You’ll probably need a solid 4wd car, and even then you may need to park a couple miles away from the official start, where Cottonwood Canyon Road intersects Marble Canyon Road. Furnace Creek is 30 miles from Death Valley Junction and 24 miles from Stovepipe Wells Village. 300m). You’ll be rewarded with a spread of color blanketing the desert floor — perfect for Instagram moments.To discover a world of unfogettable experiences available from Xanterra Travel Collection and its affiliated properties, visit Specializing in California, the Southwest, and Hawaii, Matt Jaffe is an award-winning former senior writer at Sunset magazine and contributes to a variety of publications, including Los Angeles, Arizona Highways, and Westways.

The offer is not valid with the Interagency Annual Pass. Lush oases harbor tiny … Real vs. NPS photo. If people know one thing about Death Valley, they know that it’s … There’s also always the option of There’s nothing like a bit of rock climbing to make a hike feel like a true adventure.

Get your 3-Day weather forecast for Death Valley, CA. If you wish to start your Death Valley in winter experience with a bang, Dante’s View is the ideal place – a viewpoint on a mountaintop at 5,476 ft (1,669 m), overlooking Death Valley.

It’s an easy-to-follow cross-country route (just look for the footprints) that leads into a canyon, which gradually narrows and reaches colorful formations similar to the brilliantly hued Artist’s Palette (farther south off Badwater Road along Artist’s Drive).See stars like you never have before at Death Valley, a Gold Tier International Dark Sky ParkExcept at higher elevations, you won’t see any trees at Death Valley. You must show your pass at check-in to receive the discount on your site only. The intensity of the star-filled sky in such a peaceful spot was a powerful experience, and now he enjoys sharing that experience through his photography. Note that, like most popular national parks, it was pretty busy in the park, every parking area was very busy or full during the day. As the gorge narrows you’ll find fossilized imprints on the rock walls, the occasional bighorn sheep skeleton, and a series of small “dry falls” (waterfalls without water) that require some minor rock scrambling moves.The dry falls are a lot of fun and mostly manageable by agile non-climbers, though you may be thankful for a boost or hand from your hiking partner in a few places as the rock can be slippery.

In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. The general manager was On your way in or out of Zabriskie Point, you may also want to The name comes from one of the early National Park Service guidebooks, which described the location saying If you thought nothing could beat the colours of Zabriskie Point, think again!

Death Valley’s Winter Sports A properly equipped winter sports enthusiast in Death Valley is outfitted with good hiking boots, sunscreen, hat, binoculars, camera, golf clubs, bathing suit, tennis racket, water, full tank of gas and light jacket. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. At sunrise or sunset you’ll likely be standing amongst dozens of other photographers at the popular spots.Taking in the view of the badlands at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park was one of my favorite experiences in the park. So if Mesquite Springs is full, you’re feeling chilly, or you’re focusing on Cottonwood Canyon, head to Stovepipe Wells.Both options have flush toilets, and some sites have picnic tables and fire pits. Ride your mountain bike the ten miles up Cottonwood Canyon Road from Stovepipe Wells. We had a little trouble with this during the busy period between Christmas and New Years but eventually found a site for our tent.