Death Valley National Park

If you go:  Travel information

Winter or spring is the best time to visit Death Valley; as the second-hottest place in the world (only the Sahara is hotter), summer should be avoided if a visitor wants to do anything but sit under an air conditioner.  Winter weather in the Valley is very moderate, but be fully prepared for all kinds of weather in nearby areas.  There's always the chance of a snowstorm if you go exploring in the Panamints or other nearby mountains.

There is a $10 fee per vehicle to enter the park. The fee is good for a week.

The park is best explored by private vehicle.  A four-wheel drive with good clearance is recommended for tours in the Panamints and to the Racetrack.  Keep a full gas tank; it's a big park, there are only three locations you can get gas, and you'll drive much further than you might expect.

The main visitor center is at Furnace Creek near the junction of California routes 178 and 190. The center is open daily, summer and winter.

Ranger stations and information stations are located at the Wildrose Campground, Route 178 at the west end of the park; Stovepipe Wells on Route 190; in Shoshone, near the junction of California routes 178 and 127; and in Beatty, Nevada on Route 374 near U.S. Route 95.

There are two locations in the park to get food and supplies: at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells.  Gas is available also at Scotty's Castle.  There is a museum at Furnace Creek, and bookstore outlets at Scotty's Castle, Furnace Creek, and Stovepipe Wells.

Lodging
There are two resorts inside Death Valley, at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells. For reservation information write to Fred Harvey, Inc., P.O. Box 187, Death Valley, CA 92328, or call the Furnace Creek Inn at 760-786-2361 or the Furnace Creek Ranch at 760-786-2345. At the Stovepipe Wells Village there is a motel and limited camping facilities.  Call 760-786-2387 for information.
Near the Panamint Mountains west of the Valley, the Panamint Springs Resort is a hotel and resort campground. Their phone number is 702-482-7680.

No other lodging is available within or adjacent to the park, and from May to October, services in all areas may be limited or reduced.  Accommodations outside of the park are a long distance away - this is a very remote area.  The nearest communities with hotels are:
Baker, California - 60 miles south
Ridgecrest, California - 70 miles southwest
Barstow, California - 120 miles south
Beatty, Nevada - 15 miles east
Las Vegas, Nevada - 85 miles east

Camping
In addition to dispersed camping in many areas, nine campgrounds are in the park.  Only three of them are open year-round: Furnace Creek, Mesquite Spring and Wildrose. Three are open between October and April: Texas Spring, Sunset and Stovepipe Wells.  Three other campgrounds are open from April to October: Emigrant, Thorndike and Mahogany.  Camping fees range from $10 to $16.

For dispersed camping, check with a park ranger to know where this is allowed.  Dispersed camping is not allowed on the road between The Racetrack and Scotty's Castle.

Primitive camping is allowed in the backcountry areas, but check at the ranger station for details.  Also, obtain a camping permit from the rangers.  Generally, camping is allowed two miles back from main paved or unpaved roads and within 1/4 mile of water sources.

Roadside camping is not permitted. Campfires are allowed only in fireplaces and portable stoves. Camping is limited to no more than 30 days per year throughout the park. Camping limits are 14 days at Furnace Creek Campground and 30 days at all others.

Campgrounds:
Furnace Creek has over 100 sites.  It is located north of the Visitor Center on Route 190; elevation 196 feet below sea level. Fee $16.

Texas Spring is open in the winter and has 92 sites.  It is south of the Visitor Center off Route 190; sea level elevation. Fee $10.
Sunset is the largest campground and is open in winter.  It has 1,000 sites.  It is south of the Visitor Center off Route 190; elevation 190 feet below sea level. Fee $10.

Stovepipe Wells has 200 sites. It is located north of Stovepipe Wells off Route 190; sea level elevation. Fee $10.

Emigrant is a small campground, only 10 sites, open during the summer.  It is on the west side of the park at the fork of Routes 190 and 178; elevation 2100 feet. No fee.

Mesquite Spring has 30 sites and is open year-round. It is at the north end of the park west of Route 267; elevation 1800 feet. Fee $10.

Wildrose is accessible only with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  It has 30 sites and is open year-round. It is in Wildrose Canyon - the former outlaw hangout of the 1800's - on the western edge of the park just off Route 178. The elevation is 4100 feet. No fee charged.

Thorndike is another 4-wheel drive campground, with only 8 sites, open in summer, located near Wildrose.  The elevation is 7500 feet. No fee is charged.

Mahogany Flat is also a 4-wheel drive camp in the Panamints with 10 sites, open in summer. The elevation is 8200 feet. No fee is charged.

Miscellaneous information:

This is a National Park - so no shooting or hunting allowed; animals, rocks, plants, artifacts, and fossils must be left undisturbed.  Don't feed or try to handle any wild animals.  All vehicles (including bicycles) must remain on designate trails.  No loaded firearms are allowed.  Pets must be leashed or confined at all times. 

Safety Precautions

Death Valley is famous for losing tourists to the incredible heat, the vast distances, and overconfidence - don't over-estimate your abilities or under-estimate the dangers of the desert.

Never travel the deserted trails alone. Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.  If it looks like it could rain, stay out of arroyos and canyons.

There are a number of abandoned mines, and they can be dangerous places. There may be vertical shafts, or unstable supports that could cave in; either condition could kill you.  Sometimes there are caches of dynamite that were left behind - report any found to the nearest ranger, and leave it alone.

Carry plenty of water (at least one gallon per person per day) and drink it.  Most desert deaths here are from dehydration, not heat exhaustion.  Saving your drinking water till later is not recommended.  Drink it before your body needs it.

If your vehicle breaks down, stay with it. It is much easier to find a vehicle than a wandering person. Also, distances are deceiving on the desert.  An object that appears to  be just a mile or two distant may be ten or twenty miles away.