The Vacation Finder

Death Valley is the perfect day excursion to add to your Las Vegas itinerary since it will offer you a chance to get out of the city and explore a distinct area of the region. In this post, we lay down precisely how to go from Las Vegas to Death Valley, including the best time to go, the top Death Valley climbs, and what to carry.

Death Valley might possibly be regarded one of the most undervalued National Parks in the United States. Sure, it doesn’t have limitless greenery, mile-high waterfalls or beautiful weather, but it is wildly distinctive!

It’s home to North America’s lowest point, the hottest region in America (temperature-wise), cotton candy mountains and scenery you won’t find anywhere else in the globe.

One of the amazing things about Death Valley is its proximity to Las Vegas. The travel from Las Vegas to Death Valley is simply a short 2 hours west and will lead you in the direction of sunny California!

Being that Las Vegas is such a popular tourist destination, a journey to Death Valley from Las Vegas is readily possible in a day, and it’s the perfect way to escape out of the neon metropolis and into nature.

How To Go From Las Vegas To Death Valley

Death Valley is a national park located on the boundary between California and Nevada. In this park, you may find an unlimited quantity of varied landscapes that spread across 5,270 square miles.

If you are flying from afar, the nearest airport will be in Las Vegas. Even though you’ll fly into a neighboring state, the national park is just a 2-hour 20-minute drive away.

Exploring Death Valley National Park is one of the coolest things to do in California, and is absolutely worth making the journey (as long as you’re prepared!). That’s when our useful tips will come in…

To go from Las Vegas to Death Valley, you will need to drive west towards the city of Pahrump. After passing through the city of Pahrump, you will turn onto Death Valley road towards Death Valley Junction where you may enter the park.

I’d recommend renting a car in Las Vegas and making the journey on your own so you have more freedom in schedule and what you want to see.

Another alternative (if you don’t want to drive) is to arrange a day trip from Las Vegas to Death Valley which normally includes transportation and lunch, but comes with a costlier price tag and demands you keep to the tour schedule.

Best Time Of Year To Visit Death Valley

Las Vegas to Death Valley: The Ultimate Day Trip | Two Wandering Soles

Spring is undoubtedly the finest time of year to visit Death Valley since you will see wildflowers blossoming across the area. With spring also comes excellent weather (70 °F and sunny!), which is perfect for sightseeing and trekking in Death Valley.

As one of the top attractions in the US, summer is an exceptionally popular period for foreigners to visit Death Valley. Most people want to experience that feeling of success for overcoming Death Valley at the hottest time of the year, but I highly encourage not to visit during summer.

Temperatures reach to beyond 120 °F (49 °C) and the entire valley has very scant shade. Hiking and sightseeing will not be nearly as fun in this type of weather, and you may also run into excessive heat warnings from the government during these months.

Best Things To Do In Death Valley

1. Catch Dawn & Sunset

Don’t miss witnessing the desert sky at its finest during a Death Valley dawn or sunset (or both!).

Insider Tip: The site to see dawn or sunset is Zabriskie Point, for its excellent panoramic views.

2. Spot Wildflowers During The ‘Superbloom’

This is one of the sites in California you may view the Superbloom in the springtime — dubbed a natural desert phenomena when far more wildflowers bloom than is expected. For this to happen, the conditions have to be absolutely right.

Just be careful to be polite and observe local laws and Leave No Trace practices. This natural occurrence tends to draw massive crowds, some of whom do not follow to standards that have been put in place to safeguard people as well as the environment.

3. Explore Artist’s Palette

From the luxury of your automobile, you can identify mineral deposits in these rocks that have converted them diverse hues, such turquoise, yellow and purple. You may also go out, stretch your legs and roam around Artist’s Palette to get up close and personal with this surreal area.

Good to know: Just like the Rainbow Mountains in Peru or the Painted Hills in Oregon, images of this area are typically manipulated so the colors seem more bright than they do with the naked eye. Just a heads up so your expectations are reasonable.

4. Photograph Badwater Basin

Las Vegas to Death Valley Road Trip - Riders Share

Fun Fact: And 282 feet below sea level, this basin is truly the lowest place in the United States.

These salt flats kind of remind us of the basin of Salar de Uyuni (in Bolivia), and creates a pretty nice site to snap shots. The following section offers further info about how to get there.

5. Play on the Dunes

There are two primary sand dunes inside Death Valley National Park, each asking you to explore. Once you trek up, you may assume you’ve been transported to the deserts of Morocco!

Mesquite Flats features orange-hued sand
Eureka Sand Dunes is more white in hue
Be sure you have the necessary vehicle (4×4) to travel to said dunes.

6. Spend The Night Stargazing

If you have a clear night, don’t miss the opportunity to glance up at the sky. Death Valley is recognized as a Dark Sky site since there is less light pollution in the area. This makes it wonderful for stargazing, especially during a New Moon. Spread out a blanket (and open a bottle of wine?!) for a nocturnal concert!

7. See Joshua Trees at Lee Flat

Did you know that you may discover Joshua Trees at Death Valley National Park? Head to Lee Flat to observe these unique trees, or visit Joshua Tree National Park to see even more of them in the park after which they’re called.