Last updated on August 24th, 2019

Oasis in Death Valley

Oasis in Death Valley, © Can Stock / JimFeliciano

Visit Death Valley – See the Sights

  • Dantes View – a lookout over the valley from the Amargosa Mountain Range. You can get to Dantes View on a paved road off Highway 190 just before entering the east side of the park when you visit Death Valley National Park.
  • Zabriskie Point – desert formations at the east entrance to the park, near Furnace Creek.
  • Badwater – just south of Furnace Creek. Walk out on the Badwater salt flats. The desolation, low elevation and steep mountain range nearby create an eerie atmosphere of sight and sound at Badwater.
  • Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and the Devil’s Cornfield near Stovepipe Wells. The location of the Dunes shifts over time. The cornfield is scrub brush that is naturally spaced in a way that looks like it’s been planted.
Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes, Death Valle

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley

Visit Death Valley – More Sights

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley

Zabriskie Point

Death Valley Weather

Death Valley weather is a desert climate with extremely high temperatures. July and August are the height of summer, with average highs of 166 F (47 C) and lows of about 88 F (31 C). In the winter months of December and January, average highs are 65 F (18 C) and average lows are 42 F (6 C). Rainfall is almost nonexistent in Death Valley at any time of year. On the rare occasions when there is a brief rainstorm, the valley is subject to dangerous flash flooding. After a rainfall the valley can have magnificent blooms of wild flowers. Late April is likely the best time to visit Death Valley.

Devil's Cornfield, Death Valley

Devil’s Cornfield

Get to Death Valley

There are no major airports in Death Valley National Park. The best option to get to Death Valley is a car rental from Las Vegas. The trip to Furnace Creek in Death Valley takes about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas.

Visit Death Valley – Hotels

The Oasis at Death Valley – It’s so hot in Death Valley that the Oasis closes from early May until early October each year. This hotel used to be called the Furnace Creek Inn.

Visit Death Valley – Background

Death Valley has the lowest elevation of any point in North America. The valley is 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. Tucked between the Amargosa Range and the Panamint Range, it is the hottest climate in North America. Death Valley was a gigantic lake thousands of years ago. In the early 1880s the area was famous for its borax mining and the use of 20 mule teams to haul the borax to market. Death Valley is located in California, but the nearest major city is Las Vegas, Nevada.

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