Death Valley National Park in California, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Death Valley National Park spans desert basins and mountain ranges in California and Nevada. A visit can be a series of roadside views, a cool-weather hike, or a night under dark skies. The distances are large, services are concentrated in a few places, and summer heat changes what is reasonable to attempt. Start with a small set of destinations and a route that suits your vehicle.

Highlights in Death Valley

• Badwater Basin: See salt flats at North America's lowest point, 282 feet below sea level.
• Zabriskie Point: View folded badlands from a paved but steep approach.
• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: Watch shadows change across the dunes, with an optional walk when temperatures permit.
• Dantes View: Look down over the basin from a high viewpoint.
• Night skies: Plan a stargazing stop away from the brightest developed areas.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

The official fee guide explains other vehicle categories and pass options.

Heat, flash floods, and remote roads

Carry ample drinking water and extra supplies for delays. NPS advises at least one gallon of water per person per day in hot, dry conditions. Avoid low-elevation hiking in heat, and do not enter canyons during rain or when significant rain is forecast. Flash floods can arrive quickly.

Cell service is absent along most roads. Share your itinerary before a remote trip, carry offline maps, and take supplies for an unexpected stop. Use a vehicle suited to the road conditions. A navigation app's route is not proof that a track is passable. Stay out of abandoned mine shafts and tunnels.

Protect desert surfaces and wildlife

Keep vehicles on designated roads. Desert tracks can persist long after a visit. Use previously disturbed places where roadside camping is permitted, and leave springs and other scarce water sources undisturbed. Do not feed coyotes or other wildlife.

Pets are limited to developed areas and roads; they cannot accompany you on trails or into wilderness. Keep them leashed and collect their waste. A plan with a dog needs different stops from a hiking itinerary.

Entrance and camping reservations

Park entry does not require a reservation. Furnace Creek Campground accepts reservations for October 15–April 15, from six months ahead until two days before arrival. Other NPS developed campgrounds operate on a first-come basis when open. Use the developed campground guide to distinguish these from privately operated sites.

Selected backcountry areas require online reservations, including roadside sites in Echo Canyon, Hole in the Wall, Cottonwood/Marble Canyons, and Greenwater Valley, plus the Cottonwood-Marble backpacking loop. The backcountry camping rules identify fees, permits, and prohibited locations. A reservation does not override a road closure.

Maps, road access, and navigation

Highway 190 connects the main east and west approaches. Visitors can also approach from Beatty via Nevada 374 or from Shoshone via California 178. Navigate to a specific destination such as Furnace Creek Visitor Center. The park has no conventional street address, and its postal box is not a driving destination.

Save the official road and hiking maps before arrival. There is no public transport to or within the park. Plan your fuel stops around Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, or Panamint Springs.

Consult the road status report for flood damage and closures. Bonnie Clare Road and Scotty's Castle are closed to general access. Southern Badwater Road has damaged shoulders and unpaved sections. Do not assume an open road is an easy drive.

Nearby parks for an onward drive

For a trip continuing toward Las Vegas, consider Spring Mountain Ranch State Park on Highway 159 near Blue Diamond or Ice Age Fossils State Park on North Decatur Boulevard in North Las Vegas. These are regional road-trip stops, rather than attractions beside Death Valley's main viewpoints.

Choose viewpoints, walks, or a night-sky visit

For a first visit, combine a few viewpoints rather than trying to cross the whole park. Badwater offers a boardwalk at the pool and an optional salt-flat walk. Mesquite Flat offers a view from the parking area as well as walking in deep sand. Dantes View has a paved viewing area; rougher paths continue beyond it.

Accessibility differs at each stop. Zabriskie Point's paved approach is steep. Sand and broken ground can make other short routes demanding. The viewpoint access guide describes surfaces, parking, and toilets so you can choose stops for your group.

Stargazing works best with a plan for both darkness and safe return. NPS suggests places such as Harmony Borax Works and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. A new moon gives darker skies. Use a red light and allow time for your eyes to adjust. Nighttime can remain dangerously hot in summer, so darkness alone does not make a long walk sensible.

Food, fuel, lodging, and camping

Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, and Panamint Springs provide combinations of lodging, food, and fuel. The Inn and Ranch at Death Valley are in Furnace Creek. Stovepipe Wells and Panamint Springs also have overnight accommodation. Choose a base by the places you intend to visit, because crossing the park takes time.

Developed campsites range from basic sites to a limited number of full-hookup spaces at Furnace Creek. Several low-elevation campgrounds close seasonally. Emigrant Campground is closed for water-system repairs, and Wildrose has no water. Confirm the specific campground's status and bring what it does not provide.

Water is available at the main service areas. Wi-Fi and mobile reception can be unreliable. Contact the park for accessibility planning rather than assuming that a roadside attraction has a level route or accessible toilet.

About Death Valley National Park

Homeland and mining landscape

Death Valley is the homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone. Its history also includes mining camps and towns that rose and declined as people pursued mineral resources. Historic remains add context to the desert landscape, but they should be viewed without entering unstable structures or disturbing artifacts.

How animals live in the desert

Bighorn sheep use mountain and canyon terrain, while kangaroo rats conserve water and obtain moisture from their food. Desert tortoises spend much of their lives sheltered in burrows. Coyotes and jackrabbits often avoid the hottest hours. Tracks in sand can reveal activity even when the animals themselves remain hidden.

Contact Death Valley National Park

Visitor information: 760-786-3200. Email: [email protected]. Mailing address: PO Box 579, Death Valley, CA 92328.