Death Valley National Park

A comfy campout with 2 to 5 mile hikes
Driving to and sleeping at a campground
Ideal for first-timers

Surfing on sand dunes and touring colorful canyons at Death Valley National Park

Surfing on sand dunes and touring colorful canyons at Death Valley National Park

Surfing on sand dunes and touring colorful canyons at Death Valley National Park

Surfing on sand dunes and touring colorful canyons at Death Valley National Park

Surfing on sand dunes and touring colorful canyons at Death Valley National Park

Designed by Yvonne Leow

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Last updated
March 8, 2022

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

Directions to Campground

Main image credit: Nate Rickert

Stuff to know

  • There's a $30 7-day park entrance fee for each car
  • There is limited cell phone reception throughout the park so plan ahead! Limited free wifi is available at the Death Valley Lodging Company in Stovepipe Wells.
  • Summer temperatures are extremely hot. Bring extra water in your car, drive slowly to avoid accidents and engine overheating, stay hydrated, and avoid hiking in the heat.  
  • Flash floods can happen! If you're caught in a rainstorm, especially while hiking in the canyons, quickly move to higher ground!
Check the weather
Death Valley National Park

Where to camp

Furnace Creek Campground

Each campsite comes with a:

  • Picnic table
  • Fire ring
  • Space for up to 8 people
  • Two parking spots

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

View Campground Map

Nightly Rate: $22

Furnace Creek Campground
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Itinerary

Day One

Delight's Hot Springs Resort in Shoshone
Delight's Hot Springs Resort in Shoshone

Leave LA and stop by Delight's Hot Springs Resort for a natural hot springs experience

  • Wander off the beaten path and buy a day pass ($20 to $30 per person) at Delight's to soak in natural hot spring water in their private and group pools. Grab lunch afterwards at Tecopa Brewing Company. The LA Times wrote about this place!    
  • Located at 368 Tecopa Hot Springs Road in Tecopa
  • Call ahead!! The resort is only open seasonally.
  • Last pit stop · Chevron - Old State Hwy 127 in Shoshone

Check in and set up camp at Furnace Creek Campground

  • Set up camp, wander around the campground, and relax

Cook up dinner and enjoy the sunset

Campfire, s'mores, and stargazing time

  • Temperatures can get down to the low-40s in Death Valley NP so be sure to bring layers and stay warm!
In 1933, President Herbert Hoover established Death Valley National Monument and it became a national park in 1994

Day Two

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Credit: Jeremy Jones

Make brekkie, pack a lunch and day pack, and drive to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

  • This is the largest sand dune area in the park and the only dune where sand boarding is allowed!
  • How do you sand board? Bring a small snowboard with minimal bindings or a skateboard without wheels.
  • Pack plenty of water, sunscreen, sunhat, snacks, lunch, and wear closed toe shoes
  • Hike along a 2.8 mile round-trip trail through Mesquite Flat Dunes. It's considered easy, but it totally depends on the heat!
  • Check the weather before you head out and hike earlier in the day if you can. Also, conserve your energy for the next hike...

Drive to Mosaic Canyon Trailhead

  • You'll have to drive along a dirt road to reach the trailhead from Highway 190, but it's doable in a car!
  • This is a 3.6 mile out and back trail with 1,076 feet of elevation gain. It's a harder hike that requires some scrambling in areas, but you'll get to see beautiful, colorful slot canyons along the way.
  • Enjoy lunch and snacks along the trail

Return to camp and clean up

  • Nosh on your favorite snacks and chill after all of today's adventures

About two hours before sunset, drive to Dante's View Trailhead

  • It's about a 35-minute drive from Furnace Creek campground to Dante's View Trail, but this one-mile round-trip trail with 225 feet of elevation gain will give you stunning views of the park and Badwater Basin. The views are worth it!

Head back to camp for dinner, dessert, and campfire stories

  • Enjoy your last night at Death Valley National Park!
The Timbisha tribe lived in Death Valley for a millennia. They named the area "tümpisa", which means "rock paint

Day Three

Artists Palette in Death Valley National Park
Artists Palette in Death Valley National Park

Pack up and check out before noon

  • Cook up brekkie, clean up around camp, and throw away any random pieces of litter

Head home!

In 1849, pioneers prospecting for gold gave the CA valley its English name, "Death Valley," after 13 people died during an early expedition

Packing List

Essential Items
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Clothing
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Personal Stuff
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Camp Kitchen
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Shared Gear
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