A Trip to Death Valley National Park
General Description
Death Valley National Park is located in California on the Nevada border, about a two-hour drive northwest of Las Vegas. This is a special and large national park, approximately 100 km long and 40 km wide. In the valley, there is a wonderful combination of arid desert landscapes in various colors surrounded by snow-capped mountains (the mountain peaks are over 5,000 meters high!) that encircle it from every side. The landscapes are unique and ancient.
Book from the Viator website:
♦ A guided day trip departing from Las Vegas to Death Valley: Death Valley Day Trip from Las Vegas
The park's visitor center, Furnace Creek, is located in the center of the park on Highway 90, not far from the beautiful Zabriskie Point viewpoint. The center is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00. The park itself is open year-round, 24 hours a day.
Another visitor center that was at Scotty’s Castle is closed due to a storm and flooding in October 2015 in the castle area, which caused damage to roads and structures at the castle. The castle is currently closed until autumn 2021 (check for updated information on the National Parks website and at the visitor center).
Scotty’s Castle is a magnificent building built by a wealthy man from Chicago.
Book trips in Death Valley from GetYourGuide.com:
Some of the points of interest in the park have terrifying names such as: 'Hell's Gate', 'Devils Hole', and 'Devils Golf Course'. The uniqueness of the valley lies in the many different types of landscapes combined with each other in all the colors of the rainbow and in the stunning rock and mountain formations created by nature.
In the center of the park, there are enormous sand dunes where you can climb, roll, and slide.
Sand dunes:
♦ Recommended Accommodation - Death Valley National Park:
For nature lovers, one day in the park will not be enough, so it is worth staying for a night in a small, nearby town (located about a half-hour drive from the park) named Beatty, which has several relatively small and inexpensive hotels.
Hotels in the town of Beatty outside the park:
♦ Motel - Death Valley Inn & RV Park 3-star rating, outdoor pool, free internet and parking.
♦ Motel - Exchange Club Motel 3-star rating, free internet and parking.
♦ El Portal Motel - El Portal Motel 2-star rating, seasonal outdoor pool. Free internet and parking.
More expensive hotels inside the park:
Hotels inside the park in Furnace Creek:
♦ Hotel The Inn at Death Valley 5-star hotel, located in Furnace Creek near the park's visitor center and the nearby airport. The site includes a restaurant, bar, outdoor pool, and gym. Free internet and parking.
♦ Hotel The Ranch At Death Valley 4-star hotel, also located in Furnace Creek near the park's visitor center and the nearby airport. The site includes a restaurant, bar, and outdoor pool. Free parking, free internet in public areas.
When to Visit
The tourist season here is only between October and March because in the summer the heat is unbearable: the average temperature reaches 48 degrees Celsius in the shade, and the highest heat records ever measured in the world were recorded in this place: a ground temperature of 84 degrees Celsius (in 1972). This is the hottest and driest place in America. In winter, the weather is pleasant during the day and quite cold at night. When visiting the park, the enormous size must be taken into account, which creates long driving distances between one viewpoint and another.
Recommended Places to Visit in the Park
Dantes View
This is a viewpoint at an altitude of 2000 meters from which the entire Death Valley is visible:
Artists Drive
In which you travel among rocks in a variety of colors: red, yellow, white, green, brown, and orange.
Badwater Basin
Where there was a lake about 20,000 years ago that dried up, and today you walk on a long path made of salt (Borax to be more precise).
Devils Golf Course
An expansive area strewn with sharp Borax crystals in a variety of colors and strange pits.
Zabriskie Point
From which an amazing view is seen of yellow and grooved limestone rocks surrounded by bright brown cliffs:
Most of the recommended points to visit are located on the eastern side of the park.
A short video about Death Valley National Park: