Death Valley California: Outdoor Adventure Guide

Death Valley California. The largest US National Park in the Lower 48. The lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. The hottest place on Earth. A lake that has resurfaced above ground. Ghost Towns. International Dark Sky Member. Spring Bloom Wildflowers. 10,000 Foot Peaks. A castle that has been closed since 2015. Rocks that move via the wind. A HUGE crater that erupted only a few thousands years ago. Shoshone Native American Influence and Land Ownership. The most therapeutic hot springs in California. A woman who performed at an opera house to crowds of 1-113 for decades. AND SO MUCH MORE. Come with us and enjoy this Death Valley California Outdoor Adventure Guide!

In this Outdoor Adventure Guide we share everything from our favorite hot spots to hidden gems from my three adventures to Death Valley National Park. It’s our hope that you can have the outdoor adventure of a lifetime when you visit my 3rd favorite US National Park. Or simply learn more about this special place on Earth. (Or Mars it seems at times on this land!)

Death Valley California Need to Know’s:

1. There’s actually many things that are very well alive here. Flowers, mountains, wildlife, and more. It’s not as desolate as the name might have you imagine.

2. This park is MASSIVE. There are multiple entrances, several lodges, and a dozen campgrounds. This park is tough to manage in an afternoon. If possible spend at least one night. I have done two days one night up to six days five nights on my trips.

3. The park is located about two hours from Las Vegas Nevada (the park is located in California) and four hours from Los Angeles.

4. Reservations are recommended if you want to stay in a lodge. Some lodges sell out months in advance.

5. This park is home to Badwater Basin. At 282 feet below sea level it’s the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. There’s currently a lake on it that will disappear in March 2024. The park also sustained massive flash flooding in August 2023 and was closed for road repairs for several months.

6. I have visited twice in the winter and once in the spring, the weather was perfect except for summits up the high peaks. Summers are possible but you should have emergency equipment in case of breakdown and I would personally leave my dog at home in the summer. (Dogs are permitted but only on dirt roads. Check out my Death Valley Dog Guide HERE.)

7. We stayed for three nights at Panamint Springs in a dog friendly cabin. Then we stayed in Tecopa California for two nights. This let us stay on the “West” and the “South” Regions of the park with a day to travel in between to see some of the more Central spots. Like I mentioned, it’s a BIG place.

“Tüpippüh is the Timbisha name for their ancestral homeland that many only know as Death Valley. Tüpippüh encompasses the valley floor, playas, dunes, springs, meadows and mountains—every landform and ecology within the borders of today's national park and the surrounding region.” See how they got their land back on the Mojave Project by reading HERE.

Our Favorite Hikes in Death Valley California:

1. The Mesquite Sand Dunes.
   Two miles round trip will get you to the tallest dune from the parking lot.

2. Wildrose Peak.
   Summer/Early Fall Climb Only.

3. Mosaic Canyon.

4. Ubhebe Crater.

5. Darwin Falls.
   Formally a 2 mile hike with a 5 mile dirt road drive.
   The road was washed out by floods in 2023.
   Expect a 7 mile hike now. In case you have been there before.

6. Golden Canyon.

7. Dante’s Ridge.

8. Natural Bridge.

9. Salt Creek Trail.
   Formally an ADA accessible trail with a boardwalk.
   The flash floods destroyed the road, bridge, and restrooms. Closed for now but plans to be reopened.

10. Check out the full list on the National Park Website HERE. All of the above hikes are day hikes.

Death Valley California Walks:

1. Badwater Basin
   ADA Accessible.

2. Devil’s Golf Course.
   Used to be a “see” but now the dirt road is closed and a two mile roundtrip walk is required.

3. Panamint Playa.

4. Harmony Borax Works
   Says it is ADA Accessible. But not paved. More like smooth dirt/a little gravel.

Death Valley California Vistas:

1. Charcoal Kilns.

2. Artists Palette.
   9 mile one way loop drive required with vehicles less than 25 feet.

3. Crowleys Point.
   Plaque about the Padre of the Desert.
   Military plane test grounds. Nicknamed “Star Wars Canyon.”

4. Lee’s Flat.
   Joshua Tree’s.

5. Zabriskie Point.
   Badlands.

6. Scottys Castle.
   Castle has been closed since 2015 due to flash flooding. Expected to reopen in 2025/2026.

7. Dante’s View.

Death Valley California Off Roading Required:

1. Eureka Dunes.

2. Panamint Dunes.
   I saw some going there though from hikes in vans and sedans. Not a good place to get stuck though!

3. Titus Canyon.

4. The Racetrack.
   This is where they discovered that high winds are moving these rocks.
   You can see the imprints on the playa. It’s a LONG ROUGH drive.

5. Tea Kettle Junction.
   En route to the Racetrack.

6. Mustard Canyon.

7. You can rent a Jeep at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, more info is HERE!

Death Valley California Nearby Towns/Ghost Towns:

1. Shoshone
   Out the Badwater Road Entrance/Exit.
   Gas station in town as well as campground and lodge.
   The Crowbar Saloon is GREAT!

2. Death Valley Junction
   Where Marta Becket performed and ran the Amargosa Opera House.
   Jill G went on a tour of the opera house. It’s an amazing story!
   Motel.
   National Register of Historic Places
   No amenities outside of the hotel and no cell service.

3. Tecopa
   Hot Springs. We stayed at this Airbnb and LOVED it! Included access to the hot springs. I went in twice a day!
   The town also has Death Valley Brewing Company, BBQ Restaurant (Delicious options), Steaks and Beer (reservations recommended), and The Kit Fox Cafe (Loved the wood fired pizza there!)
   China Ranch Date Farm (AMAZING visit! Date Shakes, Fresh Dates Packed To Go, and Dog Friendly Hikes.)
   No gas station, groceries, or cell service.

4. Ghost Towns (Ballarat, Rhyonlite, Skidoo, and many more!)
   Some have camping. Some have a lot to see, some very little.
   Trading Post at Ballarat.

Death Valley California Other Things To Do:

1. Cycling.
   Various levels from paved road cycling to mountain biking gravel roads.
   Dirt biking is also very popular in the areas outside of the park on BLM land.
   Tours are available with outside adventure groups.

2. Stargazing.
   Part of the International Dark Sky Association.
   The stargazing is pretty much incredible anywhere inside of the park boundaries and neighboring communities and ghost towns.
   Best dark sky viewing experiences i have had outside of Baker Nevada near Great Basin National Park.

3. Junior Ranger Program.

4. The Badwater Ultra Marathon!
   The toughest footrace in the world (according to them.)
   I’ve had a few friends participate and run support. It’s an extraordinary experience.

5. Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge.

6. Kayaking?!
   There was even kayaking at Manly Lake in Badwater Basin in February of 2024 before they had to stop it as the lake shrunk.

Tüpippüh (Death Valley California) is one of my favorite places on Earth.

It’s hard to describe the terrain, and it’s almost unbelievable reading and hearing about the stories of people coming here for one reason or the other. (Borax and gold prospectors, outlaws with hideouts, Star Wars Filming, Terminally Ill, Vegas gangsters, and so many more variations.) The land is stunning, and unlike anywhere else I have ever visited in the US. (Yellowstone being the only other place I would describe as such.)

There’s tales that make you think the place only exists on another planet. The harsh desert terrain and pure isolation really can make you feel like you are hanging on a different level here. This desert energy thing is real and there’s no place better to feel and experience it.

Death Valley will change you. You’ll leave a place you’ll never forget and have an adventure that you will telling campfire stories to others about it the rest of your days on this Earth. May you find that the “Tüpippüh” has no walls and can be felt there and after you leave.

I hope this outdoor adventure guide is helpful for you in your planning!

Comment below with questions about a trip to Death Valley California, thanks for reading :).

Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R