Death Valley National Park guide · 1 min read
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.
From the edge, you look down on tan and brown badlands, with salt flats reaching out beyond them and snowcapped mountains rising behind.
Short paths branch off from the overlook into the surrounding hills, letting you stretch your legs without setting out on a long trek. The overlook is also a popular spot for watching the sunset, so plan a visit around the evening if you can.
For a longer outing, the Golden Canyon Gower Gulch Loop is an easy to moderate hike of about 4.4 miles. The route winds between sandstone walls and past hills of golden mudstone, starting at the Golden Canyon parking lot on Badwater Road. If you would rather keep it brief, you can turn back after walking up Golden Canyon, a round trip of about 3 miles.
The stretch around Manly Beacon is the most interesting part of the loop. From there, the views are similar to those from Zabriskie Point, so the hike gives you a second look at the landscape from another spot. Towering peaks across the park are frosted with snow in winter, so the mountains you see from the overlook can wear a white cap during the colder months.
