2 Memorable Days in Death Valley National Park

Get off the couch and head to the desert for some serious social distancing!

After spending months at home evading Covid 19, my Pepper and I decided to take a chance and take flight to the hottest place on earth- Death Valley, California! Who needs Florida or Arizona?! Shake it up and check out the lowest, hottest and driest location in the western hemisphere. (Nearly 550 square miles of area lie below sea level!) The best time to visit his obviously in the Fall and Winter months, just because of the extreme heat here.

Death Valley National Park is in eastern California on the north end of the Mojave Desert. It has an area of about 300 square miles- with the highest point at Telescope Peak (11,043 feet) and the lowest point in the world at Badwater Basin (282ft. below sea level).

Death Valley itinerary

Getting there:

Death Valley National Park is approximately 2 hours 15 minutes from Las Vegas Airport. It is a quick drive via NV 160 W to CA 190 W. In N Out Burger has TWO locations on the way to the park- why not pop in and get yourself a double double animal style?! You will need a full belly for the road trip!

Accommodations at the park:

Upon entering the park, you will see a fabulous hotel oasis sitting atop a hill surrounded by palm trees. This is the Inn at Death Valley- the most expensive accommodations in the area. A mile past is the Ranch at Death Valley, a family friendly resort with moderately priced rooms (and a great outdoor fireplace outside the best bar in town-The Last Kind Words Saloon!) There are 2 other properties inside the park, Stovepipe Wells Motel and Panamint Springs Resort. Both are inexpensive, pet-friendly and easily accessible.

As you drive through the main road in the park, pull into the first Visitors Center and pick up a visitors pass for $30 per car for 7 days in the park. If you are coming in on a motorcycle- the fee is $25, and on foot, horse or bike it is only a $15 fee.

TIP: Traditional trails are uncommon in Death Valley. Many trails lack the usual trail markers that you see in other national parks. So- like any true hiker-follow the natural, worn path! (Sidewinder Canyon, Desolation Canyon, and Panamint Dunes are a few that are like this.) So, be sure to grab a trail map from one of the markets or the Visitors Center so you can find your way.

Dogs are not allowed on any of the trails!

Day 1:

Zabriskie Point Trailhead

Zabriskie Point is a must-see for any visitors to Death Valley. The views are incredible! Zabriskie Point is a short, wide paved uphill trail to a viewpoint of Badwater Basin, which lies 282 ft. below sea level- the lowest point in the northern hemisphere. You can do a quick pit stop for a photo op or “just get off the couch” and get your hike on! (Want a great spot to watch the sunset? Look no further! Come back later in the day for a romantic moment with your love!)

Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop via Zabriskie Point

This is a moderate, 5.8 mile moderate loop that has scenic views of the desert-scape. When you are ready to work up a sweat, lace up those boots and walk down to the aforementioned trailhead.

The trail takes you through a surreal hike of rock formations and narrow canyons that lead to some prominent views of Manley Beacon and the Red Cathedral. The area is noticeably dry, but these amazing mountains are formed mostly by the torrential downpours that eroded the land.

TIP: Do not attempt this hike on a hot summer day. There are no trees or shade- and no water source. Additionally, the trail is prone to flash floods, so check the weather before you head out.

As you hike, take note of the slot canyons and paths that veer off the main trail. They won’t take you far off, but are worth a quick trip. Our favorite part of the trail was the Red Cathedral offshoot- where you can scramble up boulders to reach an amazing view of the Canyon below.

The path continues as you follow the wooden trail markers toward the Golden Canyon Trailhead and Badwater Road parking lot. Hike around the mountain range past the lot until you reach Gower Gulch. The trail is all river rock, which was NOT fun to hike. Talk about a quad killer! But it sure was pretty…

The eroded rocky trail will take a bit more effort- but don’t get frustrated! Just look up, look around, and take in the scenery! You may even spot an old mine or mining equipment along the way. Just follow the wash all the way back to the trailhead. (Or you can veer off to the left and get back on the Golden Canyon Trail- there is a mine along this route too!)

This hike took us only about 4 hours to do, so there was plenty of time to grab a bit to eat back at the Ranch or drive straight over to Artist Drive, which is just a few miles up the road from the Zabriskie parking lot.

TIP: There are limited lunch options in Death Valley. Either head to The Oasis at Death Valley or The Ranch at Valley- otherwise Stovepipe Wells is a one hour roundtrip drive to eat. Your best bet is to pack a picnic lunch and a blanket and enjoy lunch in your own desert oasis.

Artists Drive:

The turnoff for Artist’s Drive is 3 miles from Zabriskie on bad water Road. (Vehicles over 25 feet are not allowed on the road.) The drive takes you to Artist’s Palette, a 9 mile, one way drive that got its name from the vivid pink, aqua and purple hills resulting from oxidation of the metals in the soil.

Dante’s View:

Dante’s View is a viewpoint terrace about 16 miles south of Furnace Creek. The dramatic landscape in front of you is the heart of death valley, including Badwater Basin. For Star Wars fans, Dante’s View was used as a filming location for the 1977 Star Wars: A New Hope movie. It is the fictional Tatooine Spaceport called Mom Eisley. Twenty Mule Canyon and Golden Canyon were featured as well. Take in the view from the parking lot, or venture off off on one of the trails for a different perspective. This trail is unmarked with traditional trail markers, but just follow the worn trail and you will be fine.

TIP: Make sure you have a FULL tank of gas when you leave your sleeping accommodation. There is only 1 gas station in town, and if you are driving to Dante’s View (about 25 miles from Death Valley Lodge) you run the risk of running out of gas with no where to fill up! Be warned- gas is super expensive here!

Day 2:

Mosaic Canyon: This is a scenic and semi-challenging out-and-back hike. The breccia walls of the canyon have segments of rock swirled together, forming a “mosaic”. Dolomite slabs have been transformed into marble by the heating pressure, forming a cool, artsy natural art gallery in the canyon.

The trailhead is located a quarter of a mile from Stovepipe Wells. On your way through the town stop and pick up some water and snacks since this 4 mile hike may take you 2-3 hours to complete. There is no water source on this hike, so be prepared. There is plenty of rock scrambling (we counted 8 legit rock formations to navigate around) and a relatively hidden trail (with the exception of the GIANT arrows made out of rocks pointing you up the hill to continue on the trail) to keep you busy for awhile. This is a moderately tricky route, so you will not see many kids towards the end this hike.

The trail ends at this cool rock face…so just double back and do all that scrambling all over again! Look out! My Pepper got a bloody knee trying to scale one of the rock faces.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: The dunes are on the way back towards Stovepipe Wells. This is one of the most photographed areas of Death Valley, particularly if you are with kids. Be sure to bring along a sled, so the kids can fly down the side of the steepest dunes! The farthest dune is one mile from the parking lot, and the trail is unmarked.

Optional Day 3? Oh how I wish we had an extra day! Telescope Peak Trail was supposed to be our Day 1- but the night before we were sitting around the fire pit talking with the other Ranch guests- and we were warned about the drastic temperature difference at the top of the peak. Telescope Peak is 11,043 feet high. It is a 14 mile hike that looks over Badwater Basin and Mt. Whitney. The day we were there, it was 80 degrees in the valley and 18 degrees at the peak! We had not planned appropriately for winter hiking- so we missed this opportunity. Check the weather (including googling the temperature at Telescope Peak!)

Another cool pit stop would be to Racetrack Playa. However, it does require a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which we did not have. Another miss! Lesson learned- plan ahead! The entrance to Racetrack Valley Road is located near the Ubehebe Crater. From that point, a 4 wheeler is required for a rocky 27 mile drive to Racetrack Playa. Here you will see the mysterious sailing stones…large rocks that somehow glide over the smooth, dry surface. It’s really quite astonishing!