8 Things To Do In Death Valley
If you’re planning your first trip to Death Valley National Park, you may be wondering ‘What Should I Not Miss In Death Valley?’ We’ve put together a list of some must-sees in Death Valley that are easy to get to without a 4x4 and will create a great first impression of the 3 million acre park. Of course, there are more unique and remote things to see here and we’ll have a list on that shortly!
Also, if you’d like to listen to the list instead of reading the blog post, then click on our video below.
Related Posts: One Day In The Mojave Desert
Badwater Basin
This is probably at the top of everyone’s Death Valley list and for good reason. This is the lowest point in North America at 282ft (86m) below sea level and is a vast salt flat that is surrounded by mountains and really special to see. Due to the remoteness of this park, few can say they stood at the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere AND the hottest place (in recorded history) on Earth!
Getting There:
Take Badwater Road and continue until you see the sign and parking in front of the salt flats. Walk about a half mile out onto the flats (or more) to see the striking white salt and be sure to turn back to the carpark to see the mountains and the small ‘Sea Level’ sign in the distance. Obviously if you struggle in the heat, don’t visit here in the summer months (June-Sept).
2. Devil’s Golf Course
Located near Badwater Basin, Devil’s Golf Course is a salt pan that was given this name because ‘only the devil could play golf on this surface’. This is slightly off the beaten track compared to the rest of the places on the list so if you’re looking for something a bit less ‘touristy’ and for great photography definitely check out this one.
Getting There:
To get to Devil’s Golf Course you have to drive down Salt Pool Rd which is an unpaved road (about a mile) that we managed to drive with our sedan no problems. Once you’re down there you can park and walk onto the salt pan if you’re up for it - I went in sandals and was fine but just be cautious when stepping on the jagged salt as you could get hurt if you trip.
3. Zabriskie Point
This is probably the most popular place to stop in the park. It is a small vista point that looks out onto amazing colours and ripples in the rock that was once completely under water millions of years ago (before Death Valley existed). It is named after Christian Zabriskie who was a prominent figure in the 20th century Pacific Coast Borax Company. This is a great spot for photography, hiking, a rest break or catching the sunrise/sunset. Note that this is typically a busy stop!
Getting There:
Located off the 190, you’ll find Zabriskie Point Rd which is the carpark at the bottom of the viewpoint and there are also restrooms here.
4. Artist’s Palette
Another popular spot for vibrant photography and hiking is Artist’s Palette. In this area of Death Valley, oxidation of certain metals & elements found in the rock cause an array of colours on the mountains hence the name artist’s palette. This is another popular stopping point and also a one-way road so make sure you are aware of that before stopping and trying to turn around like we saw some people doing. We also saw a guy rollerblading in his underwear!
Getting There:
Take Artist’s Drive which is a 9 mile one-way road to the view point Artist’s Palette. Here you can read the information boards and take it in from the lookout or head down to the actual rock and explore! The road alone is very colourful and we found it fun and relaxing to drive this route.
5. Father Crowley Point
This is a viewpoint above Rainbow Canyon, usually referred to as Star Wars Canyon. The canyon is used for aviation training purposes which can sometimes be seen when you stop here, but after an accident in 2019 they have stopped flying in the canyon and I could not confirm if this was only temporary.
Getting There:
This is located on the other side of the park in relation to the rest on this list and is close to the West Entrance, so if you enter or exit from there it’ll be easy to stop here to have a look. Most don’t spend long here, but if you’re a fan of aviation you should check online to see if you can view one of the fighter jet flight times when they go through here.
6. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
The largest and most accessible sand dunes in Death Valley are the Mesquite Flat Dunes. These beautiful dunes are so fun to spend time walking on and you can go sand boarding here (not all the dunes in Death Valley permit sand boarding).
Getting There:
Head down Scotty’s Castle Rd and then turn left on Stovepipe Wells Rd. You won’t be able to miss them even though the tallest dune is only 100ft, you can still see these dunes from a distance. Also note that at the time of writing this - Scotty’s Castle is temporarily closed.
7. Harmony Borax Works
If you’re interested in the history of humans in Death Valley then make sure you check out this spot. You can read the information boards and see how the Borax was transported on the huge wagons by the twenty-mule team. We were still confused as to what Borax was, but basically it is similar to Baking Soda in the look and uses of it.
Getting There:
Harmony Borax Interpretive Trail is located on Borax Mill Rd, close to the Furnace Creek area.
8. Golden Canyon Trail
This canyon got its name from the yellow golden canyon walls that you can walk between on this trail. We did a short 2mile (3.2km) round-trip hike that was beautiful and takes you to Red Cathedral, another stunningly vibrant rock formation. There is also an intermediate length hike you can do and an even longer 7.8mile (12.6km) trail that will take you to Zabriskie Point!
Getting There:
This is located near Badwater Basin and is quite a popular area with not a lot of parking so try to arrive early or on a weekday to avoid the crowd.
Thanks for reading and if you would like to see more, check out our Death Valley Camping Video on YouTube here.
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