Thinking of visiting Death Valley but you only have a day? No worries, a day in Death Valley National Park is possible.
Yes, the park is huge, but there are several highlights in Death Valley close enough together to where you can easily see all in 1 day in Death Valley.
A bonus: All of the Death Valley sites listed below are accessible via paved roads, making your one day in Death Valley even smoother.
Where Is Death Valley National Park?
Death Valley National Park is in California, near the border of Nevada. It comprises over 3.4 million acres, making it the largest national park in the U.S. outside of Alaska.
Death Valley is a little over 100 miles from Las Vegas, NV, and more than 250 miles from Los Angeles, CA. It’s quite literally in the middle of nowhere, but it’s still worth a visit.
What’s So Special about Death Valley National Park?
Death Valley is one of the hottest and driest places on earth. The world-record hottest temperature of 134 ℉ was recorded in Death Valley in 1913.
Death Valley also contains one of the lowest points on earth — the Badwater Basin, which is 282 feet below sea level.
In addition, the park has a unique variety of geological features that are truly stunning. There are sand dunes, salt flats, epic views, and colorful hills, just to name a few.
Death Valley became a national park in 1994, and it now welcomes more than a million visitors each year.
Can You Really Visit Death Valley in a Day?
Yes, absolutely. One day in Death Valley National Park is definitely possible. You will be able to see a lot, but manage your expectations in that you won’t be able to see everything.
I’d recommend staying in the Furnace Creek area where you can see most of the main highlights of Death Valley.
I’d also suggest heading out very early in the morning to make the most of your time.
Visiting Death Valley in a Day: Important Things to Know
Entry Fees and Opening Times
Death Valley National Park is open daily, all year, 24 hours a day.
A fee is required for each vehicle’s entry. The $30 vehicle entrance fee gives you 7-day access to Death Valley.
Death Valley is unique in how they administer entry fees as there aren’t any booths near the entrances where you can pay a staff member. Instead, these are the options for paying your entrance fee.
- Pay your fee with an annual pass. If you already have an annual America the Beautiful Pass (the national park pass), just display in your car.
- Pay your fee online. You can pay ahead of time online if you know which day you will like to go to Death Valley.
- Pay your fee at the kiosks. You can pay the entrance fee yourself at one of the kiosks, then display your paper pass in your windshield. There is a kiosk just past the entrance sign if you’re coming from the Death Valley Junction (this is the way we entered). I can’t say for certain about the other entrances, but I assume there are kiosks there as well. You can pay with card only at the kiosks. There are also paper maps and brochures near the kiosks for you to take with you.
- Pay your fee at the visitor center. You can also pay your fee in the visitor center.
Can you go for free? Note that there are 6 fee-free days every year to enjoy America’s national parks for free.
Best Time to Visit Death Valley
The best time to visit Death Valley is fall to spring.
Avoid the summer because of the extreme heat. In the summer, it’s recommended that people don’t hike after 10 a.m., so you’ll have limited time to do anything.
If you’d like a full day in the park, late fall or early spring is the best time to visit. You’ll have mild temperatures and (usually) dry conditions.
Check Current Conditions Before Heading Out
Definitely check the official National Park Service website for current conditions and updates before heading out. Areas of Death Valley may be closed due to weather, road damage, or construction.
List of Places in Death Valley Accessible Via Paved Roads
- Dante’s View
- Zabriskie Point
- Badwater Basin
- Artist’s Drive and Artist’s Palette
- Furnace Creek Visitor Center
- Harmony Borax Works
- Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
- Golden Canyon
- Father Crowley Vista Point
- Ubehebe Crater
Why Travel to Only Places Accessible via Paved Roads in Death Valley?
It’s Easier. If you only have a day in Death Valley, stick to the paved roads. There are 300 miles of paved roads in Death Valley, so lots to do and see. Most of the main highlights are on paved roads, so you won’t be missing out, I promise.
It’s Safer. Am I just paranoid? Maybe. Did I watch too many traumatic documentaries about people who died in Death Valley after driving on unpaved roads, getting a flat tire, and then getting lost? Probably.
- A German family went missing in Death Valley in 1996 after driving their rented mini-van onto dirt roads and getting a flat tire. They were stranded. They were not found until 2009.
- More recently, in 2021, a couple drove on the unpaved Gold Valley Road in a Subaru Forester, got two flat tires, and only one survived after being airlifted out of the region.
I’m not trying to fearmonger because I did still visit Death Valley, and I would still recommend visiting Death Valley. I’m just making a case for not driving on unpaved roads unless you have the proper vehicle and know how to change a flat tire. The desert is an unforgiving place. Be prepared.
What If I Want to Drive on Dirt Roads in Death Valley?
That’s great! Go for it. Just make sure you have a car with four-wheel drive (4WD) that can handle driving on 4×4 or dirt roads in the desert. And be prepared with a roadside assistance kit in case of emergency. Note that you can’t drive off designated roads, randomly into the desert, so be sure to stick to the actual dirt roads.
Things to Do in One Day in Death Valley (On Paved Roads)
With only one day in Death Valley, I’d recommend that you stick to the Furnace Creek area, where most of the highlights are located. You will get more bang for your buck!
All of the Death Valley stops listed below are on paved roads and close enough together to where you can easily see all in 1 day in Death Valley.
1. See Dante’s View
Location on Google Maps: Trailhead and Parking Lot
Parking: Paved parking lot, can fill up quickly
Road Condition: Paved road, good condition
Dante’s View towers 5,575 feet above Badwater Basin, giving you incredible views of the region below. On a clear day, that is.
We ventured here on a cloudy day and couldn’t see a thing!
To reach Dante’s View, you’ll need to turn off the main 190 Highway and drive about 13 miles down a paved road to the parking lot. I’m sure it’s worth it when the weather is cooperative.
2. Hike Zabriskie Point
Location on Google Maps: Trailhead and Parking Lot
Trail Length: 1/2 mile to 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Parking: Paved parking lot, can fill up quickly
Road Condition: Paved road, good condition
Restroom: Porta Potty-type restroom available at the parking lot
Zabriskie Point is one stop you cannot miss in Death Valley National Park. It’s a quarter-mile hike on a paved trail to reach the main viewpoint. There are signs around the viewing deck to give you more information about the area. The views are stunning.
You can even hike down into the badlands, taking a 2-mile lollipop route through the hills.
I was truly amazed at Zabriskie Point, so I definitely recommend making this one of your first stops.
3. Visit Badwater Basin
Location on Google Maps: Trailhead and Parking Lot
Trail Length: It’s up to you how far you’d like to walk around or in the salt flats.
Elevation Gain: Flat
Difficulty: Easy
Parking: Paved parking lot, can fill up quickly
Road Condition: Paved road, good condition
Restroom: Porta Potty-type restroom available at the parking lot
Normally, Badwater Basin is just a large area of salt flats, covering nearly 200 square miles. But recently, in 2023-2024, a lake has flooded the basin.
Either way you’re in for a treat.
Just off the parking lot is a boardwalk that slopes down into the salt flats of Badwater Basin. Walk as far as you’d like around the lake or the salt flats. Be careful as there are places that sink in when you step on it. Keep to the worn paths and you’ll be fine.
What’s the Current Status of Lake Manly? Is the Lake Still There?
Lake Manly is the name of the temporary lake in Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park. It appears only during seasons of excess rainfall, which is rare.
It’s not a real lake, more like a flooding of Badwater Basin, which is normally dry and covered in salt polygons.
In August 2023, after Hurricane Hilary dropped more than 2 inches of rain on Death Valley, Lake Manly filled Badwater Basin with water for several months.
As of June 2024, Lake Manly at Death Valley National Park has dried up.
4. Drive the Artists Drive and Visit Artists Palette
Location on Google Maps: Trailhead and Parking Lot
Trail Length: 1/2 mile at Artists Palette
Difficulty: Easy
Parking: Paved parking lot, can fill up quickly
Road Condition: 9-mile-long paved, one-way road in good condition
Restroom: Porta Potty-type restroom available at the parking lot
The Artists Drive is a 9-mile paved, one-way road through beautiful colorful hills. There are some places to stop along the way to take pictures and hike, most notably at Artists Palette.
There is a small parking lot at Artists Palette where you can get out of your car and walk around the colorful hills.
Why are the hills colorful? The red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, and green colored hills are due to “volcanic deposits rich in compounds such as iron oxides and chlorite, which creates a rainbow effect,” according to the national park.
The road has some dramatic dips and sharp turns so stay alert while driving. Hand the camera to a passenger because you’re gonna want to take a few photos of these colorful hills.
5. Visit the Furnace Creek Visitor Center
What’s a visit to a national park without a stop at the visitor center? The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is where you’ll find one of the only real bathrooms in the park. There’s also a small store here and a museum. Purchase your Death Valley souvenirs or grab a park map.
Next door to Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the gas station, another stop you shouldn’t miss.
6. Explore Harmony Borax Works
Harmony Borax Works is the historic site of a former working borax plant. The plant only operated for five years, closing down in 1888, but it once employed 40 men who produced three tons of borax daily.
To reach Harmony Borax Works from the parking lot, it’s a quarter-mile hike on flat surface. There are plenty of signs to tell you more about the history of the plant, making it an interpretive trail.
7. Explore the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
There are several sand dunes in Death Valley, but the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are the most popular and easiest to access sand dunes in the park.
It’s about a mile trek to reach the tallest sand dune, but the tallest does change on a regular basis as the wind moves the sand around. There are plenty of other sand dunes to explore, of course. The farther you walk out, the less crowded it will be.
There isn’t a trail through the sand dunes so expect to walk on the sand. It’s easier than it seems, especially if you follow worn paths.
Some people walked barefoot, others had hiking boots. I wore hiking shoes and didn’t get much of any sand in my shoes.
Sand boarding is permitted at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Driving on the sand, however, is not permitted.
8. Explore the Rhyolite Ghost Town
This is NOT within the Death Valley National Park boundaries and is on BLM land, but you can visit the Rhyolite Ghost Town.
It’s only 30 miles from the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, heading toward Beatty, Nevada, all on paved roads. It’s actually one of the only ghost towns near Death Valley that’s accessible via a paved road.
Rhyolite once had a population as large as 10,000 when it had a booming quartz and gold mine from 1905 to 1911. Now all that’s left is ruins. You can see the ruins of the Bottle House, a train depot, a 3-story bank building, and the jail.
The Rhyolite Ghost Town is something to see on your way out of Death Valley, if you’re heading to Nevada or don’t mind taking a longer route home.
Surprising List of Popular Places in Death Valley Accessible Only Via DIRT Roads
- Natural Bridge
- Devil’s Golf Course
- 20 Mule Team Canyon
- Wildrose Charcoal Kilns
- Racetrack Playa (Moving Rocks)
- Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
- Darwin Falls
- Teakettle Junction
Tips for Visiting Death Valley National Park in One Day
Drive a reliable car with working A/C. Death Valley is the largest national park in the continental U.S., so you’ll be doing a lot of driving in the desert, and you have to be able to rely on your car. Before heading out, make sure you check your tire air pressure, get an oil change, have a roadside assistance kit ready, and have working A/C. It gets dangerously hot in the desert, so air conditioning is a must.
Fill your car up with gas. Before heading into or out of the park, be sure you are filled up with gas. There IS a gas station inside the park at Furnace Creek, which is a bit more expensive, but it’s better to spend a few extra dollars on gas then get stranded somewhere in the desert, wishing you had filled up. The next closest gas stations are in Shoshone, CA and Pahrump, NV.
Download offline GPS maps and print paper maps. The internet is unreliable and sometimes non-existent in the desert. Be sure to download a map of California and Nevada for offline use ahead of time and also print out a map and print your driving directions, just in case.
I used the app HereWeGo, downloaded the California map, and pre-saved all my stops. It worked perfectly. I’d also suggest downloading the Nevada app, as well.
Bring a portable charger. Be prepared in case your phone dies. Bring your charging cables and portable chargers to help charge your phone in case of an emergency. For that matter, if you have a satellite device, bring that, too!
Wear layers. In winter and spring time, the park has milder temperatures, but it can get hot in the middle of the day. Wear layers so you can easily adjust with the weather.
Bring sunscreen. Did I mention it gets hot? Wear sunscreen to protect your exposed skin from the UV rays.
Pack a lunch. There are very limited restaurants in the desert. I’d highly, highly recommend packing a lunch. We packed some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars, chips, and apple sauce in a mini cooler, and ate our lunch in the Badwater Basin parking lot. We had a great view, so I really can’t complain.
Pack a lot of water. You never know what could happen, so be prepared and pack more water than you think you’ll need.
FAQs About Visiting Death Valley in One Day
Can I Bring My Dog/Pet to Death Valley?
Pets are not permitted on any trails in Death Valley for both the pet’s safety and because it’s Death Valley’s policy.
If you bring your dog or pet with you, they have to remain in the parking lot with their owner. They can’t be left alone. It’s also advised not to bring pets in the summer, when heat is extreme.
Do I Need a Car? Is There a Shuttle in Death Valley?
Yes, you will need a car to get around Death Valley. There is no shuttle service in Death Valley National Park. Attractions in Death Valley are also spread apart, so a car is essential.
Where Should I Stay When Visiting Death Valley National Park?
If you’re coming from Las Vegas or the Los Angeles area, it’s possible to do a day trip (waking up very early is required). However, if you’d like to stay somewhere nearby Death Valley before heading back, here’s what you should know.
Death Valley National Park is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. You can drive for hours without passing by civilization or a decent hotel.
There are some hotel options within Death Valley National Park — such as the Ranch at Death Valley and the Inn at Death Valley — but they are very pricey at around $400 to $700 a night.
If, like me, that is out of your price range, consider staying about an hour away from Death Valley in the nearby Pahrump, NV. It honestly looks a bit sketchy driving into this town, but the center of town is more normal looking, I promise.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Pahrump, which is a newer hotel near a race track (lots of guests had new Corvettes parked in the parking lot), and it was a nice, clean hotel.
We’re from California, so when we told people we were staying in Pahrump while visiting Death Valley, they responded as if we were driving into the middle of Nevada. It’s not that far from Death Valley, only 30 minutes from the entrance, and just outside the California-Nevada border. It really is the most civilized town for miles, so in hindsight, I’m glad we stayed here!
Is Death Valley Worth Visiting?
Yes, it’s definitely worth visiting. It’s not just a desert, it’s a truly unique national park with incredible vistas, hills, formations, sand dunes, salt flats, and more — all in one place.
Why Is It Called Death Valley?
The name “death valley” was given by a group of pioneers who were lost in Death Valley in the winter of 1849-1850. One member of the group died, and the surviving ’49ers were quoted as saying “goodbye, Death Valley” upon climbing out of the valley. The name has stuck ever since.
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Guide to Visiting the Rare Lake Manly in Badwater Basin (Death Valley National Park)
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