Death Valley National Park is the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the United States. This vast desert basin, spanning eastern California and western Nevada, reveals dramatic landscapes—towering snow-capped peaks, below-sea-level salt flats, colorful badlands, sprawling sand dunes, and lush oases. Amid extreme heat and aridity, remarkable geology, resilient plants and animals, and centuries of human history—including Native American, miner, and settler stories—await exploration in this land of extremes.

Overview

Death Valley National Park, established in 1994, preserves a vast region of desert extremes. It is renowned for being the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level), the hottest place on Earth in terms of recorded air temperature, and one of the driest regions on the continent. Despite its name and extreme climate, Death Valley sustains a surprising variety of life and a rich cultural history.

The park covers over 3.4 million acres, making it the largest national park in the contiguous United States.
Death Valley is a basin of extremes, with temperatures soaring above 130°F (54°C) in summer, winter snow dusting its highest peaks, and rare rainstorms triggering spectacular wildflower blooms.
Diverse landscapes include salt flats, sand dunes, badlands, canyons, and mountain ranges, each telling part of the park’s geological story.
Humans have inhabited or traversed the area for at least 10,000 years, from Native American tribes to gold and borax miners, leaving behind artifacts, campsites, and ghost towns .

Plan Your Visit

Death Valley National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. However, extreme summer heat creates safety risks, and many visitors prefer fall through spring for outdoor activities.

Furnace Creek Visitor Center

The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the main hub for park orientation, trip planning, and ranger programs.

The center offers maps, exhibits, a bookshop, and the latest information on park conditions and activities.
From here, visitors can access nearby attractions such as the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Harmony Borax Works, and the scenic Artists Drive.
Ranger-led programs are offered seasonally to introduce visitors to the natural and cultural wonders of the valley .

Stovepipe Wells Village & Visitor Center

Stovepipe Wells in the heart of the park offers a visitor center, lodging, campground, and access to iconic sites.

The visitor center provides trip planning help and information about local geology and history.
Nearby attractions include the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley Sand Dunes, and the dramatic Mosaic Canyon.
Stovepipe Wells Campground is a popular spot for tent campers and RVs without hookups .

Dante’s View & Badwater Basin

Dante’s View and Badwater Basin are two iconic viewpoints illustrating Death Valley’s extreme topography.

Dante’s View sits over 5,000 feet above the valley floor, offering panoramic views of the basin below, including salt flats and mountain ranges.
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, where vast salt crusts stretch to the horizon. The area features a short boardwalk leading into shallow salt pools.
Both sites are accessible by car, with Dante’s View road closed in winter if snow blocks access .

Nature & Wildlife

Death Valley’s flora and fauna have adapted to survive extreme heat, drought, and elevation changes. The park encompasses two intersecting deserts—the Mojave and the Great Basin—each contributing unique species.

Adaptations and Habitats

Plants such as creosote bush, desert holly, and dirt-loving wildflowers exploit brief rains and underground water to survive.
Oases with springs and seeps, like Scotty’s Castle and Darwin Falls, support lush vegetation and small fish—unique in the arid landscape.
Animals include kangaroo rats, desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, and nocturnal foxes, all adapted to conserve water and avoid midday heat .

Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata)

The creosote bush is the dominant plant across Death Valley’s valley floors and lower slopes. Its resinous leaves reduce water loss, and its deep roots allow survival through decades-long droughts.

Desert Mariposa Lily (Calochortus kennedyi)

This delicate flower bursts from the soil after rare rains, blooming briefly before heat returns. Death Valley hosts spectacular ephemeral displays in spring when conditions are right.

Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni)

Desert bighorn sheep navigate steep, rocky canyons and rely on metabolic water from plants, traveling miles to reach scarce water sources. They are often seen at dawn or dusk on mountain slopes.

Geology & Landscapes

Death Valley is a geologist’s paradise, shaped by tectonic forces, volcanic activity, erosion, and climate over millions of years.

The valley is a graben—a sunken block of the Earth’s crust—flanked by rising mountain ranges such as the Panamint and Amargosa.
Salt flats like those at Badwater Basin formed from ancient Lake Manly, which filled the basin during wetter climatic periods.
Colorful sites like Artists Palette result from oxidized minerals in volcanic and sedimentary rocks, sculpted by wind and water erosion.
Famous canyons including Golden Canyon and Mosaic Canyon reveal folded, fractured, and polished rock walls, showcasing the park’s dynamic geological past .

Cultural History

Death Valley holds evidence of long human occupation and dramatic historical events.

Native American tribes, including the Timbisha Shoshone, have lived in the valley for millennia, adapting to its challenges and using plants and springs for survival.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the valley was the scene of intense mineral exploration and mining, notably borax, leaving trails, camps, and ghost towns.
Modern preservation efforts protect archaeological sites, mining remnants, and oral histories, sharing the full story of human resilience in the valley .

Camping & Lodging

Death Valley offers multiple camping options and lodges for different comfort levels.

Furnace Creek Ranch & Campground

Furnace Creek Ranch offers full-service lodging, a swimming pool, restaurant, and general store.
The nearby Furnace Creek Campground has full hookups for RVs and shaded tent sites.

Stovepipe Wells & Mesquite Spring Campgrounds

Stovepipe Wells offers tent camping and RV sites without hookups.
Mesquite Spring Campground is set among desert willows, with shaded sites and restroom facilities.

Texas Springs Campground

Located near the Panamint Mountains, Texas Springs offers developed tent sites and access to spring-fed trails.

Panamint Springs Resort

This rustic resort provides cabins, a campground, and a café, serving travelers along scenic Highways 190 and 395.

Additional Resources

Experience the extremes, beauty, and mystery of Death Valley National Park—a place where life thrives against the odds and the landscape tells a story of ancient Earth in action!

Hours

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

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Last updated: Sat Jun 7, 2025

National Parks

Death Valley National Park