You will indeed find snow on Telescope Peak and surrounding mountains, but not on the valley floor where you're likely to spend the majority of your time in Death Valley in winter. Death Valley in February is ideal for scenic driving!
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Yes, but you must be prepared and use common sense. With an air conditioned vehicle you can safely tour many of the main sites in Death Valley. Stay on paved roads in summer, and if your car breaks down, stay with it until help arrives.
From the nps.gov website on Death Valley: Yes, but you must be prepared and use common sense. With an air conditioned vehicle you can safely tour many of the main sites in Death Valley. Stay on paved roads in summer, and if your car breaks down, stay with it until help arrives.
If you're going to head to Death Valley, you really want to have access to a 4WD vehicle with high clearance. There's a lot you can see in a normal passenger car, but if you really want to get into the desolate backcountry that makes up the majority of the National Park, you'll want a little upgrade.
Don't Hike at Low Elevations: Summer temperatures make hiking in the desert dangerous. We do not recommend hiking in the lower elevations in the summer. Many visitors underestimate the intensity of the Death Valley sun; even when temperatures are in the 80s (27°C) and 90s F (32°C), it can be deadly.
GPS Navigation to remote locations like Death Valley National Park are notoriously unreliable. Numerous travelers have been directed to the wrong location and dead-end or closed roads by following incorrect GPS information. Travelers should always carry up-to-date road maps to check the accuracy of GPS directions.
The fee to enter Death Valley National Park is $30 per vehicle, good for 7 days. There's no gate controlling entry to the park, so you'll stop by an entrance station or visitor center to pay for the pass. The park is open 24/7, so you can start or end your tour at any time.
Nighttime traffic is almost always light, and you can see vehicles from a long way. The main driving hazard is excessive speed. Some roads have curves that sneak up on you, and in the daytime, the awesome scenery can be very distracting. Single-vehicle accidents are the #1 cause of visitor deaths in Death Valley.
That hot, dry air in Death Valley National can have a pretty big impact on your vehicle's performance. You'll even see signs in a few areas of the park advising drivers to turn off the car's air conditioner so that it doesn't overheat.
If you like the idea of exploring sand dunes, climbing down into an extinct volcano, hiking through canyons, and seeing one of the United States' most unique landscapes, Death Valley is calling your name. With 2 days in Death Valley, you can see the main highlights, although more time allows you to explore further.
Joshua Tree has probably the best weather conditions year round compared to Death Valley. If you want to see the desert wildflower bloom, visit in early spring (March-April). And even though Joshua Tree will often top 100 degrees in the summer, it is nothing like the average of 116 degrees Death Valley gets.