Plan Your Visit

The Furnace Creek Visitor Center & Museum is open daily for information, permits and book sales.

 

Directions

Operating Hours & Seasons

Fees & Reservations

Things To Do

Things To Know Before You Come

 

Death Valley National Park is open year round. Modern well-maintained and air-conditioned vehicles usually have little trouble with desert travel, but summer trips do require extra planning and extra care. Temperatures begin to moderate, dropping below the 100 degree mark, in mid October and the peak visitor season runs through the cool winter and spring months into the middle of April when temperatures again climb above 100.

Visitor centers, contact stations, museums and wayside exhibits provide information on park resources and scenic highlights. The Death Valley Natural History Association sales outlets, located in the visitor centers and contact stations, have a full compliment of informational materials about the park.

Ranger guided programs are conducted from the Fall through early Spring while temperatures are moderate and visitation and campground use is high.

There are nine campgrounds with varying facilities and seasons. The low elevation campgrounds, with the exception of the Furnace Creek Campground, close during the long summer months because of the extreme heat. Several higher elevation campgrounds and camping areas in the mountains remain open year round.

Lodging, camper stores, restaurants, dump stations, fuel and auto services are available in Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells Village, Panamint Springs and in the towns adjacent to the park.

The Death Valley Visitor Guide (2 MB PDF File) is a good source of of information in one location. It includes pages on Desert Survival, What To See, Walks & Hikes, Park Map, Research & Education, Natural Resources, Scotty's Castle, Planning Your Trip, and Visitor Services.