Scotty's Castle: School Reservations and Fee Waivers

Want to learn more about the cultural/human history of Death Valley? Scotty's Castle provides a unique opportunity to learn about one of the more famous characters of the area. The living history program allows students to take a step back in time to 1939, allowing for an understanding of what it took to live in such an extreme desert environment without the technology that exists today. It also provides an opportunity for school groups to incorporate mining history and history of Native Americans in Death Valley to satisfy the class curriculum.

Ranger-led programs on a Death Valley related topic (i.e. desert plant and animal adaptations) can also be developed for your school group if given enough advance notice. Please ask about this when making your reservation.

School groups will make reservations similar to those noted in the Group Bookings section of this website. Many of the groups that make reservations are commercial tours and have reserved time slots 3 - 6 months in advance. We strongly suggest to school groups to allow yourselves the same amount of time to book tours. If you do not book tour times in advance you may have a one to two hour wait before your group can take a tour.

School groups; however, may qualify for an educational fee waiver for tours of the Castle. This fee waiver is separate from the fee waiver given for Death Valley National Park. To qualify for a fee waiver, the group bookings coordinator will require a description of the purpose of the trip to Scotty's Castle.

For more information on fee waivers for Scotty's Castle, please contact:

Scotty's Castle
Attn: Group Bookings Coordinator
Death Valley National Park
P.O. Box 569
Death Valley, CA 92328
Phone: 760-786-2392 ext. 224 (or dial 760-786-2395 ext. 224)
Fax: 760-786-2308

For more information on fee waivers for Death Valley National Park, please contact:

Death Valley National Park
Attn: Alicia Alvarado
P.O. Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328
Phone: 760-786-3247

School groups must bring a copy of their fee waiver and group confirmation letter to present to the ticket office. If you decide not to get a group time you are welcome to fill tours on a first come, first serve basis. School groups with confirmed reservations must arrive at Scotty’s Castle at least 30 minutes before booked time. If the group fails to arrive on time, the tickets will be sold to other visitors.

Due to the demand for group bookings, you are requested to notify us of any cancellations or changes in the number of people on your tour. We use these numbers to save spaces for your group and will sell any excess spaces to other visitors.