Death Valley is one of those National Parks that’s perfect for a road trip. You can car camp for free and landscapes are so diverse that you can be in sand dunes one minute and at the top of a snowy mountain the next. So if you’re looking for the perfect Death Valley itinerary, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s Cover Camping in Death Valley
One of my favorite parts about visiting Death Valley is the fact that you can car camp for free (as long as you’re in the right spot). The rule is that you have to camp one mile away from any developed area, paved road, or “day use only” area. You should park adjacent to the dirt road, on the shoulder, and in previously disturbed areas.
You can read more about this on the nps.gov site.
Another option is to stay at The Oasis at Death Valley .
Day 1: : Zabriskie Point & Settle in
We started off our Death Valley itinerary by making a pitstop at Zabriskie point before scoping out a campsite. I’d recommend finding somewhere to camp before dark, as it’s a lot easier. Once we were settled in, we cooked dinner at the van and enjoyed the stars (if you’re lucky you might even see the Milky Way!).
Day 2: Artist Palette & Badwater Basin
On day 2, we woke up for sunrise, cooked breakfast and headed to Artist Palette. You’ve probably seen photos of Artists Palette all over Instagram, think heaps of sand resembling giant scoops of ice cream. The hike in is only about a half mile but there are tons of spots for photo opportunities.
Next we hopped in the van and headed to Badwater Basin which is an area of salt flats in Death Valley and also the lowest point in the United States. This can be a short or a long walk depending on how far you would like to go onto the flats.
Our third and favorite stop of the day was Golden Canyon. I thought this was the most scenic area we saw all day, which is funny because it was one of the only places I didn’t see plastered over Instagram or online. It’s so underrated. See for yourself:
Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral
Length: 3 miles (4.8 km) out and back trip
Time: 1.5 to 2 hours round trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 577 ft (176m)
We ended the day with a rainstorm in the van, toasting solo cups of red wine with cheese on the side.
Day 3: Telescope Peak & Mesquite Sand Dunes
On day 3 of the Death Valley itinerary, we woke up early to hike to Telescope Peak. Telescope peak is a 12 mile hike and the highest point in the park. Unfortunately the weather had other plans, but the surrounding area was still nice to see. If you end up with better weather, here’s the stats for Telescope Peak:
Length: 12.2 mi
Elevation gain: 3,244 ft
After dealing with all this snow, we made shakshuka on the side of the road to warm up and then went to the Mesquite Sand Dunes. I don’t know anywhere where you can be hiking through snow and then hiking up sand dunes in the same day… except for Death Valley.
At the end of the day, you can camp one more night like we did or head home. I do have one more BONUS spot for the end of your trip:
BONUS day: Tecopa Hotsprings
On our last day, we stopped at Tecopa Hotsprings to relax in the natural pools:
And then it was time for the long drive home!
Best Time to Visit Death Valley
In case you aren’t aware, Death Valley is known as the hottest place on Earth, so you definitely want to visit in the winter months! Anytime between October and April would be a good time.
Have any questions on my itinerary for Death Valley? Please comment below.
