Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is known for its extremes. It is North America’s driest and hottest spot. It receives fewer than two inches of rainfall annually and has a record high of 134°F in the summer. It also has the lowest elevation on the continent, which is Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level.
Staying in Death Valley National Park
There are a few towns to stay in when visiting Death Valley National Park.
- Beatty, NV (31 miles away)
- Death Valley Junction, CA (52 miles)
- Darwin, CA (57 miles)
- Amargosa Valley, NV (60 miles)
- Searles Valley, CA (78 miles)
- Olancha, CA (79 miles)
- Shoshone, CA (79 miles)
- Pahrump, NV (82 miles)
- Lone Pine, CA (84 miles)
VISIT Death Valley National Park:
Park Details
Death Valley National Park was established in .
| Address | |
|---|---|
| Phone | (760) 786-3200 |
| Hours | The park is open daily, 24 hours a day, all year |
| Entrance Fee | $30 per vehicle, valid for 7 days |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth. In the summer months (May-September) temperatures average over 100°F (38°C), and often exceed 120°F (49°C).
Death Valley National Park, however, is perfectly safe to visit in the summer with some caution. First, drink and carry plenty of water with you. Carry with you and drink at least one gallon (4 liters) of water per day to replace loss from sweat, and drink more if you are active. Second, stay on paved roads in summer. If your car breaks down, stay with it until help comes. Lastly, watch out for signs of trouble. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or get a headache, get out of the sun immediately and drink water or sports drinks.
Using Historical Data to Predict
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Death Valley National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Death Valley National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Death Valley National Park are March, April, October & November.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 80,263 | 109,242 | 171,617 | 140,477 | 80,770 | 56,077 | 52,909 | 42,775 | 55,804 | 108,985 | 133,130 | 114,502 |
| Precipitation | 17 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Avg Temp | 58 | 61 | 70 | 77 | 87 | 96 | 102 | 100 | 92 | 80 | 66 | 56 |
| Max Temp | 67 | 72 | 81 | 90 | 97 | 105 | 109 | 106 | 101 | 92 | 77 | 66 |
| Avg Temp | 34 | 36 | 40 | 44 | 52 | 59 | 67 | 65 | 58 | 48 | 39 | 33 |
| Min Temp | 26 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 41 | 48 | 57 | 56 | 48 | 36 | 28 | 24 |
Death Valley National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Death Valley National Park is visited.
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Death Valley National Park.