Death Valley National Park guides
12 in-depth guides to Death Valley National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Death Valley National Park overview.
Driving 3.4 Million Acres Without Entrance Stations
Death Valley National Park spreads across 3.4 million acres, making it the largest national park in the contiguous United States.
Hottest Place on Earth: Heat and Seasons
Death Valley holds the world record for the highest air temperature ever measured at the surface of the Earth.
Badwater Basin: Salt Flats 282 Feet Down
Badwater Basin sits 282 feet below sea level, making it the lowest point in North America.
Artist's Drive and Artist's Palette
Artists Drive is a nine-mile paved route that runs past eroded hills in many colors in Death Valley.
Zabriskie Point and the Badlands Trails
A short walk from the parking area brings you to the Zabriskie Point overlook, a well-known vista in the park.
Racetrack Playa and Sailing Stones
Racetrack Playa is a dry lakebed in a remote valley between the Cottonwood and Last Chance Ranges.
Off-Trail Canyons: Sidewinder, Grotto and Desolation
Three canyons in Death Valley National Park reward hikers who are willing to leave the marked trails behind: Sidewinder Canyon, Grotto Canyon and Desolation Canyon.
Gold Tier Dark Skies After Sunset
Death Valley holds the top rank for dark skies, Gold Tier, from the International Dark-Sky Association.
The Timbisha Shoshone Homeland
The Timbisha Shoshone Tribe is part of the rich cultural history of the land now protected as Death Valley National Park.
Harmony Borax Works and the 20 Mule Teams
Harmony Borax Works sits about one mile west of Furnace Creek on Highway 190. Its paved loop runs 0.4 mile, and the round trip takes around 30 minutes, which makes it an easy stop.
Desert Bighorn Sheep and Desert Survivors
The desert bighorn sheep is the largest native mammal in Death Valley and perhaps the best studied of the park's animals.
Ubehebe Crater and the Little Hebe Rim Walk
The name of Ubehebe Crater is spoken oo-beh-heh-bee. The crater sits 8 miles west of Scotty's Castle, and you can take in the view from the paved lot on its rim.
