Death Valley National Park

Badwater Basin

The lowest point in North America lies 282 feet below sea level on a vast expanse of salt flats. Visitors can view the basin from their car in the parking area, or follow a short paved ramp onto a wooden boardwalk that runs out to the edge of Badwater Pool. Past the boardwalk, the ground has been flattened like hard-packed sand, and a walk of about a quarter mile leads to the salt polygons, large polygon-shaped salt formations that stretch across the ground. Many people hike out onto the flat, but there is no designated trail, so stick to paths others have already walked and watch for large holes in the salt. The site also rewards a scenic drive, and after dark the open flat is a good place for night sky viewing and photography.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Sand dunes rise beside the mountains here, and they are the most famous and most easily reached dune field in the area. The ground is mostly deep sand with steep sandy hills, and the route to the high dune runs about a mile each way with no formal trail, so expect a tiring walk. A scenic viewpoint can be seen from the car, so you can take in the dunes without leaving your seat. Visitors with a sandboard or sand sled can ride the slopes, and snow sleds work too. The dunes work as a natural playground for kids, and the sand against the surrounding mountains makes a photogenic scene for photographers. The parking area has vault toilets, and you can walk out as far as you like.

Furnace Creek

A desert oasis below sea level, Furnace Creek is anchored by its visitor center, where rangers answer questions and help plan trips. Exhibits and a 20-minute park film explain the area's natural and cultural history, and the bookstore is worth a look. Furnace Creek Campground sits directly past the visitor center. It is the only NPS campground in the park that accepts reservations, with full RV hookups as well as dry sites for tents. Golden Canyon offers a two-mile hike rated easy to moderate, leading toward Red Cathedral. A paved, flat path runs one mile from the visitor center to Harmony Borax Works, suitable for bikes. Astronomy programs use a viewing area beside the visitor center.

Stovepipe Wells

Sitting at sea level in the desert, this spot gathers a lodge, a campground and a few basic services in one place. Stovepipe Wells Village has renovated resort rooms, a restaurant, a saloon, a general store and a gas station, while the adjacent campground is first-come, first-served and has tent sites. From camp, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are a short drive away, and the walk to the highest dune runs about two miles across the sand with no trail to follow. Mosaic Canyon offers a moderate day hike of one to four miles with some scrambling over rock. Drivers with high-clearance 4WD can tackle the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop, a 26 to 30 mile route with no trail, so bring a map and compass.

Panamint Springs

Desert water, volcanic rock and wide valley views define this western stretch of the park. Darwin Falls is a year-round, spring-fed waterfall in a narrow gorge. Reaching it means an unpaved road and a mostly level walk of about a mile, with rock scrambling, stream crossings and no formal trail. In spring, willow thickets along the stream fill with migrating birds, making it a good spot for birdwatching. Father Crowley Vista looks over dark lava flows and volcanic cinders before the land drops into Rainbow Canyon, with northern Panamint Valley beyond. Lee Flat Joshua Trees hold the finest tree-sized yuccas in the park. Panamint Dunes lie along an unmarked, sandy route to four dunes and a natural bridge, which requires a high clearance vehicle. Panamint Springs Resort offers lodging, camping, a restaurant and fuel.

Ubehebe Crater

Measuring about 600 feet from rim to floor, this volcanic basin spans roughly half a mile. The paved lot on the rim overlooks it. A rim trail of about 1.5 miles circles the crater, climbing roughly 500 feet past exposed edges, so it is a poor choice for anyone who fears heights. Little Hebe, a smaller crater that appears younger, lies along the route. A path also drops into the crater, where the walk down is easy but the climb back out can be exhausting. The rim and gullies are loose and unstable, so stay on the marked trail. There are no restrooms here; the closest are at Grapevine Ranger Station. The name Ubehebe was first applied to a peak 24 miles away, and its link to the crater is unclear. The Timbisha Shoshone call the crater Tem-pin-tta-Wo'sah.

Wildrose Charcoal Kilns

Ten beehive-shaped stone kilns stand along a forested mountain road in the Panamint Mountains, a reminder of the 1870s, when the Modock Consolidated Mining Company built them to produce charcoal. That fuel supplied two smelters serving lead-silver mines in the Argus Range. The kilns can be seen from a scenic drive along Emigrant Canyon Road, and the small gravel lot beside them is also where the Wildrose Peak Trail begins. That trail winds through pinyon pine and juniper woodlands, climbing steep switchbacks toward views over the valley and its salt flats. The round trip is 8.4 miles, rated difficult, with about 2,200 feet of elevation gain. Wildrose Campground offers 23 sites with tables, fire pits, and pit toilets, but it has no water, so bring your own.