Visiting Death Valley National Park: The Complete Guide for 2022

Planning a trip to Death Valley National Park and need some help planning your trip?

Here is the National Park Obsessed guide for visiting Death Valley National Park, California / Nevada.

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The Quick Guide to Visiting Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park Basics

Region: Pacific-West / West Coast / Pacific / Southwest

Park Size: 3,373,063 acres (5,270.41 sq miles) (13,650.30 sq km)

Location: Grand County

Closest Cities: Lone Pine, California, and Beatty, Nevada

Busy Season: February to May and August to October

Visitation: 1,659,702 (in 2019)

How much does Death Valley National Park Cost?

Death Valley National Park costs the following:

• 7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $30
• 7-day Motorcycle Pass – $25
• 7-day Individual Pass – $7

An annual Death Valley National Park Pass costs $55. It is not recommended you buy this pass. For an extra $25 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units.

When is Death Valley National Park Open?

Death Valley National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Death Valley National Park?

Yes, pets are welcome in Death Valley National Park but are limited to developed areas such as roads, parking areas, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Pets are not allowed on trails or overlooks. Do NOT LEAVE PETS IN AN UNATTENDED VEHICLE. Please review the Death Valley Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Death Valley.

Where are Death Valley National Park’s visitor centers?

Furnace Creek Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Scotty’s Castle Visitor Center – Closed until further notice.

Land Acknowledgment of Death Valley National Park

The park now known as Death Valley National Parks is on Northern Paiute, Newe (Western Shoshone), Kawaiisu, Southern Paiute land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

When was Death Valley National Park Created?

Death Valley

The purpose of Death Valley National Park, homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone, is to preserve natural and cultural resources, exceptional wilderness, scenery, and learning experiences within the nation’s largest conserved desert landscape and some of the most extreme climate and topographic conditions on the planet.

Death Valley National Park Foundation Document

Fun Facts about Death Valley National Park

• The highest point in Death Valley National Park is Telescope Peak which is 11,049 feet (3,368 m) above sea level.

• The lowest point in Death Valley National Park is Badwater Basin which is 282 feet (86 m)^[ below sea level.

Things to do in Death Valley National Park

Must See Things to do Death Valley National Park

There are many MUST-SEE things to do in Death Valley that didn’t require a 4×4 vehicle. Here are some of the most popular sights in Death Valley.

• Artist’s Palette
• Badwater Basin
• Darwin Falls
• Devil’s Golf Course
• Golden Canyon
• Harmony Borax Work
• Mesquite Flat Dunes
• Rhyolite Ghost Town
• Salt Creek
• Scotty’s Castle
• Ubehebe Crater
• Wildrose Charcoal Kilns
• Zabriskie Point

Related: 15 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Visit to Death Valley National Park

4×4 Accessible Sites in Death Valley National Park

There are several popular sites in Death Valley that are only accessible via the gravel 4×4 roads. These are

• Eureka Dunes – Tallest dunes in California and one of the tallest of the United States.
• Racetrack Playa – A dry lake with sailing stones.  The stones appear to move along the lake bed without an obvious cause.
• Titus Canyon –  A winding narrow canyon road that features a ghost canyon and petroglyphs
• Echo Canyon – A visit to a slot canyon with the Eye of the Needle rock formation and Inyo Mine.

Related: Death Valley Jeep Rental – Farabee’s Jeep Review

Places to Stay Near Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park Camping

Death Valley has 12 campgrounds spread out around the park. They range in size from 6 sites to 270 sites. Several of the campgrounds are first-come-first-serve and others take reservations.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Camping in Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park Hotels

Hotels inside Death Valley National Park

• The Inn at Death Valley is a luxury resort at a natural oasis in Death Valley Rooms start at $450/night. Book on Booking.com or Hotels.com.
• The Ranch at Death Valley is a former working ranch that is a family friendly hotel in the valley. Rooms start at $329/night. Book on Booking.com or Hotels.com.
• Panamint Springs Resort is a rustic resort with a variety of lodging options. Rooms start at $55/night. Book on Booking.com or Hotels.com.

Hotels near Death Valley National Park

• Amargosa Opera House is a historic opera house with performances that rents out rooms. Rooms start at $114/night. Book on Booking.com or Hotels.com.
• Best Western Pahrump Oasis is a modern family-friendly hotel with a swimming pool. Rooms start at $90/night. Book on Booking.com or Hotels.com.
• Death Valley Inn & RV Park is a budget frineldy hotel with swimming pool and a bbq facility. Rooms start at $87/night. Book on Booking.com.

Related: Where to Stay in Death Valley: 12 Best Death Valley Hotels

Death Valley Airbnbs and Vacation Rentals

• Black Rock Cabin is a spacious bungalow with accesss to a swimming pool. Sleeps 8. Starting at $200/night. Book on VRBO.
• Dutch’s Retreat is a cozy home in Shoshone EcoVillage with access to a swimming pool. Sleeps 4. Starting at $160/night. Book on VRBO.

Related: Death Valley Airbnbs: 16 Amazing Airbnbs near Death Valley National Park

Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book in Death Valley National Park?

The National Park Passport Book is the BEST and cheapest National Park souvenir. Every National Park Obsessed person should have one of these books.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government-issued passport.

There are seven official stamps for Death Valley National Park. Here is the list of National Park Passport Stamps you can get in Death Valley National Park:

• Death Valley, CA
• Death Valley, California
• Devils Hole
• Devils Hole (oval)
• Furnace Creek (oval with no border)
• Furnace Creek, CA
• Stovepipe Wells (oval)

Bonus Stamps

• Junior Ranger

Death Valley National Park Passport Stamp Locations

Here are all the locations to find the Death Valley National Park Passport Stamps. Not every stamp is available at every location.

• Ash Meadows NWR Visitor Center
• Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center
• Furnace Creek Visitor Center
• Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station

National Park Obsessed’s Detailed Guides to Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park Lodging Guides

Death Valley National Park Activity Guides

Cities Near Death Valley National Park Activity Guides

Other Articles featuring Death Valley National Park

Final Thoughts on Death Valely National Park

Do you have any questions about Death Valley National Park let us know in the comments below or need help planning your National Park trips. Let me know in the comments or join me in my National Park Trip Planning Community!

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