Things to do in Death Valley: the stops worth your time

Death Valley is big, hot and spread out, so the order of stops matters more than the list. The Death Valley travel guide covers entry, seasons and where to base. The park also fits into a wider trip through the USA travel guide, most often between Las Vegas and Southern California.

Use the heat as your clock. In the cooler months, October to April, any order works. In summer, do not plan anything outdoors beyond short walks, and stay near the car. Visit the lowest and hottest places, Badwater and the dunes, as early as you can, and save the high viewpoint, Dante's View, for late in the day when the light is better and the air is cooler.

Most stops are a short drive from the Furnace Creek visitor center, which is the natural starting point. Allow more time than the map suggests: the roads are good, but the distances are long, and there is little shade, shelter or food between stops. A day trip from Las Vegas is covered in Death Valley day trip from Las Vegas.

Zabriskie Point is a viewpoint over rippled, golden badlands, a short drive east of Furnace Creek. A paved path leads from the parking area up to the overlook, about a five-minute walk. It is the most popular sunrise spot in the park, because the low light picks out the folds of the hills and the colors change by the minute.

Go at sunrise if you can, when the lot is quiet, then return in the afternoon if you want a second look. Bring a layer, because mornings in winter are cold. If you are short on time, this is the one stop to prioritize after Badwater, and it takes only 20 to 30 minutes.

Golden Canyon is close by and links to the same badlands. A short walk up the canyon shows the golden walls from below, and longer routes climb to the Red Cathedral formation. Walk in the cooler hours and carry water even for a short outing.

Badwater Basin is a vast salt flat, 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, which makes it the lowest point in North America. A sign on the cliff above the parking area marks sea level, to show how far down you are. The flat itself is a crust of salt in hexagonal patterns, and the small pool near the boardwalk is the "badwater" that gave the place its name.

The parking area is on the paved road, about 17 miles south of Furnace Creek, so it takes under 30 minutes to reach. A short walk onto the salt flat gets you past the crowd and shows the patterns. The farther you walk, the quieter it becomes, and the heat reflects up from the white surface, so keep the walk short in warm months.

Pair Badwater with Artists Drive on the way back, and carry water at all times.

Artists Drive is a one-way, paved loop of about 9 miles that winds through colorful volcanic hills. Its main stop is Artists Palette, where mineral staining paints the slopes in pinks, greens and purples. The light is best late in the afternoon, when the colors deepen, so it makes a good closing stop.

The loop is signed from the main road south of Furnace Creek and takes 30 to 45 minutes with stops. Larger vehicles and RVs should check the signs and the park website for size limits. Nearby, Devil's Golf Course is a field of jagged salt formations that crackle in the heat, worth a short stop for the strange texture.

The Mesquite Flat dunes sit near Stovepipe Wells, about 20 to 25 miles north-west of Furnace Creek. They are the easiest dunes to reach in the park, a short walk from the parking lot, and the sunrise and sunset light creates sharp ridges and long shadows. Walk out toward the tallest dunes for a quieter experience.

Sand and heat are a bad mix in summer, when surface temperatures can be extreme, so go at dawn or dusk in warm months. Wear shoes, bring water and mark your car's location, because footprints blow away and the dunes look alike from a distance. The drive back to Furnace Creek takes about 30 minutes.

Dante's View sits at 5,475 feet on the Black Mountains and looks straight down on Badwater Basin, about 5,700 feet below. The paved road from the main highway climbs for several miles, and the air at the top is cooler than on the valley floor. On a clear day you can see from the salt flat to the Panamint Range and across to Telescope Peak, often snow-capped in winter.

Go late in the afternoon for warm light, or at sunrise if you plan to stay nearby. The wind can be strong at the top, so bring a jacket in any season. The viewpoint is a short walk from the car, so it suits visitors who want a big view without hiking.

If you have an extra hour, a few short stops sit close to the main road. Harmony Borax Works, a ruin of a 19th-century borax operation, lies a few minutes north of Furnace Creek, with an interpretive trail and old wagons. Salt Creek, farther north near Stovepipe Wells, has a boardwalk where a rare pupfish lives in the stream, best seen in the cooler months.

Natural Bridge, on the road toward Badwater, is a short walk up a canyon to a rock arch. These stops are quick, shaded in parts and good for a break from the driving. Check the visitor center for what is open and for any road or trail closures, because flood damage can close roads for months.

If you have a second day, drive north to Ubehebe Crater, a volcanic pit about half a mile across, formed by a steam explosion. A short trail runs along the rim, and a steeper path drops to the floor. The drive from Furnace Creek takes about an hour, so combine it with the dunes on the way.

Remote places beyond the pavement, such as Racetrack Playa, need high-clearance vehicles, spare tires and good planning. Check road conditions with the park before you go, and skip them on a first trip.

The stops above are easy to list and harder to sequence, so here are two orders that follow the light and the heat. Both start at Furnace Creek and assume the cooler months.

For a single long day, begin with Zabriskie Point at sunrise, then drive to Badwater Basin while the salt flat is still cool. Return up the valley for Artists Drive in the middle of the day, when the colors are muted but the drive is short. Eat at Furnace Creek, then finish with Dante's View in late afternoon for the long view back down to the basin. The dunes can wait for another trip or for a night inside the park.

For two days, split the park by direction. Spend the first day south and east of Furnace Creek, with Zabriskie Point, Golden Canyon, Badwater and Artists Drive. Use the second day for the north and west: Harmony Borax Works, Salt Creek, the Mesquite Flat dunes at sunrise or sunset and, if you want a long drive, Ubehebe Crater. A night inside or near the park makes this order comfortable, since you avoid driving between stops in the heat.

Death Valley rewards selection. If you have only half a day, choose Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin and let the rest go. If you have a full day, add Artists Drive and Dante's View. If you have two days, add the dunes and one short walk.

Skip Racetrack Playa and other remote areas unless you have a suitable vehicle, spare tires and a clear plan. Skip long walks at low elevation in warm months, because the heat reflects off the salt and the rock. Skip the viewpoint you reach last if you are running behind, rather than driving fast on a road with few places to stop.

Check the visitor center or the park website for road status each morning, since flood damage and maintenance can close roads without much notice. If a road is closed, swap the stop for another in the same area, and ask a ranger what is open. Wind can make the dunes unpleasant and reduce visibility, so move them to a calmer day if you can.

If the heat is higher than expected, shorten the walks and keep the day near the car. Move outdoor stops to the first and last hours, and use the middle of the day for the visitor center, a meal or a drive to a cooler viewpoint such as Dante's View. A slower day in the park beats a rushed day that ends with a tired driver on a long road.

• Underestimating distances. The roads are good, but stops are far apart, and there is little shade or food between them.

• Arriving at Badwater at midday in warm months. Go early, or skip the long walk.

• Starting with a low fuel tank. Fill up before you enter, because stations are few.

• Relying on phone signal. Download maps before you go.

• Forgetting that the entrance station takes cards and digital payments only.

The official fee page is on the National Park Service site: Death Valley fees and passes. The list of parks with the $100 fee is on the nonresident fee page, and our guide to the $100 national parks fee explains how it affects a Southwest road trip.

Heat is the real cost here. Carry far more water than you expect to drink, fill the fuel tank before you enter, and keep a phone charger, a hat and sunscreen in the car. Cell coverage is poor, so download maps before you arrive and tell someone your plan. An eSIM helps in the towns, though not on the long stretches between them.

Compare cover in travel insurance for the USA, and confirm your ESTA before you fly.