Largest, Driest, Hottest and Lowest Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is a national park in the United States – straddling the border of California and Nevada, located east of the Sierra Nevada. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes, badlands, valleys, canyons, and mountains. It is the largest national park in the lower 48 states and has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve. Approximately 91% of the park is a designated wilderness area. It is the hottest, driest and lowest of the national parks in the United States. The second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere is in Badwater Basin, which is 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.

From Panamint Springs to Death Valley National Park road (Freeway I-190)

Zabriskie Point is an elevated overlook of a colorful landscape of gullies and mud hills at the edge of the Black Mountains, just a few miles east of Death Valley – from the viewpoint, the flat salt plains on the valley floor are visible in the distance. This is one of the best places to see the sunset.

It’s one of the park’s most photographed viewpoints and a busy spot at sunset. The Golden Canyon hike starts from the opposite side. It’s a moderate out-and-back of about two miles, which can be extended into 5.5-mile loop. The area around Zabriskie Point looks like another planet, with maze-like ridges painted with yellows, chocolate browns, pinks, greens, and blues. To top it off, there is a shark fin triangular-shaped point known as Manly Beacon in the center. It is a great place for both wide-angle vistas and compression abstracts.  Nothing makes a better introduction to Death Valley than a visit to the 100 feet-high Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. These aren’t Death Valley’s tallest sand dunes, but they are the most accessible. The dunes have no marked trail because of the continually shifting desert sands. The best time to visit is just before sunrise or around sunset because of the incredible show of color and light. Long shadows and soft light make fantastic dune photos.Of the five major sand dune areas in Death Valley National Park, Mesquite Flat is one of the smallest and most accessible. The other four, Panamint, Ibex, Saline Valley, and Eureka, are either too far out of the way for most visitors  or are difficult to access. Located right outside of Stovepipe Wells, the Mesquite Dunes parking lot can be found directly off of Highway 190.

It is best to hike the area during the autumn and winter months when the temperatures in Death Valley are quite pleasant. Also, consider attempting this hike early in the morning when it is still cool outside. Whenever you go, be sure you bring plenty of water and sun protection. No trip to Death Valley would be complete without a stop at the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin – 282 feet below the sea level. Among the largest protected salt pans in the world, Badwater Basin is a fascinating and beautiful stop.

The location called Badwater is 18 miles south of Furnace Creek along Badwater Road. Here you will have easy access onto the salt flat, where there is plenty of room to explore. Notably, this is the location where water from the underground aquifer rises out of the ground, giving the area it’s name. The ground is relatively flat with no elevation change for miles. The main path out into the salt pan is worn flat and smooth.

At 282 feet below sea level, you will also be standing in the lowest spot in North America.

If you walk out past where most people stop, you can see the salt pan in it’s natural state. Here the halite salt formations look like they have bubbled up and popped, leaving holes in the tops of the domes.

 From the middle of the basin there is an amazing, 360-view of the Panamint and Amargosa Mountains that tower above you.

As soon as you enter the walk out on the platform you are immediately greeted with a huge lake of what looks like snow. Since it is the desert, it is obviously not snow but is the leftover salt from the evaporated water. These salt flats make for a truly unique experience as you can see them for as far as the eye can see.

The Badwater pool is a small collection of water at this time of the year and often nonexistent during the hot summer months. This water is so high in salt content that almost nothing can actually live there.

The Devils Golf Course is another short stop on the drive between Badwater and Furnace Creek. The Devils Golf Course itself is made up of large salt formations that jut out of the barren landscape for as far as the eye can see.

The Devils Golf Course gets its name from a guidebook back in the 30’s that stated: “Only the devil could play golf on such a surface.”

Artist’s Drive rises up to the top of an alluvial fan fed by a deep canyon cut into the Black Mountains. Artist’s Palette is an area on the face of the Black Mountains noted for a variety of rock colors. These colors are caused by the oxidation of different metals.The Artist’s Drive to Artist’s Palette is a beautiful 9-mile drive that really showcases the splendor of the Amargosa Mountains. This paved road resembles a roller coaster ride as there are many narrow winding twists and dips as the route cuts through the foothills. 

The main point of interest on this drive is the Artist’s Palette. This is a multicolored hillside where volcanic ash and minerals were deposited millions of years ago. Time, rain, and heat have changed the minerals into different color tones, giving the area a palette-like appearance.

Dante’s View is a high overlook near the edge of the Black Mountains, which form the eastern border of this part of Death Valley, and it gives the best overall views of southern half of the national park, ranking alongside such locations as Glacier Point in Yosemite Valley and Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park as one of the best easily-accessible, high elevation viewpoints in California.

From this height you can see both the lowest and highest points in the contiguous 48 states. Badwater Basin, directly below, lies at -282 feet, and Mount Whitney, to the northwest, towers to 14,505 feet.

From the roadside overlook, a short path climbs to the actual summit (Dante’s Peak), which has even better views, while nearby Coffin Peak is reachable by a rather longer but still relatively easy off trail hike, and gives an alternative perspective, revealing more of the lands to the south and east.

Furnace creek visitor center is a great place to relax, watch the documentary about the Death Valley, buying some souvenirs and having a cup of coffee.

Overall, this is one of the stunning places on the earth. The lowest point in lower 48 states, the amazing sand dunes, a colorful landscape of Zabriskie point and Artist’s drive, the fantastic overlook at the Dante’s point makes this as a perfect place for the family and vivid hikers. The lodging options are limited. There is only a single lodge inside the park (Furnace creek Inn). If you want to stay in a relatively less budget hotels, you have to travel around 40 miles to Panamint Springs Resort or Stovepipe wells village which is close to 15 miles from Furnace creek visitor center.

Hiking, exploring historic sites, traveling backcountry roads, viewing night sky are only a few of the opportunities available. With over 3 million acres of designated wilderness, walk along majestic sand dunes, navigate twisted slot canyons, climb rocky peaks, stroll along the salt flats; A variety of terrains offer everything from easy to very challenging adventures.