Death Valley National Park trip planner

Extreme heat and dryness create extreme landscapes in Death Valley National Park. This below-sea-level basin is perhaps best known as the hottest place in the U.S., but the park also contains vast salt flats, high sand dunes, deep canyons, and towering peaks that catch snow in the winter. At 13,650 sq km (5,270 sq mi), Death Valley is the largest national park in the continental U.S., and its elevation of 86 m (282 ft) below sea level makes the park's Badwater Basin the second lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. State Route 190 passes through the park, delivering easy access by car; numerous other paved roads offer opportunity for further exploration. Adventure-seekers can explore the park by hiking, backpacking, or mountain biking. In the summer months temperatures can average 46.1 C (115 F), so be prepared by having plenty of water on hand, even if you plan to just drive through. Make your own Death Valley National Park vacation itinerary, with a little help from those that know the place like the back of their hands, by using our United States day trip site.