Death Valley is extreme in every sense and almost the definition of a long hot summer or hell if you go there, but an incredible place for the well-prepared visitor to go because many of the sights in Death Valley cannot be seen any other place in the world. Despite its name and reputation as the hottest, lowest and driest place you could find without shaking hands with the devil himself, there is an abundance of life there, and when the rain comes, though it may be seldom, the desert comes alive with its own beauty as desert wildflowers bloom in wild profusion. The largest of our national parks, Death Valley encompasses over 3 million acres of wilderness. That’s pretty mind-boggling. It is home to vast salt flats, rugged canyons, snow-covered peaks and the dryness and vastness of the park combined with the heat makes the desert floor shimmer in the sunlight.

From November through April, you can take tours led by one of the Park Rangers to Scotty’s Castle or the Lower Vine Ranch. The story of the gorgeous “castle” and tunnel system that runs underneath is fascinating and well worth the visit. There are paleontology tours and full-moon nighttime tours as well. Scotty’s Castle is open every day with tours at least every hour.

Death Valley is an incredible place to visit for the outdoorsman. Hiking, backpacking and bird watching, historic sites like ghost towns, and the Furnace Creek Inn and the amazing variety of landscapes, plants and animals found nowhere else on earth will astound you.

The Visitor Center is about two hours from Las Vegas, and is open from 8-5 Pacific time in the winter and 9-6 are the summer hours from June 1 to October 4. The fee for vehicle parking is $20 for one week, $10 for one week if traveling by other means (bike, motorcycle or on foot), and there are other fees connected with the tours. For those wanting to visit Death Valley, the NPS recommends that you bring along up-to-date road maps and not rely on GPS because it is notoriously unreliable in this area.

Death Valley is an amazing place and has over 1 million visitors a year. If you visit the park site and take appropriate precautions, you can have a wonderful time enjoying the incredible beauty and almost endless wilderness.

Death Valley National Park
271 Highway 190
Death Valley, NV CA
760-786-2392

Death Valley