Life with ArielAround Christmas 2022, I brought Ariel to the Death Valley National Park. Death Valley is famous as the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the US. It features unique landscapes and wildlife. Like many other national parks, I won’t describe it as beautiful – and to be honest some people may even consider it boring because of the lack of variety in its landscapes. But it’s certainly one-of-a-kind.
I have to correct people’s perception that dogs are not allowed in national parks. Dogs are allowed inside the parks, but there are restrictions. Usually, they are not allowed on hiking trails. But they are allowed at campgrounds, on paved roads, and sometimes on dirt roads as well. The general rule is that they are allowed where cars are allowed. So bring your dogs to national parks. Let them have fun and enjoy scenic views with you!
We drove our RV there and stayed inside the park for two nights. Winter is the best weather to hike in Death Valley because it was only 60-70F, making it very manageable to do outdoor activities unlike in summer. It was also less crowded. You will be able to enjoy the views more peacefully. The downside is that it may be rainy or gloomy, which was the case for me. And some roads may be closed due to flood.
Facilities and Accommodation
Death Valley National Park is well equipped with visitor centers, general stores, inns, campgrounds, and gas station. Most of the facilities and the park’s highlights are located along Highway 190, which is also the scenic drive of the park. It’s hard to miss them. Badwater Road is another main road in the park, which will lead you to the lowest point in North America.
There are several campgrounds in the park. I haven been to three of them. Furnace Creek Campground is the most developed campground with full hook-ups and located right behind the visitor center. It’s the only campground in the park that you can reserve in advance. It can get very busy even during slow seasons. If Furnace Creek Campground is full, Sunset Campground and Texas Springs Campground are right across the street. Both offer dry camping only and are first-come-first-served. Sunset Campground is almost never full even during peak seasons.
Scenic Highlights
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point is my favorite. It’s an iconic vista in Death Valley featuring mountains and hills curved by water and wind erosion. It’s particularly popular for sunrise and sunset. The mountains and rocks change color magically as if following directions from the sun. I went there for a sunrise. When the sun was standing low, the mountains put on purple tone makeup at their tips and remained gloomy on the slopes. As the sun rose up, they slowly changed into a pink-orange palette. Once the sun started to peek above the peaks, spiky ridges turned bright golden immediately while scarps stayed in shadows, creating powerful contrast of light. Nothing is better than starting your day with this incredible view.
Dante’s View
Dante’s View is a surreal vista point. You stand 6,000ft above sea level looking over the vast river salt down below at sea level, surrounded by boulders formed thousands of years ago. Clouds were low, sheding shadows on the salty ground. Sun rays pierce through the clouds to cover rivers and mountains in golden glow. Crispy winter breezes blowing into my face, it feels surreal.
The vista point is a concrete platform next to the parking lot. You can appreciate everything safely on the platform. Or you can also choose to hike a bit on the rocky cliffs to immerse yourself into the view. However, the trails don’t allow dogs. So I had to leave Ariel behind in the RV before I hiked. The trails are also narrow, steep, and not protected. Use you caution on your hike. The parking lot is extremely small. You have to either come here early or park downhills and climb up to the vista point. Either way, it’s worth the effort.
Badwater Basin
Badwater Basin is a vast salt flat at the lowest point in North America (282ft below sea level) and therefore a must-see for visitors. In summer, the salt flat dries up and cracks. The nearly 200 square miles’ landscape of white, cracked salt is spectacular. When I went in winter, the cracks were not as obvious but still visible. The flat felt soft and mushy under my feet. Surrounded by the vast whiteness, my voices lost in the air and I felt so small and trivial. Nothing matters in the history of nature.
The parking lot is decent sized but not enough given the heavy traffic. You will likely have to park along the road and be extra careful to not block it because the road is narrow. From the parking lot to the basin is about a one mile flat hike. Again, dogs are not allowed on the trail or the flat. You start with dirt roads and transit into a mixture of dirt and salt. Finally, the trail opens up to the vast salt flat.
Artist Drive
The most popular stop on the Artist Drive is Artists Palette. But I think this 4 mile one-way drive is beautiful all the way and worth a detour. It well demonstrates the talent of nature with great vistas of swirling flats, rugged mountains, and colorful rocks. Multiple volcanic erosions and cool-downs left colorful traces. Red rocks are decorated by while, orange, purple, and green, showing off the rich minerals in the earth. Artists Palette highlights this the best. Although you can see it from your car, I highly recommend you hike from the parking lot into the mountains to get a closer look. You will be astonished by the strong and bright natural colors. The hike can be tough because it’s crowded, steep, and slippery. Hiking shoes and poles can help a lot.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
If you want to have the desert experience, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is the place to go. It has nothing but soft, smooth, and vast sand dunes with desert bushes spreading sporadically. The section near the parking lot can feel crowded. But you can always hike away from it. Given how massive it is, you will always be able to find a place for yourself and enjoy the solemness of nature in peace. I liked sitting on the soft sand, watching the sun go down, and just relaxing.
