Death Valley National Park
add photos4 Reviews for Death Valley National Park
1 family found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
Welcome to the hottest, driest, lowest place in the Western Hemisphere. Average summertime highs are 115 degrees, and with scarcely a tree in sight, there isn’t much shade to cool off in. If you happen to come here between June and September, remember to take it easy and drink water frequently—dehydration is dangerous and can happen faster than you think.
But don’t let the heat deter you from visiting. Or the intimidating name, for that matter. With a rich mining heritage dating from 1849 and modern tourist facilities, Death Valley can actually be a very lively place. Geological wonders have, however, always been at center stage. You can see the famous ones in a day or so, but savor the barren beauty slowly.
More than 350 miles of unpaved and four wheel-drive roads provide access to wilderness hiking, camping, and historical sites. State Route 190, the Badwater Road, the Scotty’s Castle Road, and paved roads to Dante’s View and Wildrose provide access to the major scenic viewpoints and historic points of interest within the park. Artist’s Palette Drive is a famous byway that winds through pastel-colored hills laced with minerals.
Early morning is the best time to take photographs from Zabriskie Point, which overlooks ancient lake beds. By contrast, Golden Canyon is at its best in the afternoon. In between, you could investigate the bizarre salt formations of the Devil’s Golf Course and get an elevated perspective from 5,474 feet up at Dante’s View, where the Panamint Mountains and snowcapped Mt. Whitney will be visible.
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2 families found this helpful
"Pretty amazing"
One of the favorite facts my girls learned while in Death Valley was that you can see the highest point in California (Mt. Whitney) from the lowest point (Death Valley)! It is oppressively hot during summer months, and you need to bring water! The visitor center is great, and my kids really did learn a lot from the Junior Ranger program.
2 families found this helpful
"A learning experience"
We spent 2 days in the Death Valley for Christmas. We even got to experience the rain and strong winds. I agree with the other review, the dunes were magical. We sat there and watch the sun go down on the desert. We spend the second day hiking in the canyon not far from the dunes, and then driving from one beautiful view to the other. Do not miss the visitor's center, you will learn a lot.
Our family, dad, mom, two daughters, and a cousin had a great time.
I would not recommend going there in the summer though, must be unbereable with the heat and it would be a pity not to get out of the car for long walks.
3 families found this helpful
"Hot but dunes are stunning"
We visited Death Valley with our four kids this fall and we were amazed by the sand dunes that looked like they belonged in the Sahara Desert. Our kids were amazed and had a good work out climbing up and down the sand dunes. Living on the East Coast, being in a true desert landscape made us feel like were in a different world. Since we had teenagers, they really enjoyed it. Young children would probably have a difficult time.
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