While Death Valley National Park is the largest national park outside of Alaska, you can cover a lot of ground in 1 day. From epic driving views to landscapes that look other-worldly, from sand dunes to salt flats, Death Valley is a must-visit in California.
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This day trip starts and ends in Las Vegas.This day trip is perfect if you want a quick taste of Death Valley. You will get to visit the most popular viewpoints, see the Mesquite Sand Dunes, go on several short scenic drives, and walk across the Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the United States.
The highs for Death Valley in the spring months average between 82-100°F (27-38°C) with lows averaging 55-73°F (13-23°C). March and through mid-April are great months to visit the park, but by end of April into May starts the consistent 100 degree days.
Avoiding the CrowdsVisitors tend to avoid the summer and crowd Death Valley on weekends and school holidays the rest of the year, especially in the spring. December and January are the quietest months (with the exception of Christmas week and Martin Luther King, Jr., Day weekend).
Death Valley Can Also Be ColdIt's true that, on most nights, the temperature doesn't go below 85°F or so. But in the winter and at night, Death Valley can reach temperatures of 15°F or -10°C or so.
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.
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.
The best time to explore Death Valley during much of the year is during the early morning and late afternoon hours. We have found that getting to popular attractions early in the morning can provide a more personal experience. Most tourists enjoy a little morning sleep when on vacation, even in national parks.
There are few constructed trails here, but in a place this desolate you usually don't need them. Most hiking routes in the park are cross-country, up canyons, or along ridges. The best time to hike in Death Valley is from November through March. Summer temperatures can be dangerous in the park's lower elevations.
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.
Because transporting goods to Death Valley is both difficult and dangerous, gas prices are commonly higher than other places in Southern California and across the country. So as gas prices began to increase across the country, so did the already high prices in Death Valley.
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.