Trip Idea
Death Valley "Must See" Spots in 1-3 hours

Topic(s) | Geology, Mineral Deposits, Photography, Canyons and Canyonlands, Mountains, Night Sky, Rock Landscapes and Features, Scenic Views, Roads, Routes and Highways, Ancient Seas, Foothills, Plains and Valleys, Lakes |
Activities | Scenic Driving |
Parks | Death Valley National Park |
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Death Valley National Park
Visit Badwater Basin
- Activity Fee: Yes
- Reservations: No
- Activity: Scenic Driving
- Pets: No
- Location: Badwater Basin
- Duration: 1–2 Hours
- Season: Winter, Spring, Fall
- Time of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
Badwater Basin is the lowest elevation in North America at - 282 feet (- 86 m) below sea level. A visit to this otherworldly salt flat will provide you with a unique experience and a landscape that appears to stretch on forever. A short 1/4 mile (400 m) hike will you bring you to the polygon salt formations that Death Valley is famous for, or in the summer months, the view can be enjoyed from the parking area.
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Death Valley National Park
Tour Artists Drive
- Activity Fee: Yes
- Reservations: No
- Activity: Scenic Driving
- Pets: Yes with Restrictions
- Location: Artists Drive
- Duration: 25–45 Minutes
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Enjoy a scenic drive through a geologic rainbow! Artists Drive is a one-way, nine mile (14.5 km) drive which passes through eroded, colorful desert hills. Artists Palette (a viewpoint) has the most colorful scenery along the road.
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Death Valley National Park
Check Out Devils Golf Course
- Activity Fee: Yes
- Reservations: No
- Activity: Scenic Driving
- Pets: No
- Season: Winter, Spring, Fall
- Time of Day: Any Time
An immense area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain into jagged spires. So incredibly serrated that "only the devil could play golf on such rough links." Listen carefully and you'll hear sounds like tiny pops and pings. The sound is literally billions of tiny salt crystals bursting apart as they expand and contract in the heat.
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Last updated: October 6, 2020