Last Updated: June 18, 2026
Death Valley was a great opportunity to get out of the Central Valley California winter storms and enjoy some warmer weather and sunshine.
Death Valley National Park
From Bakersfield we headed east into Death Valley National Park. The drive in was beautiful with sections of the road very narrow, steep and twisting — hoping another motorhome wasn’t coming the other way. Death Valley is the largest national park in the contiguous United States, covering over 3.4 million acres of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts. Established as a National Monument in 1933 and upgraded to National Park status in 1994, it holds records for both the lowest elevation and highest reliably recorded air temperature in North America.
Once on the valley floor, the roads were long, wider, straight and flat.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley
The sand is composed of tiny grains of quartz and feldspar from the Cottonwood Mountains. The dunes rise up to 100 feet high and are the most-visited dunes in the park. Some of the Star Wars films were shot here — scenes depicting the desert planet Tatooine in the original 1977 film and The Force Awakens were filmed at Mesquite Flat. Best visited at sunrise or sunset when the light sculpts the ridgelines into something extraordinary.
Most of the Death Valley places of interest were closed because of recent rains and floods, severely limiting our chance to see all the sites. Because of blowing sand from wind gusts up to 50 mph, visibility was poor for a couple of days.
Badwater Basin, Death Valley
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level — a vast salt flat that stretches across the valley floor with the snow-capped Panamint Range rising sharply on the opposite side.
The recent California storms were significant enough to flood Badwater. The salt flats have the nation’s highest evaporation potential, so water quickly evaporates leaving behind fresh white salt crystals arranged in striking geometric polygons.
Even though the flooding was only a week ago, only a few small pools remained. A sign marking sea level is posted high on the canyon wall above the parking area — looking up at it from 282 feet below really drives home the scale of this place.
Dante’s View
At 5,476 feet above the valley floor, Dante’s View offers one of the most dramatic panoramas in the American West. On a clear day you can simultaneously see Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level) directly below and Mount Whitney (14,505 feet), the highest peak in the contiguous United States, on the horizon. The name references Dante’s Inferno — the hellish expanse of salt and sand shimmering far below makes it entirely appropriate. Jake seemed to enjoy the views as much as we did.
Ubehebe Crater
Ubehebe Crater is a massive volcanic crater in the northern part of Death Valley, formed approximately 2,000 years ago when rising magma superheated underground water and triggered a violent steam explosion — a type of eruption called a phreatic blast. The crater is about half a mile wide and over 600 feet deep. The parking lot sits right at the rim’s edge. The winds were gusting up to 50 mph making it difficult to take photos let alone hike.
Natural Bridge Canyon, Death Valley
A short 1.5-mile round-trip walk leads to the Natural Bridge, a 35-foot-high natural arch carved by flash flood erosion through the conglomerate rock canyon walls. The narrow canyon walls close in around you on the approach, making the arch’s sudden reveal all the more impressive. One of the most accessible scenic hikes in the park.
Artist’s Drive and Palette
Artist’s Drive is a beautiful 9-mile one-way loop road through an alluvial fan in the Black Mountains. We grew tired of all the road closures, so we drove around the barricade. A park ranger said they weren’t working on the Artist’s Drive road and it was OK to drive it. We could not find any evidence of road damage or flooding, leaving us skeptical about all the other road closures.
The varied colors of the rock are from oxidation of iron compounds producing pink, red, and yellow, and from manganese producing purple. Artist’s Palette is the most vibrant section of the drive — a hillside that looks like it was painted by hand.
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point is one of the most photographed overlooks in Death Valley, named after Christian Brevoort Zabriskie of the Pacific Coast Borax Company. The eroded mudstone badlands spreading out below are ancient lake bed sediments deposited nearly 5 million years ago. Jake seemed to enjoy the views as much as we did and no, we didn’t pose him. He just has a lot of personality and keeps us laughing.
Twenty Mule Team Borax, Death Valley
Borax is used in detergents and cosmetics. It was discovered in Furnace Creek in 1881. Transporting the borax was a difficult task because there was no railroad to the mining operation. Their solution was the famous twenty-mule teams — strings of 18 mules and 2 horses hauling double wagons loaded with 10 tons of borax on 165-mile journeys to the railhead in Mojave, a trip that took 10 days each way. The borax operation ran from 1883 to 1889.
Beatty, Nevada
Because it was a last-minute decision to visit the area, the RV sites in Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells were fully booked. Beatty, Nevada — known as the “Gateway to Death Valley” — sits just 7 miles east of the park’s eastern entrance and had all the amenities we were looking for. The wild burros wandering through town are descendants of animals used in the area’s 19th-century mining operations, and they’ve been roaming these streets ever since.
Angel’s Ladies
The legal brothel first opened in the early 1900s and closed in 2014. It was a favorite among locals and truckers, offering free all-night truck parking, free showers, free coffee, and massages. The GPS units in drivers’ trucks began disclosing their location to employers, forcing the brothel business into hard times. A famous promotional stunt offered this deal: if you could jump out of a plane and land on a mattress atop a large painted star on the property, you’d spend one full evening with a lady of your choice. Unfortunately, the pilot was distracted by the girls on the ground, clipped a pole on the landing strip, and crash-landed. The plane remains there today.
Rhyolite Ghost Town, Nevada
Not far from Beatty was Rhyolite, a gold mining boomtown founded in 1904 that once had a population of over 10,000. At its peak there were over 45 saloons, dance halls, 2 railroad depots, 3 public swimming pools, and countless other buildings. The financial panic of 1907 ended the gold rush, and by 1920 the town was completely abandoned.
The Bottle House was built with approximately 50,000 beer bottles — there was no shortage of those in Rhyolite.
The Goldwell Open Air Museum is a sculpture park at the edge of Rhyolite, featuring haunting installations by Belgian artist Albert Szukalski including his famous ghostly “Last Supper” — a surreal counterpoint to an already otherworldly ghost town.
Amargosa Valley, Nevada
Amargosa Valley provides an alternate eastern approach to Death Valley via US-95. The roadside sculptures and quirky desert installations along the highway make for an entertaining drive.
We stayed at the Longstreet RV Resort and Casino. We had unobstructed views of the desert and distant mountains, full hook-ups, good wifi, and a petting zoo. Jake loved going to visit the goats.
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (fws.gov/refuge/ash_meadows) is one of the most ecologically unique places in North America. Established in 1984, it protects more than 26 plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth. Desert springs flow at over 10,000 gallons per minute, fed by an ancient underground aquifer that has been accumulating for thousands of years.
The endangered Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish were amazing. The vivid blue males were busy defending their territories — tiny fish that have survived in these isolated desert springs since the last Ice Age, cut off from any other water source for thousands of years.
Ash Meadows is a premier birding destination and dog friendly. We spotted Phainopepla (a silky flycatcher), Western Meadowlark, Canvasback duck, and Say’s Phoebe — all in a single outing in the middle of the Nevada desert.
Visitor Information
Death Valley National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The entrance fee is $35 per vehicle (valid for 7 days); America the Beautiful Annual Passes are accepted. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is at 1 Visitor Center Drive, Death Valley, CA 92328. Phone: 760-786-3200. Website: nps.gov/deva. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 120°F — spring (March–May) and fall (October–November) are the ideal times to visit. Always carry significantly more water than you think you’ll need.
Practical Tips for Visiting Death Valley
Death Valley demands more preparation than most national parks. Plan your visit for October through April — summer heat is dangerous and potentially lethal. Carry at least one gallon of water per person per day, more in warmer months. Cell service is extremely limited throughout the park, so download offline maps before you arrive. Gas up before entering; Furnace Creek has a station but prices are high. For RV travelers, most main roads are accessible but some back-country routes require high-clearance 4WD. Road closures are common after rainfall — check current conditions at nps.gov/deva before heading out. For full services and groceries, Beatty, Nevada (7 miles east) is your best bet. If RV sites at Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells are booked, Beatty and Amargosa Valley both have good alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Death Valley National Park?
October through April offers the most comfortable conditions, with February and March ideal for mild temperatures (50–75°F) and the possibility of wildflower blooms after winter rains. Summer months (June–August) are possible but dangerous — temperatures regularly exceed 120°F and heat-related emergencies are common. Spring is the peak season for hiking and photography.
How far below sea level is Badwater Basin?
Badwater Basin sits 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level — the lowest point in North America. A sign marking sea level is posted high on the canyon wall above the parking area. Standing on the salt flat and looking up at that sign really puts the depth in perspective.
Where is the best place to stay near Death Valley?
Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells have campgrounds and lodging inside the park, but they book up fast — reserve well in advance at recreation.gov. If the in-park sites are full, Beatty, Nevada (7 miles east) is the closest town with RV parks and hotels. Amargosa Valley, Nevada, also has options including the Longstreet RV Resort and Casino, which we’d recommend for its desert views and amenities.
Is Death Valley dog friendly?
Dogs are allowed in Death Valley but restricted to paved roads, campgrounds, and picnic areas — they cannot go on hiking trails. In warm weather, pavement temperatures can burn paw pads. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (just across the Nevada border) is dog friendly on its boardwalks and walking paths, making it a great addition for travelers with pets.
