Stargazing ‘Dark Sky’ Itinerary
Death Valley National Park is designated as the largest Dark Sky National Park in the country by the International Dark Sky Association… Because of this, the park is designated as a “Gold Tier” Dark Sky Park, the highest level awarded.
Destination: DVJ Trip Planning
Death Valley Junction is home to the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel, where resident Marta Becket staged dance and mime shows from the late 1960s until her last show in February 2012.
DVJ Fine Cannabis
Cannabis consumed within certain parameters is legal in California. DVJ Fine Cannabis, unaffiliated with Destination: Death Valley Junction, is a premium retail dispensary featuring Native grown cannabis. It’s a 12 minute walk (or a 0.6 mile car ride) from the hotel.
Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was named after the galleries of ash trees described in expedition notes from 1893. This desert oasis, a very rare and unique ecosystem, is recovering and playing an important role in global conservation efforts.
NYT: “A Road Trip to Death Valley: Salt Flats, Chilly Nights and Kitsch”
Writes Lucas Peterson: "The desert, I learned, became very cold after dark. I already knew this (in theory, at least), but I wasn’t prepared for it to happen so quickly..."
National Geographic: "National Parks Road Trip: California"
"Experience an unforgettable road trip through three of California's national parks" with .
Outside: "The Ultimate Death Valley National Park Guide"
Author Shawnté Salabert says, "This central California park is one of the hottest, driest, and lowest places in the country. It's also one of the most beautiful—a place where sculptural canyons, undulating..."
Moon Guidebooks: "One-Week Best of Death Valley Itinerary"
"This detailed one-week Death Valley itinerary covers the area’s most popular sights, notable landscapes, hikes, and more. You’ll have options for hotels and camping along the way, and you will need ...." writes author .
My Yosemite: "Las Vegas to Death Valley, Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon"
"From the lights of Las Vegas to the wonders in four national parks, you'll be on a winning streak during this 1,377-mile adventure," says Tori Peglar.
National Parks Conservation Assoc: "Some Like It Very Hot"
According to Kate Siber: "A growing number of extreme tourists are heading to Death Valley to experience one of the hottest places on Earth at the hottest time of year."
Planteware: "14 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Death Valley"
Lana Law writes: "Despite the forbidding name, Death Valley is a beautiful area of unique desert wonders. Sand dunes, salt flats, mountains, craters, and the lowest lake in..."
AAA: "Los Angeles To Death Valley Road Trip"
"Wind-swept sand dunes. Otherworldly badlands. Serpentine stone canyons. The geologic wonders of [DVNP] lie within a day's drive of L.A. And this road trip loop offers the chance to see them all..."
Desert Sun: "Where to eat, stay and play in Death Valley"
Rick Marino has "been plotting a trip to Death Valley National Park for over a year now. So, after Christmas, I jump in my truck and go for it. Now, I am not gonna lie..."
Reno Gazette Journal: "Road trip: Reno to Death Valley 'super bloom'"
Jenny Kane writes: "Have you ever wished you could pretend you were Dorothy skipping through the field of poppies in the Land of Oz? Wish granted...."
Roadtrippers: "The Ultimate Guide to Death Valley National Park"
"It goes without saying that Death Valley National Park is not for the faint of heart, this is a land of extremes. However..."
Travel Nevada: "The Death Drive: On-Your-Way Surprises On The Drive To Las Vegas"
"From One Extreme to Another and Back Again"
Greatest American Roadtrip: "Death Valley National Park, CA & NV"
"With names of iconic locations like Badwater, Funeral Mountain, the Devil's Golf Course, and Death right in the name of the parkland..."
Living Las Vegas: "A Scenic Death Valley Drive"
"With the winter chill kicking into high gear, what better time for a road trip? You get better gas mileage, the countryside is as beautiful as always through..."
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things to see & do
Death Valley National Park
Featuring the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, the legendary DVNP is a desert of streaming sand dunes, snow-capped mountains, multicolored rock layers, canyons and three-million acres of stone wilderness. It’s home to the Timbisha Shoshone and to plants and animals unique to the harshest deserts.
National Park Passes
America the Beautiful: a National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. A pass covers entrance, standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person). Children age 15 or under are admitted free.
Top Things To See & Do
- Zabriskie Point
- Badwater Basin
- Dante’s View
- Artist’s Drive
- Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
- Ubehebe Crater
- Titus Canyon
- Eureka Dunes
- Scotty’s Castle
- Harmony Borax Works
Furnace Creek Golf Course
Death Valley, CA
Furnace Creek is 214 feet below sea level and is the lowest course in the world. Because of the lack of altitude, the ball does not carry well, so remember to club up. Believe it or not, there are plenty of trees on the course, and water comes into play on six holes.
Eastern California Museum
Independence, CA
The Eastern California Museum features a diverse collection of artifacts that reflect and illuminate the unique history of Inyo County and California’s Eastern Sierra region, from Death Valley to Mammoth Lakes.
