DEATH VALLEY
A few years back, when we were a family of three humans instead of four, we took an epic road trip to Death Valley. We LOVE road trips and my older son is used to long rides in the car including multiple trips to Big Sur and Joshua Tree, Iceland and the Southwest. But this one was particularly unique. Maybe it’s because it’s in southern California and it feels so close to us but it takes a very long time to get there, and once you’re in the park, it take a long time to get around. I wouldn’t let that distract you. It just takes some extra planning because services are few and far between.
The long road to Death Valley.
I used this Pinterest board to plan our trip. We stayed at one of the only places to stay inside the park, a resort called the Ranch at Death Valley. It was comfortable, great for kids and centrally located. Our room opened out to a large lawn area so it was great for sitting outside and running around. I thought the gift shop/store was really well stocked, and there are a couple of restaurants, too. Across the street is a slightly nicer hotel called the Inn at Death Valley (I think they are owned by the same company). We also camped! It was obviously harder and less comfortable but came with more perks — the amazing milky way at night, the stunning colors of sunrise and sunset, and being closer to nature. I should also mention that we went in November when it could still be hot during the day but quite cold at night. I don’t think I could do this trip when it’s really hot, it would be too hard. Bring all of your own water no matter when you go. It’s hard to come by which sounds like a cliche for the desert but it’s true. We also brought a lot of food and snacks since there aren’t places to stop.
Wild donkeys are apparently everywhere but we saw them on the road to road to Beatty. I squealed when I saw them! Aren’t they so cute?
My favorite experience in the park was Titus Canyon — a road trip within a road trip. It’s a one-way bumpy dirt road that’s about 20 miles long. You need a four-wheel drive with high clearance but don’t let that scare you. It’s still a real road. There are many interesting places to stop and explore or gaze at the beauty of being alone in the middle of nowhere. You still see plenty of other adventurers. The highlight for me was the end. I would do it all again just for that! I heard some people call it The Narrows (not to be confused with Zion) but officially I think it’s Titus Canyon.
The Narrows at Titus Canyon
A one-way dirt road and most of the times just one lane.
Zabrinskie Point
Badwater
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Furnance Creek Campground.
The geology of every place you step is a marvel. And the colors! This is salt that’s crusted up over water (yep, a technical term).
Besides Titus Canyon, I think the must-stop places are Badwater Basin, Devil’s Golf Course (a name that still doesn’t make sense to me), Zabrinskie Point and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. We also had a charming, delicious lunch a tiny six-table diner in Beatty — a good stop if you need more of a little town for supplies and if you’re already going to Titus Canyon or want to see the donkeys. Artist Palette didn’t do it for me but the detour road around there was super fun. I don’t remember what it was called but there was another place we wanted to go but we didn’t a jeep and probably needed to spend the night (somewhere closer to the West entrance, but then on a dirt road that goes north). We also liked a tiny diner we stopped at on the way home near Death Valley Junction. If I took better notes I could share this with you but then you might chase something that won’t be special to you when exploring and stumbling upon these things on your own is the whole point of a road trip.
I had always seen these photos and assumed it was dried mud. It’s not! It’s salt. So wild. And below sea level.
The end.