Things to do in Death Valley National Park
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Highway 178 to Badwater Basin Interpretive Trail
A few miles south of Furnace Creek is Golden Canyon, where a self-guided interpretive trail winds for a mile up to the now-oxidized iron cliffs of Red Cathedral. You can keep going up to Zabriskie Point, for a hardy 4-mile round-trip. A more challenging canyon scramble goes up Desolation Narrows to an overlook of colorful badlands, but you'll need a good topo map for it. Take the unsigned dirt road turnoff 4 miles south of the Hwy 178/190 junction, and stay to the left.
Further south on Hwy 178 is the turnoff for the Artist's Drive scenic loop through an alluvial fan, with the Artist's Palette of colorful exposed minerals and volcanic ash. Driving south again on Hwy 190, …
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Grapevine Junction Trail
Three miles west of Scotty's Castle, turn west toward 770ft-deep Ubehebe Crater, caused by the explosive meeting of fiery magma with cool groundwater. You can loop around its half-mile-wide rim and over to younger and smaller Little Hebe Crater. The mysterious Racetrack Playa is a 28-mile trip south of Ubehebe Crater, via a tire-shredding dirt road that requires 4WD.
From the natural 'grandstand,' you can observe large rocks that appear to have moved on their own across this mud flat, making long, faint tracks in the sunbaked surface. Scientific theories abound, but nothing has been proven.Want more 4WD adventure? Between the craters and Grapevine Junction, a graded dirt…
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Around Furnace Creek Drive
Start by driving up to Dante's View (5475ft), where the view is absolutely brilliant at sunrise or sunset. En route, detour at Twenty Mule Team Canyon, a windy one-way loop through an ancient lakebed - it will make you feel like an ant. Heading back down toward the valley, it's a short walk out to Zabriskie Point, where you can scramble down into the eroded badlands. With a good sense of orientation, make the 4-mile round-trip hike over to Golden Canyon.
Take a break at Furnace Creek Ranch and sit in some shade. The Borax Museum, past the restaurants, will tell you all about the stuff, and there's a big collection of old coaches and wagons out back. The Furnace Creek visi…
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Emigrant Canyon Road Trail
Eight miles west of Stovepipe Wells, this scenic road winds past turnoffs to Skidoo mining town site, a 4WD trek to jaw-dropping views of the Sierra Nevada, or to Eureka Mine, beyond which Aguereberry Point has 6500ft-deep views east into Death Valley. Back on the main road, it's a steep climb over Emigrant Pass (5318ft).
Further along, turn left up Wildrose Canyon to reach the charcoal kilns, a line of large, stone, beehive-shaped structures used by 19th-century miners to make fuel for smelting silver ore. The landscape is subalpine, with forests of piñon pine and juniper, and can be covered with winter snow.
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Badwater
The lowest elevation in the US is at notorious Badwater, 282ft below sea level. Walk out onto the boardwalk next to the constantly evaporating bed of salty, mineralized water that's otherworldly in its beauty. To delve deeper into the valley, drive 27 miles south past Mormon Point, then turn right onto 40-mile dirt West Side Road, which heads back north past 4WD turnoffs to several side canyons and meets Hwy 178 just south of the end of Artist's Dr.
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Telescope Peak Hiking Trail
A demanding trail which climbs 3000ft from Mahogany Flat to the summit of Telescope Peak (11,049ft). Allow seven to nine hours for the 14-mile round-trip, and don't attempt it in winter unless you're fully equipped for snow and are an experienced ice climber. The last stretch of road to the trailhead might be too rough for a 2WD car, so you may have to start walking from the charcoal kilns, adding 1.5 miles and another 2000ft of elevation each way.
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A
Scotty’s Castle
Whimsical Scotty’s Castle is 3000ft above sea level and noticeably cooler than the valley floor. Walter E Scott, alias ‘Death Valley Scotty’, was the quintessential tall-tale teller who captivated people with his stories of gold. His most lucrative friendship was with Albert Johnson, a wealthy insurance magnate from Chicago, who bankrolled this elaborately constructed desert oasis in the 1920s.
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Racetrack Playa
The mysterious Racetrack Playa is a 28-mile trip south of Ubehebe Crater, via a tire-shredding dirt road that requires 4WD. From the natural 'grandstand,' you can observe large rocks that appear to have moved on their own across this mud flat, making long, faint tracks in the sunbaked surface. Scientific theories abound, but nothing has been proven.
reviewed
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Eureka Dunes
Rising almost 700ft from a dry lakebed, these are some of the world's only dunes to have 'singing sands,' which sound deep bass notes during sandslides. An easier approach to Eureka Valley is from Big Pine, from where it's 28 miles along a paved road, then 21 miles of roughly graded dirt to the dunes.
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Furnace Creek Visitor Center & Museum
Death Valley's Furnace Creek Visitor Center & Museum is where you can pick up maps, books and brochures and find out about free ranger-led interpretive programs. Further on are the ruins of the Harmony Borax Works.
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Desolation Narrows
A challenging canyon scramble goes up Desolation Narrows to an overlook of colorful badlands, but you'll need a good topographical map for it. Take the unsigned dirt road turnoff 4 miles south of the Hwy 178/190 junction, and stay to the left.
reviewed
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Golden Canyon
A few miles south of Furnace Creek is Golden Canyon, where a self-guided interpretive trail winds for a mile up to the now-oxidized iron cliffs of Red Cathedral. You can keep going up to Zabriskie Point, for a hardy 4-mile round-trip.
reviewed
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Devil's Golf Course
Driving south on Hwy 190, the valley floor to the west is filled with lumps of crystallized salt in what is nicknamed the Devil's Golf Course. On the east side of the road, stretch your legs with a 1-mile walk to the Natural Bridge.
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Ubehebe Crater
The 770ft-deep Ubehebe Crater was caused by the explosive meeting of fiery magma with cool groundwater. You can loop around its half-mile-wide rim and over to younger and smaller Little Hebe Crater.
reviewed
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Zabriskie Point
Here you can scramble down into the eroded badlands. With a good sense of orientation, make the 4-mile round-trip hike over to Golden Canyon.
reviewed
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Wildrose Peak Hiking Trail
From the charcoal kilns off Wildrose Canyon Rd, Wildrose Peak (9064ft) is an 8.4-mile round-trip, with a healthy elevation gain of 2200ft.
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Artist's Drive
The Artist's Drive is a scenic loop through an alluvial fan, with the Artist's Palette of colorful exposed minerals and volcanic ash.
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Corkscrew Saloon
In Furnace Creek, the busy Corkscrew has pool tables, all kinds of firewaters, televised sports and pub grub like buffalo wings.
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Borax Museum
At Furnace Creek Ranch, the Borax Museum has a sizeable collection of old coaches and wagons out the back.
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Toll Road Restaurant & Bad Water Saloon
Above-par cowboy cooking inside a ranch house. The next-door saloon has a jukebox and pool tables.
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Furnace Creek Stables
Arranges three horseback rides daily, except during summer; best are the monthly full-moon rides.
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Café C’est Si Bon
Solar-powered internet café serving espresso, baked goods and fresh vegetarian fare.
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Twenty Mule Team Canyon
A windy one-way loop through an ancient lakebed - it will make you feel like an ant.
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Bad Water Saloon
At Stovepipe Wells, the divey Bad Water has Skynyrd on the jukebox and a pool table.
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Forty Niner Cafe, Wrangler Steak House & Corkscrew Saloon
Long waits for only average food, but the saloon is a social spot. Avoid the buffet.
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