Outbound Collective logo

Death Valley, California

Death Valley, California is a must-visit destination for outdoor adventurers. The area is home to some of the best trails and activities in the region, offering breathtaking views of the landscape. Popular attractions include the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, the Harmony Borax Works, and the Badwater Basin. Visitors can also explore the Ubehebe Crater, the Racetrack Playa, and the Scotty's Castle. For those looking for a beautiful hike, the Golden Canyon and the Titus Canyon are two of the top trails in the area. There's also plenty of camping, wildlife viewing, and bird watching opportunities. With so much to explore, Death Valley is the perfect spot for exploration and discovery.

Top Spots in and near Death Valley

  • Furnace Creek, California

    Artist's Palette

    4.0
    0.4 mi / 89 ft gain
    Let’s just start this off by saying,  PREPARE FOR THE HEAT. Death Valley has the highest recorded temperature on earth at over 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you are planning to visit in the summer…be ready.  Luckily,  Artist’s Palette is not far from the parking the area and the saving grace of Ai...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Devil's Golf Course, Death Valley

    4.0
    2.54 mi / 115 ft gain
    It is said that "only the devil could play golf on such rough links." Just off Badwater Road you will find an immense field of eroded rock salt that bore small jagged spires in the Earth. What was once Lake Manly is now a surreal sight - one that makes you wonder what planet you are on. Devil's G...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Natural Bridge Canyon

    4.7
    1.39 mi / 518 ft gain
    Natural Bridge Canyon is one of the few canyons in Death Valley with an official trailhead that can be easily accessed from the parking lot. You’ll find the trailhead off Highway 178, just 4 miles south of the Artist’s Drive scenic loop. The hike is nice and easy and great for families or large ...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Hike Schwaub Peak and Visit Dante's View

    8 mi / 2400 ft gain
    Getting There From the Furnace Creek Inn in Death Valley, drive two miles east on the 190 to the Echo Canyon dirt road. This can be easy to miss, so use your odometer and keep your eyes peeled. Here's where the fun begins! You'll want a 4x4 with high clearance for the rest of the drive, though 4...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Backpack Fall Canyon

    8 mi
    The trail head is north of Furnace Creek at the Titus Canyon parking lot which is clearly marked on any park map. On a busy weekend cars are lined up along the road leading to the parking lot which has a restroom. Note that there is no water source here. To begin the hike in, take the trail on th...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Drive into a Rainbow: Titus Canyon

    4.5
    Get ready to drive through the center of a rainbow.Titus canyon road winds 27 gorgeous miles through the Death Valley backcountry, twisting sharply around steep rock walls and over small passes. This is an adventure for both you and your vehicle. Consider the dust accumulation on your rear window...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Hike into Titus Canyon

    8 mi
    In total its about 22 miles from Stovepipe Wells. From Stovepipe, head east on the 190 and make the left for Scotty's Castle Rd. Continue another 19 miles down until you can turn off onto the dirt track that leads to Titus Canyon. When you arrive in the parking lot, you'll see Do Not Enter signs,...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Badwater Basin's Salt Flats

    4.6
    1.92 mi / 43 ft gain
    Taking a walk on the salt flats at Badwater Basin is like no other experience in Death Valley National Park. These flats cover nearly 200 square miles across the park, which makes them one of the world’s largest protected salt flats. With an elevation of 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin i...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Explore Leadfield Ghost Town

    Leadfield is located on Titus Canyon Road and requires a high clearance vehicle to get back and explore. There is a marker designating the site so it is easy to find. There is about three in tacked buildings and several other ruins along with a few mine shafts. Copper and lead claims were filed i...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Hike to Darwin Falls

    5.0
    2 mi / 275 ft gain
    Yes, you saw this right, it's a waterfall in Death Valley. This magical oasis has water flowing year round and is found in the driest place in North America. Death Valley is full of amazing places, but this should be on everyone's to-do list! It's a short hike that quickly rewards you with a plac...
    Read more
  • Darwin, California

    Photograph Panamint Valley from Father Crowley Overlook

    0.5 mi / 150 ft gain
    Father Crowley Overlook is an easily missed overlook on the western edge of Death Valley National Park off State Highway 190 overlooking Panamint Valley. It is easy to miss because the parking area doesn't appear to have a particularly notable vista, but leading off from the parking area to the s...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Photograph Dante's View of Death Valley

    4.7
    In all of Death Valley National Park, Dante's View might just be the best spot to watch the light fade away after a long day. Unfortunately, it is one of the highly missed spots along the Highway 190 Death Valley route. This might be due to the fact that it is about 15 miles off of the highway, b...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Racetrack Valley

    5.0
    Death Valley National Park is home to some remarkably surreal landscapes, none stranger than Racetrack Valley and its famous moving rocks. For decades, the mechanism of the rocks’ movement was unknown and the subject of much speculation, some scientific and some not, but the mystery was finally ...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Photograph Death Valley's Wildflower Bloom

    4.5
    2 mi / 200 ft gain
    Every spring, a few plants and flowers spring up from the driest place in North America, California's Death Valley National Park. Knowing where to go is important, but not as important as knowing when to go. Wildflower season only lasts a few weeks before daytime temps hit 80º and the flowers go ...
    Read more
  • Beatty, Nevada

    Explore Rhyolite Ghost Town

    1.1 mi / 118 ft gain
    Just outside of Death Valley National Park, Rhyolite is 35 miles from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center on the way to Beatty, Nevada. Rhyolite Ghost Town is a result of the gold rush in Nevada. The town was very lively, with active citizens who enjoyed baseball games, dances, basket socials, tenni...
    Read more
  • Inyo County, California

    Ubeheh Crater Path

    5.0
    0.58 mi / 157 ft gain
    Ubeheh Crater Path Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you past scenic surroundings located near Death Valley, California.
    Read more