When to go
Conditions, crowds, and what each season asks you to pack.
Spring
Highs climb from the 80s F in March to the 90s and low 100s F by May. Most comfortable hiking window and prime wildflower season after wet winters.
Pack Layers for cool mornings, sun protection, and far more water than you think you need.
Summer
115-120F
Brutal. Daytime highs routinely top 115-120F at Furnace Creek, among the hottest on Earth. Hiking below sea level is dangerous after mid-morning.
Pack Gallons of water per person, electrolytes, and a stay-in-the-car-and-AC mindset for midday.
Fall
Heat breaks slowly: 90s-100s F in October easing to 70s-80s F by late November. Crowds and comfort both rebuild.
Pack Sun protection and steady water, plus a light layer for cooler evenings.
Winter
Mild valley days in the 60s-70s F with chilly nights near freezing; snow caps Telescope Peak while the valley floor stays dry.
Pack A warm layer for cold mornings and sturdy shoes for rocky canyon trails.
Top things to do
Badwater Basin
The lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, a surreal flat of cracked salt polygons.
Zabriskie Point
A short walk to a golden badlands overlook that glows at sunrise and sunset.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Easy-to-reach rolling dunes near Stovepipe Wells, best at dawn or under a full moon.
Artists Drive and Artists Palette
A one-way scenic loop past hillsides streaked in mineral greens, pinks, and purples.
Telescope Peak
A strenuous 14-mile round-trip climb to 11,049 feet, the park's high point with snow into spring.
Anchor the day around Badwater Basin
Put the access rule first: shuttle, parking, timed-entry, or reservation windows should decide the order of the day. For one day in Death Valley, make Badwater Basin the non-negotiable, add Zabriskie Point only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes as the flexible finish.
- 1Start with Badwater Basin: The lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, a surreal flat of cracked salt polygons.
- 2Add Zabriskie Point: A short walk to a golden badlands overlook that glows at sunrise and sunset.
- 3Use Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes as the optional finish, not as a reason to rush the whole day.
Plan your trip
Build one complete pack brief from Death Valley's season, activity, and trip length. Fine-tune an individual calculation only if you need it.
Fine-tune water, pack size, warmth, or stove fuel
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Death Valley. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
What to pack
Start with the gear decisions Death Valley changes: water, footing, weather, and overnight needs. The checklist is there once your route and dates are set.
Kit Authority
Death Valley packing list
0 of 25 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Decide what Death Valley asks of your kit before you start checking boxes.
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
- First constraintHydration and exposureWater, Electrolyte mix, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, 4 more
- Route realityFooting and tractionHiking boots, Hiking socks, Trekking poles
- Load choicePack and carry systemBackpacking pack
- If overnightSleep and shelterBackpacking tent, Sleeping bag, Sleeping pad, 1 more
Checklist mode
25 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
- Dates and season are set.
- Primary route, campground, or lodge is chosen.
- Water, footwear, and overnight needs are sized.
One researched pick
The first gear decision for Death Valley
A stable daypack is the one purchase that organizes water, layers, food, first aid, and the small safety margin.
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THE DAY-HIKE PICK
Osprey Talon 22
- Volume
- 22 L
- Weight
- 2 lb 1 oz (945 g)
- Back Panel
- AirScape foam with ventilation channels
- Hipbelt Pockets
- 2 zippered
- Hydration
- Compatible up to 3 L reservoir (sold separately)
- Warranty
- All Mighty Guarantee (lifetime repair or replace)
The Talon 22 is the daypack you see on the trail more than any other for good reason: it packs in a padded hipbelt, adjustable torso harness, and dual hipbelt pockets into a 22-liter package that handles loads up to 20 lb without complaint. Owners across hundreds of Amazon ratings consistently cite its adjustability and durability as standouts.
- Adjustable torso fit covers a wide range of body sizes
- Padded hipbelt and dual hipbelt pockets at this size are rare
- At 2 lb 1 oz it runs heavier than ultralight rivals for the same volume
Best for
Hikers who want a proven all-around daypack with solid load support, plenty of adjustment, and a warranty they can actually use.
Gear for Death Valley
The buying guides that match what Death Valley asks of your kit. Each one has our current top picks across budget and use case.
Where to stay
Stay strategy
Choose the base that protects the permit window.
Stay strategy
Base in the park if you want sunrise and sane drive times.
Death Valley distances are the lodging decision. Furnace Creek keeps the classic low-elevation stops close. Stovepipe Wells works for the dunes and north valley. Panamint Springs, Beatty, and Pahrump save money or change the route, but they add real driving.
- Main airport
- Las Vegas, about 2 to 2.5 hours to Furnace Creek
- Core base
- Furnace Creek is closest to Badwater, Zabriskie, and Artists Drive
- Heat rule
- Summer hiking below sea level is unsafe after mid-morning
- Services
- Fuel, water, and food are sparse and far apart
Compare base options
Use the options below to protect the permit, pickup, and early-start parts of the trip before you optimize for comfort.
Most efficient
Furnace Creek
- Best for
- Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, Artists Drive, Dantes View, and first-light photography
- Tradeoff
- The best location is also the most expensive and most booked.
Planning detail
Choose Furnace Creek when the trip is built around the central valley. It reduces the daily penalty of Death Valley's scale and makes dawn or night-sky plans easier.
North valley
Stovepipe Wells or Mesquite Flat area
- Best for
- Dune sunrise, Mosaic Canyon, northern routes, and simpler motel logistics
- Tradeoff
- Longer drives to Badwater and the southern classics.
Planning detail
Stovepipe Wells is the practical alternative when dune photography or a north-south route matters more than central-valley convenience.
Outside base
Beatty, Pahrump, or Panamint Springs
- Best for
- Budget rooms, road-trip loops, or entering from a specific side of the park
- Tradeoff
- Every day starts with a long desert drive.
Planning detail
Use outside bases only when price or route demands it. Carry extra water, fill the tank early, and do not underestimate the time between stops.
Season first
The best lodging choice cannot rescue a valley-floor summer hiking plan.
Fuel
Top off before the park and again whenever the route gives you a chance.
Sunrise math
A cheaper outside room can cost you the best light.
Camping reservations
Camping reservations
Reserve Furnace Creek for winter dates; everything else in Death Valley is first come, first served.
Furnace Creek Campground is the only reservable NPS campground in the park, and only for the October 15 to April 15 season. Every other park campground runs first come, first served year-round, so the plan is a Furnace Creek reservation or an early arrival anywhere else.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
Furnace Creek sites open on Recreation.gov up to 6 months ahead for the October 15 to April 15 season; from April 16 to October 14 every campground in the park, Furnace Creek included, is first come, first served.
- Sunset, Texas Springs, and Stovepipe Wells close around April 15 when temperatures soar and reopen in late fall; summer camping shrinks to Furnace Creek, Mesquite Spring, Emigrant, and the high Wildrose-area camps.
- Sunset, the park's largest campground, almost always has space even when Furnace Creek and Texas Springs fill on winter weekends and holidays.
- First-come campgrounds are unstaffed: claim a site, then pay at the automated self-help kiosk with a credit or debit card.
- Wildrose, Thorndike, and Mahogany Flat cap vehicles at 25 feet and ban fires in summer; Emigrant is tent-only.
Where to book or verify
The official overview of seasons, rules, and which campgrounds are open when.
The park's one reservable campground; sites release up to 6 months ahead for October 15 to April 15.
Details for every first-come campground, from valley floor to the 8,000-foot Wildrose camps.
Use this first for current campground status and park-specific rules.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Use this for wilderness permits, timed systems, tours, and other park-specific reservations.
Campgrounds to know
Furnace Creek Campground
Details- Booking
- Reserve up to 6 months ahead on Recreation.gov for October 15 to April 15.
- Season
- Open year-round.
- Sites
- Tent, RV (sites up to 100 feet, some hookups), and group sites.
- The hub: walking distance to the visitor center and the only campground worth planning a winter trip around.
Texas Springs Campground
Details- Booking
- No reservations; first come, first served.
- Season
- Typically late fall through April 15.
- Sites
- Tent and RV sites to 35 feet; generators prohibited.
- The quieter generator-free alternative on the hill above Furnace Creek; fills on winter weekends.
Sunset Campground
Details- Booking
- No reservations; first come, first served.
- Season
- Typically late fall through April 15.
- Sites
- A huge gravel lot with no RV length limit; the park's largest campground.
- The reliable overflow: almost always has sites, even at peak season.
Mesquite Spring Campground
Details- Booking
- No reservations; first come, first served.
- Season
- Open year-round.
- Sites
- Tent and RV sites to 35 feet.
- The north-end camp near Ubehebe Crater, higher and a touch cooler than the valley floor.
Stovepipe Wells Campground (NPS)
Details- Booking
- No reservations; first come, first served.
- Season
- Typically late fall through mid-April.
- Sites
- Tent and RV sites with no length restriction.
- Handy for Mesquite Flat Dunes sunrises; the adjacent private resort takes reservations if the NPS loop is closed.
Getting there and practical info
Build the arrival around the reservation.
Entry windows, permit pickups, and drive time should be checked before the itinerary gets crowded.
Getting there
Get to Death Valley with the required window already protected.
- Nearest airport
- Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, about 120 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours by car to Furnace Creek
- Access rhythm
- Car required
- Region
- California
Fly in
Most visitors fly into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, rent a car, and drive about 120 miles (roughly 2 to 2.5 hours) west to Furnace Creek via Pahrump or Death Valley Junction.
Car strategy
There is no public transit into the park and distances inside it are enormous, so a vehicle is essential.
Local movement
Fill up on gas and water before entering, since stations are few, far apart, and pricey.
Pair this with lodging: choose the base that keeps the reservation or permit pickup from becoming the hardest part of the day.
Can you photograph here? Permit and drone rules
Death Valley's filming and photography rules after the EXPLORE Act, plus the extreme heat and dark-sky conditions that dictate when you shoot.
- Permit
- Usually fine for personal shoots; commercial or large productions can need a permit
- Drones
- Effectively banned: launching, landing, or operating a drone within park boundaries is prohibited
- Land
- Yes for personal and editorial photography throughout the park
From our photography sister site, Aperture Authority. Verified 2026-06-28.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Death Valley?
Late fall through early spring, roughly November through March, is the sweet spot. Valley highs sit in the comfortable 60s to 80s F, making the salt flats, dunes, and canyons walkable. In good rain years, March and April can also bring a wildflower bloom.
Is it safe to visit Death Valley in summer?
You can visit, but you must respect the heat. Summer highs regularly exceed 115 to 120F, among the hottest temperatures recorded on Earth. Stick to scenic drives and very short stops, carry gallons of water per person, and avoid any hiking below sea level after mid-morning.
How much does it cost to enter Death Valley, and do I need a reservation?
The entrance fee is $30 per vehicle and is valid for 7 days; motorcycles are $25 and individuals on foot or bike are $15. There is no timed-entry reservation system, so you can show up anytime. Fee collection is cashless, and an America the Beautiful annual pass also covers entry.
What is the closest airport to Death Valley?
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas is the nearest major airport, about 120 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours by car from Furnace Creek. Rent a car there, since there is no public transit into the park and the distances inside it are large.
What are the must-see stops on a first visit?
Hit Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America), Zabriskie Point for sunrise, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells, and the colorful Artists Drive loop. If you have the time and stamina, the Telescope Peak climb rewards you with the park's highest views.
Keep planning
Compare with another park
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