Death Valley National Park
The hottest, driest, lowest place in North America - a vast desert of salt flats, dunes and painted badlands, strangely beautiful and extreme.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
Death Valley is a land of extremes: the hottest place ever reliably recorded on earth, the driest and lowest in North America, at Badwater Basin nearly ninety metres below sea level. Yet it is strangely beautiful, a vast desert of blinding salt flats, sculpted dunes, painted badlands and, after rare rains, sudden carpets of wildflowers.
What you actually see
- Badwater Basin - the salt flats at the lowest point in North America.
- Zabriskie Point - the golden eroded badlands, glorious at sunrise.
- Mesquite Flat dunes - the classic sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells.
- Artists Palette - the hills streaked with mineral colours.
When to go
Winter and the cooler months, roughly November to March, the only sensible time; summer heat is genuinely lethal, often over fifty degrees. A rare wet winter can bring a spectacular spring wildflower bloom.
Honest expectations
In summer the heat is deadly, so it is a winter destination and even then water and caution are essential. It is vast and remote, with long distances and little shade or services, so fuel up and carry plenty of water. Mobile signal is scarce across the park.
Nearby
Las Vegas is a couple of hours east; the eastern Sierra and Mojave Desert spread around.
What to pack for Death Valley National Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
