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23 Incredible Places To Visit In Death Valley

Sunset over the crystalline salt flats of Badwater Basin in Death Valley, with the Panamint Mountains in the background, highlighting the beauty of one of the best places to visit in Death Valley.

Today, you’ll learn about the 23 best places to visit in Death Valley.

Death Valley National Park is the largest National Park in California, the driest place in the US, and the lowest point on the continent. 

You’ll experience the great diversity of this park: From lots of sand, vista points, and canyons, to sights you wouldn’t expect here, including a forest, a golf course, and even a waterfall!

Let’s start right with…

23. Golden Canyon

Towering golden hills, colorful badlands, and tight canyons: The Golden Canyon – Gower Gulch Loop is one of the most popular hikes in the park for a reason. 

You’ll experience stunning landscapes and outstanding views while walking this 4-mile trail.

Golden Canyon in Death Valley, showcasing the distinctive yellow-hued cliffs and rugged terrain along the trail, a scenic spot popular with hikers and nature lovers.

22. Father Crowley Vista Point

 This point, also called Star Wars Canyon, overlooks Rainbow Canyon, a magnificent striping of rocks, creating a multicolor effect.

The nickname Star Wars Canyon comes from the military fly-throughs that take place. While they happen less often now, it is still possible to catch a jet speeding through.

Overlooking the vast, rugged landscape from Father Crowley Vista Point, one of the best places to visit in Death Valley for its stunning, colorful geological formations.

21. Mosaic Canyon

This 4 mile hike takes you into smooth rock canyons, which can get slippery, and further to mosaic-like rock formations of various types of stone naturally cemented together. 

Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley, displaying a dry riverbed flanked by smooth, polished marble walls and textured rock formations characteristic of this striking canyon.

20. Scotty’s Castle

This ranch house from the 20’s and 30’s was built by Albert Johnson, and named after a con artist and eventually friend of his, Walter Scott.

Due to flood and fire damages, the castle is not visitable at this time, and under repair through at least 2023.

Scotty's Castle, a historic Spanish-style villa in Death Valley, with barren hills in the background and a prominent cross on a hilltop, under a clear blue sky.

19. Telescope Peak

Exploring the 12.7-mile out-and-back trail to Telescope Peak is a highlight for those seeking breathtaking views in Death Valley.

From the 11.331 foot peak, you can see the lowest point in the US, Badwater Basin, and on a good day the tallest mountain in the lower 48 States, Mount Whitney. 

View from Telescope Peak in Death Valley, showing a vast panoramic view of the valley floor below, with mountain ranges in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

18. Eureka Dunes

Thought to likely be the tallest dunes in North America and therefore one of the best places to visit in Death Valley for sure!

If you manage to make it to the top of the slippery slopes, you may hear singing sand on a very dry day, which sounds like a constant low hum. 

Rippled patterns on the Eureka Dunes at Death Valley National Park, with soft shadows under a clear blue sky, a serene place to visit in Death Valley.

17. Darwin Falls

Death Valley may be one of the hottest deserts in the world, but there is a hidden gem. Darwin Falls is a pocket of greenery and animals that support a small ecosystem.

Darwin Falls in Death Valley, a serene oasis with a cascading waterfall surrounded by lush greenery and a tranquil pool, an unexpected sight in the desert.

16. Aguereberry Point

Looking for the spot with the most spectacular sunrise in Death Valley?

Don’t look further: Looking directly at the sun from Aguereberry Point, you’ll experience a brilliant array of colors and light. Due to the rough ride into a remote area of the park, it’s not very crowded.

Drive carefully!

View from Aguereberry Point showcasing the expansive landscape of Death Valley with rolling mountains and the valley floor stretching into the distance.

15. Lee Flat Joshua Tree Forest

Located at a much higher altitude than other parts of the valley, Lee Flat’s temperatures compared to Badwater Basin are sometimes about 20 degrees apart.

Although the Joshua Trees are not as dense as in Joshua Tree National Park, the sparsely scattered trees in Death Valley are an appealing photo spot too, especially at sunset. 

Lee Flat Joshua Tree Forest covered with a dusting of snow, with Joshua Trees standing against the backdrop of the snow-capped mountains and clear blue sky.

14. Keane Wonder Mine

Located on a hillside, you’ll have a stunning view across the valley, so make sure to hike up to the highest point of the mine!

Additionally, there is old mining equipment, entrances to mines, and even an old aerial tramway that’s still intact. If you’re interested in history, this place is perfect for you. 

The Keane Wonder Mine in Death Valley, featuring the remains of historic mining structures against a desolate hillside, a significant site to visit in Death Valley.

13. Twenty Mule Team Canyon

This 2.7-mile one-way dirt road, sometimes described as a rollercoaster drive, winds between yellow and white mudstone hills.

It offers fantastic scenery, and you’ll experience the ruggedness of Death Valley. 

Gravel road winding through the arid, textured landscape of Twenty Mule Team Canyon in Death Valley, with striated hills under a bright blue sky.

12. Harmony Borax Works

This 19th century borax mine is the origin of the twenty mule team recognized today.

Teams of twenty mules would carry borax across the desert to the next railroad station. The remnants of this mine and a wagon can be still seen today. 

One of the most unique places to visit in Death Valley for sure.

Ruins of the Harmony Borax Works in Death Valley, with a large, rusted boiler and remnants of adobe walls against a backdrop of distant mountains and salt flats.

11. Wildrose Charcoal Kilns

Just a short walk from a parking lot, these large dome-shaped kilns are an interesting sight to see.

These kilns are the only of its kind to be found in the western US, as they were not used much after they were built. 

Row of beehive-shaped Wildrose Charcoal Kilns in Death Valley National Park, historical structures set against a hillside under a clear blue sky.

10. Spring Wildflowers

Although hot and dry, plants of Death Valley do have flowers.

From February to May, flowers bloom at higher altitudes. The Panamint mountains, Jubilee Pass, and Daylight pass are all great spots to find these blooms. 

Field of vibrant yellow spring wildflowers in Death Valley, offering a stark contrast to the arid desert landscape with mountains and clouds overhead.

9. Natural Bridge

You can see this impressive rock formation, located in one of the National Park’s canyons, during walking the Natural Bridge Hike. This round trip is about 2 miles long.

Be sure to continue your hike beyond the bridge up the canyon: You’ll experience more of Death Valley’s fascinating geology!

Natural Bridge in Death Valley, a notable geological feature and one of the best places to visit in Death Valley, with its archway of rock over a desert trail.

8. Devil’s Golf Course

This unique place is an extensive area of rock salt eroded by rain and wind into craggy spires.

It’s so incredibly serrated that “only the devil could play golf on such rough links”.

If you listen carefully, you might hear sounds of countless tiny salt crystals bursting apart. 

Devil’s Golf Course in Death Valley, featuring a vast expanse of jagged salt formations, one of the unique places to visit in the park, with mountains in the distance.

7. Dante’s View

Dante’s View is one of the most popular spots in the park for photographers. Both Badwater Basin and Telescope Peak are visible with unbeatable views at sunrise and sunset. 

Dante's View in Death Valley, offering a panoramic vista over the salt flats and surrounding mountains, a renowned spot for its stunning, expansive views.

6. Racetrack Playa

This mysterious place has stunned viewers as long as it existed.

This dried up lake is spotted with large stones that seem to have been dragged across the desert, without having actually been moved recently. 

Racetrack Playa is a truly unique place to visit in Death Valley. If you wanna learn about other uncommon places in the Golden State, check out our list featuring the 16 most unique places in California!

Racetrack Playa in Death Valley, showing the mysterious moving rocks and their trails on the dry lake bed with mountains in the soft glow of dusk.

5. Ubehebe Crater

This volcanic crater is 600 feet deep and a half mile wide.

The hike down the crater is fairly easy, just don’t forget that you will have to get back up too. If ups and downs are not your style, you can walk to the rim of the crater.

Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley, a vast volcanic crater with layered rock walls, a key attraction and one of the best places to visit in Death Valley National Park.

4. Zabriskie Point

This iconic Death Valley vista features views that are among the most photographed in the park.

The rippling formations seen from this point are unique in that there are no plants to be found. Wake up early for sunrise!

Zabriskie Point at sunrise in Death Valley National Park, showcasing the surreal landscape of undulating, golden-colored badlands under a soft morning light.

3. Badwater Basin

This massive salt flat is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

Almost 200 square miles big, this place with small pools of salty water is home to a snail found nowhere else in the world.

Badwater Basin is featured in our post about the 30 most beautiful nature spots in California! Be sure to read the list to learn about all the other breathtaking places!

Wooden boardwalk leading to the Badwater Basin salt flats in Death Valley, the lowest point in North America, with a sign indicating 282 feet below sea level.

2. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Named for the twisty mesquite trees that create unique shadows across the sand.

There are no trails, so watch your step for rattlesnakes and kangaroo rats who live here.

If you stay for sunset, hang out a bit longer to enjoy the most beautiful night sky.

Desert landscape at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley, with plants in the foreground, dunes in the centre, and mountains in the background

The top spot in our list about the best places to visit in Death Valley is…

1. Artist’s Drive and Artist’s Palette

Created by volcanic deposits, iron oxides and other minerals create a rainbow of colors across the scenery.

The drive is known for being one of the most scenic in Death Valley.

Artist’s Palette in Death Valley, displaying a spectrum of vibrant mineral-induced colors on the mountain slopes, one of the best places to visit in Death Valley.

Check out our blog post featuring California’s National Parks if you want to learn more about the Golden State’s natural beauty.

If you enjoyed reading this list, you’ll LOVE watching it in video-format:

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