Trip · 3-day camping trip
For · Friends and new campers
Vibe · Relaxing and chill
Reservations · Yes, book a site at Furnace Creek Campground
Drive · 4.5 hours from LA
Ideal dates · October to April
Pets · Welcome at camp, but not on trails
Death Valley National Park (DVNP) is a land of extremes: It's the largest national park in the country outside of Alaska at over 3.4 million acres. It's home to Badwater Basin: the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. Death Valley was the hottest place on Earth ever when it reached 134 degrees Fahrenheit in July 1913! Most importantly, it's an ideal place for desert camping during the winter. From salt flats to sand dunes, Death Valley is a fascinating departure from the everyday.
Official National Park Website
Download Park Visitor's Guide
Main image credit: Nate Rickert
Each campsite comes with a:
Death Valley NP has nine campgrounds: Furnace Creek, Sunset, Texas Springs, Stovepipe Wells, Mesquite Spring, Emigrant, Wildrose, Thorndike, and Mahogany Flat. Furnace Creek is the only campground that can be reserved ahead of time. All others are first-come, first-serve. You won't find hot showers at any of the campgrounds, but there is drinking water and toilets at most (Emigrant, Thorndike and Mahogany Flat do not!).
Check-in: After 1 PM · Check-out: Before 2 PM
Nightly Rate: $22
In 1933, President Herbert Hoover established Death Valley National Monument and it became a national park in 1994
The Timbisha tribe lived in Death Valley for a millennia. They named the area "tümpisa", which means "rock paint
In 1849, pioneers prospecting for gold gave the CA valley its English name, "Death Valley," after 13 people died during an early expedition
