Dying Valley Nationwide Park Information, In response to Specialists

There are few nationwide parks as excessive as Dying Valley Nationwide Park, which straddles the border of California and Nevada. The saltwater flats of Badwater Basin sit effectively under sea stage and face regular drought, whereas snow-capped Telescope Peak towers at 11,049 toes above sea stage. Dying Valley is each the driest place in North America and the most well liked place on Earth, with summer time temperatures typically surpassing 120 levels Fahrenheit.

And but, on this seemingly uninhabitable panorama, there’s life. Over 1,000 species of vegetation and 440 animal species thrive inside the park, together with a number of not discovered wherever else on this planet. The huge, excessive panorama, which is famend for its huge sprawl and variance in elevation, additionally has an extended human historical past.

“For 1,000 years the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe has referred to as the valley residence. They don’t consult with it as Dying Valley, as that identify was given to it in 1849,” defined Jan Jensen in an interview with Journey + Leisure. Jensen is a descendant of 1849 Dying Valley pioneer Harry Wade and a life member of the Dying Valley ’49ers, a corporation devoted to preserving the historical past and pure great thing about Dying Valley.

For lots of of years earlier than the ‘49ers arrival, the Timbisha Shoshone lived within the valley, harvesting pinyon pine nuts and mesquite beans and looking. The identify Dying Valley was given to the panorama after some ‘49ers “took a flip that led them into the valley. Some households had been stranded for 25 days till their assist returned with provides to get them out,” based on Jensen.

This panorama, whereas nonetheless uninhabitable to most, continues to seize the creativeness and curiosity of over a million annual guests who come to the park every year to witness the huge expanse of area, to expertise the extremes, and to think about the human historical past that performed out right here. 

To information you thru this dramatic panorama, we chatted with Jensen, together with Dying Valley’s official spokesperson and a consultant from a tour firm that operates inside the park.

The way to Get There

There is no such thing as a public transportation to or inside Dying Valley Nationwide Park, so most guests arrive of their private autos. The park is just below two hours by automobile from Las Vegas and round 3.5 hours from Los Angeles. There are a number of paved entrances in addition to a handful of grime street entrances. 

Irrespective of which route you determine on, it pays to be ready. “There’s little or no mobile phone service. Earlier than coming to the park, I like to recommend you get the free NPS app and obtain the Dying Valley Nationwide Park information. That manner you will have the park map, guided excursions, and plenty of different data obtainable,” really useful the park’s spokesperson Abby Wines. 

The park web site provides that “GPS navigation to distant places like Dying Valley Nationwide Park are notoriously unreliable. Quite a few vacationers have been directed to the improper location and dead-end or closed roads by following incorrect GPS data.”

There are additionally no fast EV chargers contained in the park, and there are simply three gasoline stations within the park’s 3.4 million acres, so come ready.

There’s a small public airport for personal planes inside the park, however most vacationers fly into Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Worldwide Airport (LAS), which is lower than two hours from the park by automobile, or Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), which is round 4 hours away.

Know Earlier than You Go

The park’s poor mobile phone service is a significant component to remember as you put together on your journey. Come prepared to make use of paper maps and the map within the NPS app. Jensen notes that there’s additionally restricted Wi-Fi inside the park.

As well as, take into account that you’re visiting a land of extremes. Dying Valley will not be solely the most well liked place on Earth and the driest place in North America — it is also the biggest nationwide park within the contiguous U.S., so assist is commonly distant. Your automobile needs to be loaded with greater than sufficient water for the day’s journey, a full tank of gasoline, meals, and private and car emergency kits. 

“No doubt, at all times carry twice as a lot water as you suppose. Additionally, it’s finest to make use of a monitoring app like Strava when you’re getting off the paths into the wild to be able to see and make your manner again to your car or camp,” stated Fisher.

You’ll additionally need to keep watch over the climate. “Examine climate and street circumstances typically,” suggests Jensen. “Climate can change inside minutes to hours — together with flash floods,” that are extra widespread within the late summer time. Wind is frequent, particularly within the spring, and summer time temperatures often surpass 120 levels Fahrenheit. The world’s highest air temperature of 134 levels was recorded at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913.

The usual entrance charge for a non-public car is $30 and consists of seven days inside the park. 

Finest Time to Go to

The most effective time to go to Dying Valley Nationwide Park is “any time it is not scorching” based on Wines. “Usually, temperatures are supreme any time from October by means of April.”

Fall

The climate begins to chill in October, creating gratifying temperatures for the annual Corral 14 wagon prepare in November, which commemorates the primary wagons and pioneers that handed by means of Dying Valley in 1849. The wagon prepare runs for a number of days alongside the identical route the pioneers took and is a favourite of Jensen.

Winter

Dying Valley is likely one of the finest nationwide parks to go to through the winter as a result of you’ll be able to benefit from the beautiful landscapes with out the oppressive warmth. Wines suggests planning a go to across the winter holidays, noting that, “Individuals do not are likely to journey simply earlier than or simply after the massive winter holidays, so the climate is nice and the park is empty.”

Spring 

Spring can also be a very good time to go to Dying Valley Nationwide Park as a result of the temperatures are nonetheless bearable, and if the circumstances are proper, there could also be a spectacular wildflower bloom. Spring wildflowers are likely to arrive in late March and early April on the park’s low elevations and in April and Might at mid elevations. Increased within the mountains (bear in mind, the park tops out at 11,049 toes), wildflower season occurs in June.

Finest Issues to Do

Drive by means of the expanse on practically 1,000 miles of roads.

Prepared for one more superlative? Dying Valley has extra miles of street than some other nationwide park, boasting practically 1,000 miles of roadway. Along with the park’s paved roads, there’s a huge community of grime roads, a lot of which require a four-wheel-drive car. If you wish to discover past the pavement, however don’t have the suitable car, go to Farabee’s Jeep Leases in Furnace Creek. 

“My favourite path, to this point, is Johnson Canyon which may solely be explored by way of high-clearance 4×4 autos,” shared Jensen.

Driving off designated roads is prohibited, and off-road autos like ATVs, grime bikes, and Rhino or Polaris autos are usually not allowed within the park.

Go to the sand dunes.

Once you think about Dying Valley, you may image a panorama coated with sand, however in all actuality, “lower than one p.c of the desert is roofed with dunes,” based on the NPS.

Probably the most-visited set of dunes, Mesquite Flat Dunes, are situated close to Stovepipe Wells and are the simplest dunes to entry. They’re additionally in style since you are allowed to sand board the dunes, an exercise that’s banned on different sand dunes inside the park. For a full rundown of the park’s dunes, go to the NPS web site.

Keep the night time to stargaze.

Many parks have been acknowledged by the Worldwide Darkish Sky Affiliation, however only a few have “gold tier” stargazing. 

“Mesquite Springs Campground is the most effective for night time sky viewing,” stated Wines. “Nonetheless, the darkish skies are nearly nearly as good at any of the park campgrounds. The trick is to get away from the lights of different campers by strolling to the sting of the campground then giving your eyes time to regulate.”

For those who don’t need to keep the night time within the park, you’ll be able to simply drive into the park at night time to stargaze (the park is open 24/7). Favourite in-park stargazing spots embody Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Concord Borax Works, Badwater Basin, and Ubehebe Crater.

Dying Valley Nationwide Park additionally hosts night time sky applications at Furnace Creek Customer Heart most Friday and Saturday nights through the winter, and the Dying Valley Darkish Sky Competition runs Feb. 21-23, 2025. 

Hike by means of the slim Mosaic Canyon.

One of many coolest hikes inside the park is Mosaic Canyon, which leads hikers right into a slim canyon with clean, steep partitions.

“My favourite climbing path is Mosaic Canyon. It is out-and-back, so you’ll be able to go so far as you need, however the most effective components are inside the first mile,” stated Wines. In complete, the hike is 4 miles round-trip and takes most individuals between 2.5-3 hours.

E-book a multi-day bike tour.

In the course of the park’s cooler months, Escape Adventures runs multi-day street bike and mountain bike excursions by means of Dying Valley. Nights are spent in informal inns or campgrounds.

“A few of the hardest bike rides on this planet are in Dying Valley. And on the similar time, a few of the finest bike rides are in Dying Valley,” stated Fisher. 

Try the salt flats of Badwater Basin.

Visiting the bottom level in North America (at 282 toes under sea stage) is on the high of the listing for many park guests. The Badwater Basin salt flats sprawl practically 200 sq. miles and mark the previous website of Lake Manly, an historical lake that evaporated tens of hundreds of years earlier than the arrival of the ‘49ers and left concentrated salt deposits in its wake.

For the most effective views of the salt polygons, you’ll need to hike out onto the salt flats.

Locations to Keep

Accommodations and Lodges

There are 4 lodging choices inside the park, however two of our favorites are The Inn at Dying Valley at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells Village in Stovepipe Wells. The previous is a high-end property that appears like a desert oasis, and lots of journey simply to remain on the historic inn. Fisher says The Inn is his favourite in-park lodging, whereas Jensen calls out Stovepipe Wells for its extra inexpensive charges and a brand new concessionnaire that’s upgrading facilities.

Campgrounds

For those who’re visiting Dying Valley to stargaze, your finest approach to see the celebs (and possibly even the Milky Manner) is to camp at one of many park’s many campgrounds. Wines recommends Mesquite Springs Campground, whereas Jensen suggests Texas Springs Campground.

For those who actually need to get away from the park’s minimal mild air pollution, observe Fisher’s suggestion and head to one of many primitive campgrounds. “In my private opinion, the most effective campsites are exterior of the campgrounds within the backcountry,” stated Fisher. Primitive campgrounds can solely be reached by way of high-clearance 4×4 autos, and campers should pack of their water and pack out their trash. 

Locations to Eat

Dying Valley Nationwide Park’s eating choices are all situated within the 4 in-park lodges, except for the fry bread tacos and shaved ice present in Timbisha Shoshone Village within the Furnace Creek space and a choice of grab-and-go sandwiches on the Furnace Creek Customer Heart.

The Inn at Dying Valley serves breakfast and dinner, whereas meals may be discovered across the clock at The Ranch at Dying Valley. The Stovepipe Wells Village lodging additionally serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as does the Panamint Springs Resort within the Panamint Springs space.

It’s extremely really useful that park guests carry their very own hearty snacks, particularly when endeavor a giant drive, bike journey, or hike.