The Perfect 2 Days in Death Valley Itinerary
Last Updated on 28th February 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
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If you’re planning to spend 2 days in Death Valley, then you’ve come to the right place. Death Valley National Park is 5,200 square miles of hot, dry landscape. It was named Death Valley after the attempts of pioneers trying to cross it to get to the coast.
After hearing that, you may wonder why anyone would want to visit such a place, but chances are you clicked on this itinerary because you’re at least thinking about going.
Despite its foreboding name, Death Valley has a lot to offer, and we’re going to share with you the best Death Valley itinerary so you can make the most of your trip.
Contents
Introducing Death Valley
Death Valley was officially named a national park in 1994. Before that, it was designated a national monument in 1933 after the Pacific Coast Borax company lobbied for the need to preserve the spot’s natural resources.
While the landscape may seem bleak and lifeless, upon further inspection and reflection, visitors can see the natural beauty of the landscape, nestled within the state of California.
On your visit to Death Valley, you’ll be able to see things like an expansive salt lake bed, a towering 11,000 foot peak, and eroding sandstone cliffs, canyons, volcanic craters, and cliffs.
When to Visit Death Valley
As mentioned, Death Valley is hot, like really hot. It is the lowest altitude in the US (-282 feet), which means it gets baked by the sun. From April to September, it is regularly over 100 degrees F (38 C). So, we recommend going in the colder months (October-March).
Fall seems to be the perfect time with temperatures in the 70s and 80s during the day and 50s and 60s at night. During winter it can get chilly, 50-70 F during the day and in the 40s at night, and there is a higher chance of flash floods.
Spring, like fall is in the 70s and 80s, though temperatures can climb to over 100 degrees during this time; in spring, there’s a chance you’ll see wildflowers blooming in the area.
How to Get to Death Valley
You can get to Death Valley either from the Las Vegas side or the California side. The national park is a 2-hour drive from Vegas and a 5-hour drive from Los Angeles. Unless you already live on the California side, I’d recommend flying in through Vegas and making the drive from there.
You can either take NV-160 through Pahrump and Death Valley Junction, which is slightly faster, or US-95 through Indian Springs and Amargosa Valley. Drive in the night before or get an early start on your first day so you can have as much time in the park as possible.
Where to Stay in Death Valley
To save lots of driving time, we recommend staying in the park, even though it is a bit more expensive. This national park is big, so saving time on driving will be important. Anywhere around the Furnace Creek Visitors Center will be a good central location for you to navigate from.
Camping in the park is the least expensive option. All the campgrounds are first-come, first-served, but some take reservations. There are 3 campgrounds: Furnace Creek Campground, Sunset Campground, and Texas Springs Campground. Furnace Creek does seem to be the best option; it has potable water, flush toilets, and sinks.
There are a few options for hotels in the area, including the Ranch at Death Valley, the Panamint Springs Resort, and the Hotel at Stovepipe Wells. The Inn at Death Valley is the nicest and most expensive place, with standard hotel rooms or “casitas” with more space.
Day 1 in Death Valley – Getting the Lay of the Land
Dante’s View
First, you’ll want to head to Dante’s View. There’s a parking lot here where you can see the view, but there are also some trails that will give you different views of Death Valley. From Dante’s View, you can see the Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the US and what is referred to as the heart of Death Valley.
Twenty Mule Team Canyon
After your time at the lookout, drive over to Twenty Mule Team Canyon. This will give you a drive through some beautiful mudstone hills with absolutely no vegetation.
It sounds odd, but it’s quite a sight to see. Take the small turn-off for access to some short hiking trails that will lead you to the tops of these hills where the view is stunning.
Zabriskie Point
Next, you’ll go to Zabriskie Point, the famous and very popular viewpoint in the national park. Zabriskie Point is often the busiest place in Death Valley, so enjoy the view but avoid the hikes. This is a good time to eat lunch. We recommend packing a lunch, so you don’t have to spend time driving.
Devil’s Golf Course
After the point, make a stop at the Devil’s Golf Course, where there are rocky salt flats that are fun to see and walk on. But be cautious; if you fall the formations can hurt you.
Badwater Basin
Remember your earlier view of Badwater Basin? Well now it’s time to see it up close. Drive about 10 minutes to the basin, where you’ll be at the lowest point in the US. Here you can walk out on the salt flats and enjoy the view of the basin and the surrounding mountains.
Artist’s Drive
Following Badwater Basin, you’ll want to do Artists Drive, a 9-mile one-way road from south to north. This scenic loop will take you to some of Death Valley’s cool landscapes. Stop as much as you’d like on your drive to see the unique sights.
About half-way through the drive is Artist Palette. Get there by taking the turn-off on the right where there’s a small parking lot.
Once you park, climb the hill to the left to get an even better view. The hills in front of you look like, well, the palette of an artist. They’re painted with gorgeous pinks, greens, oranges, reds, and whites that will leave you staring.
Golden Canyon
Once you finish the drive, end the day with the Gower Gulch hike at Golden Canyon. The loop is a moderate hike about 4.2 miles long, which should take about 2 hours.
If you’ve got time before sunset visit the Red Cathedral, which adds about a mile to the hike and gives you a cool view of natural rock formations that look like someone carved a cathedral into the cliffs.
Once you’re done with the hike, if you’ve got time, watch the sunset from Zabriskie Point. If you’re up for it there are some great places to go stargazing in the park, including the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Harmony Borax Works, Badwater Basin, and Ubehebe Crater.
Day 2 in Death Valley – Canyons, Craters, Castles, and Dunes
Mosaic Canyon
Get an early start on your second day and head to Mosaic Canyon, which is about an hour from Furnace Creek. You’ll want an early start so you can do this hike while the slot canyon is still in the shade. The canyon is gorgeous in the early morning, but once the sun shines into it, you’ll have harsh light in your eyes, and it’ll get hot depending on the time of year you visit.
The slot canyons are fascinating. The way the walls and floor of the canyon weave and shift looks incredible and on this hike you’ll get up close and personal with them.
The first part of the hike is narrow, then it shifts between wide and narrow. You’ll have to do a little bit of scrambling over some dry falls. The canyon ends with another dry falls, marked with a STOP made of rocks in the sand.
Ubehebe Crater
Hike back out and make your way to the Ubehebe Crater, which is about an hour drive. This crater is 600 feet deep and a mile and a half across, an amazing sight. You have some options for what you can do here.
You can hike down into the crater. This trip is about a half mile, and you lose then gain 500 feet of elevation. So the way back up is a bit long and rough, but definitely worth it.
You can also hike the circumference of Ubehebe, a pretty easy 2 mile loop that gains 400 feet of elevation throughout the hike.
There is another crater nearby called Little Hebe that’s just a short mile hike away that you can also do. This hike is mostly flat. So, choose which of these you want to do (or you can do all three) while you’re here.
Scotty’s Castle
Depending on when you go, you may be able to visit Scotty’s Castle, a vacation home built in the 1920s and 30s. The place has been closed because of a flood and then a fire, so check the park’s website before you go.
Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes
End your day and your trip at the Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes, which is back near Stovepipe Wells. The 2.8-mile hike from the parking lot to the star dunes is well worth it, but you don’t have to go all the way as walking on sand is more difficult than it looks.
If you bring a sled or a board, you can slide down the dunes, or, if you don’t mind getting sand everywhere, you can slide on your butt.
A final note on planning a visit to Death Valley
Death Valley National Park is an incredible destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. With its stunning landscapes, unique natural features, and rich history, it’s no wonder that this park is one of the most popular in the United States.
Enjoy your time there and happy adventuring!
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About the author: Lexi Cooper is a freelance editor and writer. Her parents taught her a love for traveling, seeing new sights, and learning about the world. Along with her passion for travel, she loves stories and dreams of spending her days reading and writing books and wandering the globe.
