means about an hour long drive to the park’s main highlights.
Hotels:
There are only 2 hotels located directly inside the park which are both located in the town of Furnace Creek. Furnace Creek is a great location to base yourself in the park as it’s within a 20 minute drive of most of the highlights of the park.
The Inn
The Ranch
I stayed at the Ranch since it’s a bit cheaper than the Inn and to be honest, it was nothing to write home about. It does have a store and restaurant onsite which was helpful but overall it was pretty average accomodation. The location is prime though for exploring the park so I’m glad we stayed there instead of outside the park! Ideally I think it would be the ultimate spot for a camper van vacation - if that sounds up your alley, check out the campgrounds below.
Campgrounds:
There are a number of public as well as private campgrounds within the park in addition to some areas where “dispersed” or “backcountry” is allowed. Check the link below for a full breakdown of each location!
What to Do:
These are my top 5 can’t miss destinations within the park! Make sure to click into locations to access directions as well as read my notes for the best time to visit each spot!
Want More? Explore the Eastern Sierra’s Region Nearby
For the ultimate road trip, combine Death Valley with the California’s outdoor gem - the Eastern Sierras! You can purchase my in-depth guide here:
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