It’s the National Park with the highest temperatures, lowest point in North America, extraterrestrial landscapes, morbid name and yet it’s so wildly beautiful! I’m talking about Death Valley National Park. It's actually the hottest place on earth with recorded high temperatures of 134 fahrenheit and it also holds the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below sea level. These conditions make it the land of extremes!
It’s such an underrated park and possibly one of the most unique parks we’ve visited to date with endless amount of exploration and diversity. One of the many things I loved about this park is that you don't need to go far to be able to see some of the parks most beautiful sights which makes it ideal when visiting with kiddos like we did.
Down below I’m going to list some of our favorite things to do and see in Death Valley NP during our 3 day visit, where we stayed, tips, and everything else in between to help you plan the perfect visit. I’ve even attached a google map to facilitate your planning. It's the perfect Death Valley National Park Travel Guide For First Time Visitors.
Best Time Of The Year To Visit Death Valley National Park
This is NOT a Summer destination. Being the hottest place on earth can make visiting a little tricky. Visiting May- September is not recommended if you want to hike, bike or see remote areas as temperatures can be dangerous if planning to be outside for longer then 15 minutes at a time. Best time to visit is during the winter. We visited in February and it was perfect. Here's an average temperature chart provided by nps.gov to help plan your visit.
Things to do and see in Death Valley National Park
The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes This is a 2.3 miles round trip self guided tour around a large field of dunes and very easy to access. There is no official trail which makes exploration even more fun. We choose our own route and explored the open area all the way to the tallest dune which rises to nearly 100 ft from mesquite flat. The further away you get from the parking lot the larger the dunes become. Keep in mind hiking in the sand is much harder then it look but also was so much fun and well worth it. We visited early in the morning at even by 11am was already very warm. It's recommended to go during sunrise, sunset, or full moon lighting for unforgettable experiences and photos. Fun Fact: You may recognize these dunes from their feature on Star Wars!
Artist Palette Artist Drive Scenic 9 mile loop will allow you to enjoy tons of multicolored hills but the best is towards the end at the second parking area. This is where we walked around to marvel at an array of colors splashed across the hills. Colors like lavender, greens and light pinks that were a lot more vivid then I expected. The colors are from volcanic deposits rich in compounds such as iron oxides and chlorite, which creates a rainbow effect. Keep in mind clouds and the rare rainfall shift the intensity of the colors so every visit is different. We visited during golden hour/sunset and the colors were beautiful. I recommend going at this time for better color viewing of these pastel colors plus the skies are also incredible. We loved it so much we visited twice during our visit.
Zabriskie Point This is such an extraterrestrial looking landscapes and yet so wildly beautiful. You can walk up the short 1/4 mile paved trail from the parking lot that take you to the top for some fantastic views of golden colored badlands and some say it is one of the most spectacular spots in the park for sunrise. We visited during the golden hour and it was beautiful. You can also explore along the dirt trails to the side, where you can escape the crowds which is what we did.
Badwater Basin This is the lowest point in North America at 282 ft below sea level, a surreal landscape of vast sea flats. A short walk on a boardwalk takes you over salt flats and a longer 1-2 mile walk leads to the popular salt polygons which im sure you've seen pictures of. With all the recent rain experienced before our visit the salt flats became a shallow lake we were able to walk in. They say this is a rare event so we took our shoes off and enjoyed this special treat.
Natural Bridge This was a short 1 mile out and back hike up a dramatic canyon to a natural bridge formation. It was moderately shaded making it a great area to stop for a snack while admiring the surrounding canyons. You'll also find skeletons of waterfalls (dried up waterfalls) and tons of nooks and crannies to explore. Keep in mind you need to drive in an unpaved dirt road to access this hike so if driving a sedan take your time driving in.
Golden Canyon This is a 2.7 mile out and back hike through colorful canyons carved through golden badlands. The golden colors are dramatic specially during sunset and so beautiful to see. Theres also tons of fun nooks and crannies to explore so visit with plenty of time for some side exploring.
Mosaic Canyon This is a 4 mile out and back hike within polished marble narrows with unique color patters. At the beginning some rock scrambling is required. Keep in mind the most photogenic and distinct part of the hike is at the very beginning which then opens to a wide array of exploration around huge and wide canyons. Personally this was my least favorite hike so if you're short on time skip it or just explore about a mile in and turn around. Keep in mind you need to drive in an unpaved dirt road to access this hike so if driving a sedan take your time driving in.
Borax Museum This is found on the ground of the Ranch which is one of the few hotels found inside the park. It's an outdoor museum that showcases Death Valley's connection to borax mining and transportation equipment.