The Ultimate Death Valley Itinerary: 10 Best Things to Do in Death Valley
Death Valley is one of the most unique national parks in the United States, making you feel like you are on another planet! When you think of California, you likely think of beautiful sandy beaches and palm trees. But in the southeastern section of the state, Death Valley is completely different than anything in the state.
If Death Valley is not on your bucket list, I highly recommend adding it. Trust me, you will fall in love with the salt flats, multi-colored hills, fun hiking trails, and sand dunes.
We visited Death Valley in early spring and explored everything the park offered. I knew it would be beautiful, but the views surpassed my expectations! I quickly fell in love with the park, so I know you will love visiting it.
If you want to visit Death Valley, you are in the right place. I created the best Death Valley itinerary for you to use when planning a trip. It includes everything you need to know to visit, including the best things to do in Death Valley!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, my blog may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
Tips for Visiting Death Valley
Be prepared for the heat. Death Valley National Park is one of the hottest places in the world! I recommend visiting between late fall and early spring for the best temperatures. Death Valley can have temperatures over 110 degrees in the summer, making it not the best time to visit. When we visited in March, it was still hot. Regardless of when you visit, you must prepare for the heat with plenty of water, food, moisture-wicking clothes, and sun protection.
Spend at least 1-2 days in Death Valley. Although you could spend a week exploring Death Valley, you can see many must-see attractions in 1-2 days. We spent one day in the park and were able to explore most of the park!
Start your days early. Because Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world, I recommend starting your days early to avoid the midday heat. Hiking in the morning or late afternoon is great to avoid the hottest time of the day. Since Death Valley receives over one million visitors a year, starting your day early allows you to explore the park with fewer crowds, too!
Pack sunscreen. Most of the areas in Death Valley have little to no shade, making it crucial to pack and wear sunscreen. When we visited, we reapplied sunscreen midday to help prevent us from burning. The sun is relentless in Death Valley!
Pack food and water before entering the park. The nearest city with food is about a half hour, so I recommend getting everything you need for your trip before entering the park. We packed a cooler, which was perfect for our day in Death Valley!
Buy the America the Beautiful Annual Pass. If you are visiting more national parks on your trip or within the year, I highly recommend buying the American the Beautiful Annual Pass. It allows you into any national park and federal recreation land for a year!
Always remember to leave no trace. It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.
When to Visit Death Valley
Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world! As you can imagine, summer is incredibly hot, with temperatures over 100 degrees. Summer usually is the time everyone takes vacations, but it is not the best time to visit Death Valley. The hot summer temperatures in Death Valley can create many issues, which is why I do not recommend it.
The best time to visit Death Valley is late fall through early spring. The temperatures are much more tolerable, allowing you to enjoy the best things to do in Death Valley without the heat.
We visited Death Valley in late March, which was a great time to explore the park! It was about 80 degrees, which was manageable for hiking and exploring.
How to Get to Death Valley
Death Valley is in southern California on the border of Nevada. The closest airport is McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, which is a two-hour drive to the Furnace Creek entrance in Death Valley. The drive from Las Vegas to Death Valley is easy and beautiful! We loved the stunning views we had during the entire ride.
You can also fly into Los Angeles International Airport. The drive is a little longer (about 2.5 hours) but is easy and beautiful.
Where to Stay Near Death Valley
A few towns near Death Valley have accommodations if you plan to spend a night near the park. The closest is Furnace Creek, but these accommodations are very expensive because they are the closest to the park.
The two next best places to stay are Beatty and Pahrump. They are about an hour from the park, but they have everything you need for your stay and are more inexpensive than the accommodations in Furnace Creek.
Best Death Valley Hotels:
The Inn at Death Valley (expensive)
The Ranch at Death Valley (expensive)
Best Death Valley Campgrounds:
What to Pack for Death Valley
Hiking Boots: If you want comfort and support on your trip, hiking boots are the go to.
Hiking Socks: Having moisture-wicking and comfortable hiking socks are just as important for exploring.
Hiking Backpack: You need something to carry all your food, clothes, and anything else you need while adventuring, so having a supportive hiking backpack is crucial.
Hydration Reservoir/Water Bottles: While hiking or just exploring, it is important to have enough water! I always pack a hydration reservoir.
Jackets: The weather is unpredictable, so I always pack a rain jacket and insulated jacket.
Ten Essentials: The Ten Essentials are crucial for hiking!
Death Valley Itinerary Attractions Map
Ultimate Death Valley Itinerary: Best Things to Do in Death Valley
If you are looking for the best things to do to add to your Death Valley itinerary, look no further! Death Valley offers many beautiful viewpoints and fun hikes throughout the park, and these are my favorites that should be on every bucket list.
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point is one of the most iconic viewpoints in Death Valley and is one of the first attractions in the park. If you can, I highly recommend watching the sunrise from Zabriskie Point. It is one of the most beautiful places in the early morning, and you will likely be among only a handful of people there.
Zabriskie Point has a paved 0.4-mile round-trip walk from the parking lot to an incredible viewpoint overlooking the badlands. Once you are at the top, you can relax at the paved overlook or explore the nearby trails.
This area has a few trails you can hike that range from moderate to difficult. Since we did not want to hike anything too crazy, we decided to walk a short distance on a few nearby trails, which was fun.
If you want to enjoy a fun hike around the badlands, I recommend the 2.7-mile round-trip Badlands Loop! This trail is stunning and offers unique views of the badlands. If you are up for a longer hike, you can connect Zabriskie Point to Red Cathedral, the next thing to do on your itinerary. The 6.4-mile round-trip hike is strenuous but has some of the best views in Death Valley!
No matter how you experience Zabriskie Point, you will quickly see why it is one of the best things to do in Death Valley.
Golden Canyon Trail to Red Cathedral
If you are looking for one of the most beautiful hikes to add to your Death Valley itinerary, look no further! Golden Canyon Trail to Red Cathedral is my favorite hike in Death Valley because the views are breathtaking. I recommend hiking it in the morning to avoid the midday heat since the trail has little shade.
The 3-mile round trip hike travels along the canyon floor, giving you an up-close and personal view of the canyon walls. The Golden Canyon Trail gradually gains elevation as it brings you towards the base of Red Cathedral. There is a bit of scrambling before Red Cathedral, but once you arrive at the top, you get breathtaking views overlooking the badlands and surrounding mountains.
As I mentioned above, you can also connect it with Zabriskie Point if you are up for a strenuous and long hike. No matter which way to hike to Red Cathedral, you will quickly fall in love with the trail!
Badwater Basin
Did you know Death Valley is home to the lowest place in North America?! Badwater Basin is 282 feet below sea level and has a huge salt flat with stunning views of the surrounding mountains. And the best part? It is an easy walk from the parking lot.
Badwater Basin is one of the hottest places in Death Valley, and I recommend visiting in the morning to avoid the midday heat. We visited midday in March, and it was very hot!
One of the best things about Badwater Basin is that you can walk as little or as far as you want to experience the salt flats. If you do not want to walk onto the salt flats, you can enjoy an easy stroll on the boardwalk to the Badwater Basin sign.
In early 2024, Badwater Basin flooded because of heavy rains, making the salt flat look a little different than the images we saw online. We could also see lingering water in the distance.
The Natural Bridge
Did you know Death Valley has a natural arch?! Neither did I! It was a last-minute find when creating our Death Valley itinerary, and let me tell you, it is beautiful.
The Natural Bridge is a stunning geological feature, standing at 35 feet that you can walk under. The hike to the Natural Bridge is 0.6 miles round trip traveling along the canyon floor to the arch. The trail continues after the Natural Bridge, but we turned around after it.
This entire hike is stunning! I loved walking along the canyon floor at the base of the massive stone walls. Although it is typically a popular hike, we shared the trail with only a handful of people, which was nice.
The drive to the trailhead is unpaved but pretty well maintained, and we did not have any issues driving on it. The park does a wonderful job maintaining the road, and we saw all types of cars driving on it to the trailhead.
Devil's Golf Course
If you did not get enough of the salt flats, do not worry! The Devil's Golf Course is north of Badwater Basin and offers beautiful views of the flats. Over time, wind and rain have created the rough texture of it, making it unique compared to the other areas on the salt flats.
To get to Devil's Golf Course, you must hike 2.8 miles round-trip to get to the end viewpoint. Although the trail is on the longer side, it is flat and easy to walk on.
Artists Drive
Artists Drive is one of the most iconic places in Death Valley for food reasons! It is a 9-mile, one-way scenic drive that should be on every Death Valley itinerary because it has breathtaking multi-colored hills. It was one of my favorite areas in the entire park.
The entrance to Artists Drive is just after the Devil's Golf Course and offers the best views in the park. I recommend stopping at every viewpoint because, trust me, the views at each are worth it.
Although the views along Artists Drive are breathtaking, two spots stood out above the rest. The first viewpoint is just over a mile on Artists Drive and offers incredible views overlooking the surrounding multi-colored hills. You can enjoy views from the parking lot or walk up a short and steep trail to the viewpoint. The views from the top are stunning and worth the steep walk to get there!
My second favorite is the iconic viewpoint, Artists Palette. This entire area is breathtaking and one of my favorite places in Death Valley.
Although the parking lot has a beautiful viewpoint of Artists Palette, I recommend walking around the trails to get an up-close and personal experience with the multi-colored hills.
Once you explore Artists Drive and Artists Palette, it will quickly become one of your favorite places in Death Valley!
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
I had no idea Death Valley had sand dunes until I was researching Death Valley and stumbled across a stunning photo of them. The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are about a half-hour drive north of the rest of the park, but it is worth the drive, in my opinion. It is also a great spot to end your day in Death Valley and watch the sunset!
Although you can see the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes from the parking lot, I recommend hiking to them. Hiking on sand dunes is fun but not as easy as it looks. Although there is no official trail, you will see where many people hike on the sand dunes and can follow their paths.
If you are not up for a sunset exploration, do not worry! The views of Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and surrounding mountains are breathtaking no matter what time of day you visit. You will quickly see why it is one of the best things to do in Death Valley.
Ubehebe Crater
Ubehebe Crater is one of the least visited places in Death Valley because it is about 1.5 hours north of Furnace Creek. But I recommend adding it to your Death Valley itinerary because it is a beautiful and unique area, making you feel like you are on Mars.
Ubehebe Crater is 1 mile across and 600 feet deep, so it is huge! And the best part? You do not need to walk far to see into the crater.
But if you are up for a hike, I recommend walking around the rim of Ubehebe Crater. It is a stunning 1.8-mile loop, and the views make the hike worth it! You can also hike to the crater floor to get incredible 360-degree views of Ubehebe Crater from inside.
I know it is a long drive from most must-see attractions, but it should be on every Death Valley itinerary! It is also a great place for stargazing since there is little light pollution.
Dantes View
If you want to explore one of the most beautiful scenic viewpoints in Death Valley, look no further. Dantes View offers spectacular views of the salt flat and surrounding mountains, and it will quickly become one of your favorite areas in the park.
But the drive to Dantes View is not a quick one. It is 13 miles one way from CA-190, but it is worth it!
The drive is stunning, but the best views are obviously at the viewpoint at the end. You can enjoy the beautiful views from the parking lot or hike along the many trails in the area. I recommend hiking the 1-mile round trip trail to the nearby viewpoint. Trust me, you will be in awe of the views!
If you want to hike a longer trail, the hike to Mount Perry is for you! It is a strenuous 8.7-mile round-trip hike, but the views along the ridge and at the end are some of the best in Death Valley.
If you want to experience Dantes View in all its glory, I recommend visiting for sunrise or sunset. It is also one of the best places to stargaze!
Stargazing
If you are spending the night near Death Valley, I highly recommend stargazing. Since there is little light pollution in the national park, you can enjoy stargazing pretty much anywhere in Death Valley. Some of the best places for stargazing are Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Badwater Basin, Ubehebe Crater, and Dantes View. You will be in awe of the stunning views of the night sky and Milky Way if you have a clear night!
If you want to plan a trip to Death Valley, you are in the right place! This guide has everything you need to know to create the perfect Death Valley itinerary and visit the best things to do.
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
More California Travel Inspiration!
The Perfect One Day in Death Valley
Pin it for later!
