13 Things to Do in Death Valley National Park This Winter

A winter trip to Death Valley can be a mix of short walks, colorful viewpoints, sand dunes, and a night under the stars. On my quick December trip with my friend Kara, we fit five stops into an overnight visit from Los Angeles. Below is the route we took, plus more ideas if you have extra time.

Trip date: Dec 20-21, 2018
Planning information checked: November 2, 2026. Trip story and photos are from my earlier visits.

Before you go: Pay the park entrance fee or use an accepted pass; an annual national parks pass is optional. A private-vehicle pass is currently $30 for seven days. See the official entrance-fee options before buying.

Is Death Valley in the Winter Worth Visiting?

Yes—winter is a great time to explore Death Valley’s lower-elevation sights without the extreme summer heat. I enjoyed camping on my December trip, but don’t count on warm nights. The NPS climate averages for Furnace Creek are about 65°F/ 38°F in December and 67°F/ 40°F in January. Those are averages, not a forecast. Higher viewpoints are colder, and winter storms can affect roads. I’ve also visited in spring, when the exposed desert felt hot by midday, and in November when the temps cool down just as much once the sun sets.

What not to miss at Death Valley?

For a first visit, my five-stop route combines Badwater Basin, Artists Palette, Zabriskie Point, Dante’s View, and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. You get very different landscapes without committing to a long hike. Keep the plan flexible around road conditions and daylight; the times in my trip report below describe our visit, not a schedule you need to match.

Plan a winter weekend in Death Valley

Day 1: Start with the Furnace Creek area, then group Badwater Basin and Artists Drive together. Continue to Zabriskie Point and, if the road and weather allow, Dante’s View. This is the order we followed; allow extra time if you want to hike or linger with your camera.

Day 2: Visit Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes early, then head home or add another nearby stop if you have the time. We spent about two hours at the dunes before leaving. Don’t try to squeeze every attraction below into the same overnight trip.

Choose your overnight base before setting your route. Furnace Creek works well for the Badwater-side sights, Stovepipe Wells for the dunes, and Panamint Springs for a western approach. Compare the lodging locations below. If you want help fitting Death Valley into a longer California road trip, see my custom itinerary planning service.

Current access note — checked November 2, 2026: The NPS road report, updated November 1, lists new flood-related closures, including Beatty Cut Off Road. Check the live road and campground conditions before setting out. A familiar route or an old trip report is not confirmation that a road is open. Remember, it’s a super El Nino year so flooding and damaged roads (in general) are more likely to occur.

5 Things to Do in Death Valley in One Weekend

Winter daylight is short, so group nearby stops and leave room for the drives between them. Here’s how our December 20–21, 2018 trip from Los Angeles unfolded. Check current conditions before using the same route.

I went on a super quick trip to Death Valley National Park with my friend Kara. We drove out from Los Angeles on Dec 20 just before 6 am, drove 4:15 hours north on hwy 395 towards the desert, and left the park at 11 am the next day to be back in LA by mid/late afternoon.

Although our trip was on a Thurs & Fri, you can easily use this itinerary to plan your own quick weekend getaway packed with lots of mini adventures!

Keep reading the second half of this post for additional things to do in Death Valley if you want to customize your trip differently, or have more time!

We had no plans for our trip and no sleeping accommodations… we just wanted to be out in nature, so our first stop was the visitor center.

Even if you know all the trails/ vistas you want to see during your trip, stopping by a visitor center is always a good idea to gather more information, current weather conditions, and camping options/ current water sources. I usually know exactly where I want to be on my trips, but I always stop by the visitor centers when given the chance.

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(11:30 am) We arrived at our first stop: Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America resting at 282 feet below sea level. It’s about a 15-min walk to the end where the paved-ish runway ends and you’re surrounded by 360 deg views of salt flats. It’s a very unique site to visit and we spent about an hour out here.

Water can temporarily cover parts of the basin after storms, but don’t plan your trip around seeing a lake. The Lake Manly photos linked below document an earlier visit, not current water conditions.

Read my Badwater Basin trip report and 2023 Lake Manly photos from when the salt flat flooded.

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(1:00 pm) We started our scenic drive through Artists Drive and about 8-10 mins in, you’ll see an obscure right turn where you can pull up directly at the Artists Palette vista. We noticed a few cars pulled over on the side of the road before this right turn to take pictures of the colorful hills, but skip that, drive up to it, and get out and stretched your legs! There’s actually a few short trails that get you up close to these minerals so we hiked around for about half an hour.

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(2:20 pm) I’ve always been curious to see Zabriskie Point and I wish we had time to do the Golden Canyon hike that leads here also, but we parked the car at the lot Zabriskie Point lot and walked less than 5 mins to see the view of brown-toned desert layers. This spot gets very crowded so we only stayed 10-15 mins before heading to our last spot for the day, but this spot was recommended to view the sunset.

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For the short walks, bring water, sun protection, comfortable footwear, and warm layers for the viewpoints. If you’re comparing socks for a day on your feet, my hiking sock guide explains the options I cover and why you need merino wool hiking socks.

(3:10 pm) Dante’s View is another vista you can drive up to. It’s a nice aerial view of Badwater Basin sitting at 5475 ft but if you walk about 5 mins to the left of the parking lot along the trail, you’ll get to see a bit more of it as it opens up. It was very windy up here because you’re driving a tad bit higher, but the valley from below wasn’t windy, just chillier as the evening approached. This is also a good sunset spot.

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On our 2018 trip, we drove back to Emigrant Campground and got the last spot. That is no longer a current camping recommendation: the NPS conditions page lists Emigrant Campground as closed indefinitely for water-system repairs. Check current camping options and reservation rules instead. Furnace Creek normally takes reservations for the October 15–April 15 season; verify availability and closures for your dates.

Enjoy the dark-sky location and book a stargazing tour in Death Valley!

The next morning, we stopped by Stovepipe Wells at the market for a snack and cell service so I could get some quick work done before continuing on our last adventure for this trip.

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(9 am, Fri) Stepping in virgin sand is really a special feeling — it’s the same feeling as when you are the first to step on fresh snow powder, and we were on a search for this experience at the nearby Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

The wind from the previous day wasn’t strong enough to “clean” the sand dunes from the thousands of footprints and we walked 30+ mins all the way out and still no fresh ridges. It’s still worth going to and we spent about 2 hours out here before beginning the journey home. It’s very exposed so start early or late – it’s also the best time for shadows from the dunes for photo ops.

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The 5 things to do above will fit perfectly into a quick weekend trip to Death Valley National Park.

Keep reading below for more things to do and places to see in the park!

8 More Things to Do In Death Valley

Views heading home towards the 395

Best Places to Stay in Death Valley

Choose by location as well as price: Death Valley is large, and a cheaper room can mean more driving. The links below are affiliate links; I may earn a commission if you book, at no additional cost to you. Check the exact property, your dates, and cancellation terms before booking.

• Western approach: Panamint Springs Resort – Panamint Springs is inside the park on the western side. Compare it if you are approaching from US 395, but check the drive to your planned sights before booking.
• Near the dunes: Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel – This hotel is right by the Mesquite Sand Dunes, making it a great choice for those looking to explore the area and break up the drive.
• Furnace Creek base: The Inn at Death Valley – The Inn is in the Furnace Creek area, a useful base for grouping the Badwater-side sights. Compare current rates rather than assuming it fits a particular budget. 

Looking for a more challenging adventure?
You might like this high-altitude hike to the tallest point in Death Valley: Telescope Peak

Telescope Peak Hike in the Winter: Death Valley’s Highest Point

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Thanks for reading 🙂

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below & let me know if you have any questions!

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