Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Driving from Vegas: What to see in Death Valley?

I am not a Death Valley expert -- only been there a few times. But I found a northeastern US Meetup group coming to climb Mt Whitney next month, and suggested they come in or head out through Death Valley and Las Vegas.

Someone on the trip posted this:

I hope people here will name their favorite spots.

For starters, I think Badwater is definitely a place to stop.

I'm planning the same route in mid-September.

What you can safely and enjoyably do in Death Valley will depend on the time of year and the vehicle you arrive in. Around July you should count on high temperatures around 110. This is not an extreme worst case scenario to scare you away, but more like an average high for that time of year at the lower elevations. Carry several gallons of water at all times and you should probably stick to the pavement due to the increased risks of getting stranded in dangerous heat.

Badwater Basin is a must for any Whitney hiker, just because you will want to be able to say you did the highest and lowest elevations in the contiguous United States. This will be hot so don't expect to hike around much. A couple of scenic drives you can enjoy from the air-conditioned comfort of your car are Artists Drive and Twenty Mule Team Canyon. A stop at the Furnace Creek area offers a visitor center, food, accomodations, and some short hikes if the weather isn't too uncomfortable. Nearby there is a paved access road to Dante's Point. At 5000 feet elevation, this breathtaking view may get you a respite from the mid-day heat down below on the flats. Zabriskie Point is also near Furnace Creek just a short walk up from some paved parking. It is a popular vantage point for viewing sunrises and sunsets. Then, depending on how much time you have and your interest, you could consider a side trip to Scotty's Castle for a tour. This Spanish-style mansion with a colorful history was built as a vacation home in the 1920's. Finally, if you haven't had enough hiking you could take the short walk to Darwin Falls on the west end of the park just before you leave. This lush canyon environment will give you a chance to dip your feet in a place that seems starkly out of place from its surroundings.

These suggestions don't even scratch the surface of what Death Valley has to offer travelers in a Jeep in October. But for July I think it would be a reasonably good appetizer as long as you can stand the heat.

Definitely Badwater - just to feel the burn! Maybe they'll luck up and hit a 125-degree day - braggin' rights back home. As they make their way down Badwater Road, they should certainly drive the Artist's Loop as well. The Devil's Golf Course is along here too. Other summer sightseeing would be driving up to Dante's View - best view of the valley in the park by road access, but it's a bit out of the way. Otherwise they could just hit Zabriskie Point on their way in on 190.

As they're driving 190 they'll also pass easily-accessible historical sites like the Twenty Mule Team Canyon and the Harmony Borax Works. And certainly the sand dunes at Stovepipe Wells.

Detouring up Wildrose Road to the charcoal kilns not only gets you out of the extreme heat for a bit, but offers a nice view of the Sierra. The only two maintained trails in the park are in this area (Wildrose and Telescope Peaks). Takes at least 30 min each way from 190, though. They could also hit Skidoo if they took Wildrose Road.

If they really wanted to detour north they could visit Scotty's Castle and Ubehebe Crater- but that's an extra 45-50 miles each way. Plus, Scotty's Castle has a seperate fee to tour the home.

By far, the best souvenirs, etc. are at the Furnace Creek General Store. Stovepipe Wells is the little brother in this category. The Panamint Springs Cafe has an incredible beer selection - considering. Most people will never have heard of 70% of the beer inventory they stock. I think that's the name of the place - either way, it's the only watering hole in Panamint Springs.

Unfortunately, they'll probably come away with a July impression of this place being hell on earth, and to be avoided. It's a completely different world in late fall or early spring.

Just a heads up - the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek is still being renovated. But, a visit to the USPS website should be able to get the dates they re-open.

The fastest way is to take NV160 to Pahrump, and just north of town turn left on Bell Vista. This will take them to Amargosa Jct, and 190 into Death Valley. Mostly people will be hammered from the flight, and too bleary to do much sight seeing, but a stop at the VC if possible, and possibly another stop at the little store in Stove Pipe Wells if they want an ice cream, etc - it's on the right. A few miles later on there's a little restaurant at Panamint Springs (it's on the left). It's a funky little place, and the prices don't abuse you.

An excellent stop is Father Crowley's overlook, a few miles beyond Panamint Springs. The parking lot was paved this winter, and a rest room installed. It's got awesome views of a very deep canyon.

If they have a bit more time and are feeling frisky, they might stop at Zabrisky Point, and also Ubehebe Crater. They're on the western side of the park.

(I just re-read this, and see that Gary has already mentioned a couple of the same places.)

Death Valley is something you only want to do when the weather is cool. Between now and November, I'd drive around it. I was there once in August, without air conditioning. That's a very memorable thing to do, but you'll do that only once.



Mousie's trophy shot:


Telescope Peak should be snow free by now, but it takes a full day round trip from the trailhead



Rogers Peak is easier to reach (gravel road) and if your vehickle has some ground clearance, you can get to 8100 feet by car at Mahogany flats (summit is 9990)



the view from there is that big panorama I posted recently, plus you have the view down to the valley, too, which is very close to what you'd get from Telescope Peak a few miles further down the trail. This is from the ridge north of Rogers Peak:



View in the valley, coming from Vegas into the south end of the Park via Shoshone:




and just a little closer to Badwater:

While I don't mean to sound argumentative ... if you fly into Las Vegas with Whitney as your destination, you don't really have choices which will avoid warm temps. The temps in Vegas are generally within 5-10 degrees of DV since the temps are mostly a function of elevation, with a 3-5 degree change per 1000' of elevation. For example - as I type this, it's 85F in Lone Pine, and 94F in DV. LP is 3.8K', and DV at the Visitor Center is a bit below 0K'. That's a common differential. And, the temps in Las Vegas are 95F, so DV is a bit cooler than Lost Wages.

And while I wouldn't want to drive thru DV without air conditioning, I wouldn't want to drive thru Lone Pine without it either. But, in this day and age it would be tough to find a rental car without A/C.

And don't forgot - not all of DV is blisteringly hot, even in August. Driving over Townes Pass is 5K', and it's marked cooler there. Or at the Charcoal Kilns (7K'), or Mahagony Flats (8K'). It's quite "safe" to climb Telescope in summer - just bring 3L or so of water. After all, with a start of 8K and a summit of 11K, it's not unlike going from the Portal to about Trailside Meadow, something scores of people do every day in summer.

Well, I've been to Badwater without A/C in August. Compared to that, Lone Pine is the north pole. There is a huge difference between 100 and 120 degrees in the shade when it comes to a human organism.

Maybe the heat I experienced has something to do whith my preference for the winter months

Yup, there sure is. Personally, I find 95F and the high humidity that sometimes occurs in the midwest nearly intolerable.

tell me about it... 96 and humid a few days ago, then tornadoes and massive rain/hail. Next day 57 as a high. one day you run the AC, next day you heat the house again.

but 120 - hey, it's a dry heat... yeah.

Much depends upon acclimatization, whether it's temps (high or low) or altitude.

Read an article last summer related to all the heat-related deaths in Europe, as they had record-breaking temps in many areas. As researchers discovered, heat is relative. For example, in Phoenix, where the average summer temps are much higher than what Europe was experiencing, few if any heat-related deaths would have been expected. Of course, some form of cooling (evaporative or A/C) is common in Phoenix whereas it's not as widespread in Europe, so that's a factor. Again, much depends upon giving our bodies time to adapt.

Couldn't agree more Kevin. I grew up in Atlanta in the late 50s and 60s without an air-conditioned home or auto. I distinctly recall having the first window A/C unit in our home in 1970. I didn't drive a car with a functional A/C till I was in my early 20s. The thing is, despite Georgia's excessive, never-ending heat index in the summer, I don't recall being particularly uncomfortable. It really is relative to the individual's conditioning.

All that mining and native history in Death Valley didn't take place in air-conditioned comfort. Nowadays, though, stepping out of a cool car cabin into that DV heat can be a shock to the system. My personal high-temp experience in DV was 126 degrees last July, returning to Vegas from Whitney. I've driven this park a number of times over the years, but I had never before seen the portable, bright orange "Excessive Heat Warning" signs that the NPS placed all along 190 that day. When DVNP feels heat is "excessive", you pay attention!

Just like there are some people naturally accustomed to cold, there are some who take to the heat, too. I just finished a run in 81 degree weather wearing a mid-weight thermal shirt. Below 80 degrees and I start to get chilled, but yet, I can run a daily 3 miles in 105 degree weather.(steve C thought that I was nuts because I was wearing a zip up thermal shirt during our 70-80degree hike up and down Whitney)