Planning your trip to Death Valley National Park
Death Valley being the hottest place on Earth makes planning your trip here a little complicated. The summer months are pretty much out of the question. We went in mid-February, and the weather was perfect. If you’re lucky, really lucky, you may be able to visit during a super bloom. Super blooms are extremely rare, but when the weather is just right, they can happen.
It is when a massive amount of wildflowers bloom at the same time.
Death Valley has several lodges and restaurants (and even a gas station) inside the park. Death Valley also has multiple campsites, but as it gets closer to summer, the temperatures will still be pretty high at night, and it may be more comfortable to get a hotel.
If camping and staying in the park isn’t what you had in mind, Death Valley is an hour and a half away from Pahrump, NV, and two hours away from Las Vegas, NV.
Between Sand Dunes, Colorful Rocks, Craters, and Waterfalls, it is difficult to pick what to do.
There are several different locations to see Sand Dunes, but the most famous Sand Dunes in the park are these ones. There is no defined trail, and you can just go where the wind takes you. Technically, yes, this hike is easy but honestly, walking through really steep mountains of sand is strenuous. You should do it regardless; it is worth it.
Another fan favorite, you can drive down Artist Drive and see Artist Palette. The road has a few different viewpoints, so you can see the Palette from multiple angles. The last spot is the best, and you get to see Artist Palette close up.
Zabriskie Point is a beautiful and popular viewpoint for Sunrise and Sunset.
Darwin Falls is a hidden desert oasis with a waterfall. The trail is unmarked, but the unpaved Darwin Falls Road will take you to equally unpaved parking. It is roughly a two-hour hike, and as you get closer to the waterfall, you may need to bust out your hiking skills to get the rest of the way.
No matter how much time you can spend in the park, go anyway. You can see so much of the beauty Death Valley has to offer even in a few hours.
