Scotty's Castle

Scotty's Castle CLOSED following a significant flood, and is unlikely to reopen until at least 2021. Access to the Castle and Grapevine Canyon areas is prohibited, unless part of a ticketed Flood Recovery Tour.

 

Death Valley Ranch, also known as "Scotty's Castle."

Death Valley Ranch

Hidden in the green oasis of Grapevine Canyon in far northern Death Valley is the Death Valley Ranch, or "Scotty's Castle" as it is more commonly known, which is a window into the life and times of the Roaring '20s and Depression '30s. It was and is an engineer's dream home, a wealthy matron's vacation home and a man-of-mystery's hideout and getaway.

Albert Mussey Johnson built the house as a vacation getaway for himself and his wife Bessie.

Walter Scott, known as "Death Valley Scotty," convinced everyone that he had built the castle with money from his rich secret mines in the area.

Scotty was the mystery, the cowboy, and the entertainer, but he was also a friend. Albert was the brains and the money. Two men as different as night and day, from different worlds and with different visions - but shared a dream.

Learn more about the building of the castle here.

 

Flood Recovery Tours

DVNHA and the National Park Service are pleased to offer walking tours of the Scotty's Castle Grounds. Participants will walk the grounds of Scotty’s Castle with a ranger to learn about the damage sustainied and the repairs in progress. Listen to the stories of this unique palace in the desert, the people who called it home, and the plans for reopening this unique historic district.

Reservations Required. For tickets and information, please visit Scotty's Castle Recovery Tours Info and Reservations.

More information in our press release flood and recovery efforts and flood recovery video series.

 

Virtual Tour

Learn more about the history, construction, and decoration of the castle, as well as explore galleries of the collections at the NPS Virtual Museum Exhibit page.