About Death Valley National Park
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.
Quick Facts
Entrance Fees
All visitors, including Non-US residents, may purchase and utilize this entrance fee. Purchasing this entrance fee allows all persons traveling in one single private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van/RV/aircraft) to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.
All visitors, including Non-US residents, may purchase and utilize this entrance fee. Purchasing this entrance fee allows all persons traveling on 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.
All visitors, including Non-US residents, may purchase and utilize this entrance fee. Purchasing this entrance fee allows a single individual traveling on foot or individuals traveling on one bicycle to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the date of purchase.
1 - 15 Passenger Vehicle: $15 per person. In addition to the entrance fees listed below, additional permits are required for commercial groups, special park uses (weddings, memorialization, group events, etc.), commercial film and photography, research, and more.
16 - 25 Passenger Vehicle: $100 In addition to the entrance fees listed below, additional permits are required for commercial groups, special park uses (weddings, memorialization, group events, etc.), commercial film and photography, research, and more.
26 + Passenger Vehicle: $200 In addition to the entrance fees listed below, additional permits are required for commercial groups, special park uses (weddings, memorialization, group events, etc.), commercial film and photography, research, and more.
Non-commercial Groups (e.g., Scout groups, church groups, etc.) entering in a vehicle with a capacity of 16 persons or more are charged per-person for each person on board, not to exceed $200.
National Park Service regulations allow school groups and other approved national and international academic institutions to obtain a waiver of Park entrance fees, provided that visit is for educational or scientific purposes, and the resources or facilities that the group intends to use, support those purposes. Submit your waiver through the link below at least one month prior to your visit.
Operating Hours
The park is open daily all year.
Activities
Getting There
There are multiple entrances to the park. Click below to learn the best ways to travel to Death Valley.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
Entrance Passes
This pass allows all persons traveling with the pass holder in one single private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van) or those on a motorcycle to leave and re-enter the park as many times as they wish for 12 months from the month of purchase.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Explore Wildflowers in Death Valley
Learn about the different flowers you might be able to see in Death Valley during spring months.
Wildflowers pop up in the desert climate of Death Valley during the spring months. There are various elevations in this…
Visit the Furnace Creek Visitor Center
Stop by the visitor center to speak with park rangers and pay park fees and purchase national park passes. View…
Explore exhibits, watch the park film, participate in the Junior Ranger program, and meet with rangers regarding trip plans and…
Bird Watching
Roadrunners and ravens and hummingbirds- oh my! With many resident and migratory species, bird watching opportunities abound in Death Valley.
Harmony Borax Works Self Guided Walk
Harmony Borax Works was instrumental in drawing people to Death Valley in the late 1800s and in the subsequent popularity…
Harmony Borax Works has a 1/4 mile paved path through the ruins of the site. There are interpretive signs along…
Tour Artists Drive
Enjoy a scenic drive through a geologic rainbow! Artists Drive is a one-way, nine mile (14.5 km) drive which passes…
Drive Twenty Mule Team Canyon
A short scenic drive along an unpaved road through colorful badlands.
Visitor Centers
Furnace Creek Visitor Center
Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the central hub for all things Death Valley. Here you can pay the park entrance fee, speak with a ranger…
Hours: The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is open every day of the year, including holidays.
Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station
Talk with a ranger and pay the park entrance fee. Note: This is a contact station, not a full visitor center. Hours vary- not open…
Campgrounds
Emigrant Campground
The campground, water system, and restrooms at Emigrant have been closed since late August 2025 due to flood damage. The damage to the 5-mile-long water…
Texas Springs Campground
Typically open seasonally, late fall through mid-April. First-come, first-served campground located in the hills above Furnace Creek. Great views and some trees. No generators allowed.…
Sunset Campground
Open seasonally, typically late fall through mid-to-late April. First-come, first-served, large campground that rarely fills. This location has little to no vegetation and is comprised…
Stovepipe Wells Campground
Open seasonally, typically late fall through mid-to-late April. First-come, first-served campground located at sea level. Fee is paid at the pay station at the front…
Wildrose Campground
***No Potable Water Available in the Wildrose Area. Closest available water ~31 miles north at Stovepipe Wells, CA. First-come, first-served campground with no additional fee,…
Furnace Creek Campground
Furnace Creek Campground, near the Visitor Center at 190ft below sea level, is the only NPS campground in the park that accepts reservations. It offers…
Mesquite Spring Campground
First-come, first-served campground at an elevation of 1,800 feet, located 2 miles off of the Scotty’s Castle Road below Grapevine Canyon. It is a great…
Thorndike Campground (Primitive)
***No Potable Water Available in the Wildrose Area. Closest available water ~38 miles north at Stovepipe Wells, CA. First-come, first-served primitive, forested campground with no…
Mahogany Flat Campground (Primitive)
***No Potable Water Available in the Wildrose Area. Closest available water ~39 miles north at Stovepipe Wells, CA. First-come, first-served primitive campground with no additional…
Eureka Dunes Campground (Primitive)
Remote campground at the base of Eureka Dunes (the tallest sand dunes in California and home to several endemic plant species). This campground is located…
Homestake Campground (Primitive)
Extremely remote campsite at 3,785ft of elevation, accessible only by high-clearance vehicles with all-terrain tires. Access from Saline Valley Road requires navigating Lippincott Pass and…
Saline Valley Campground (Primitive)
This is a clothing-optional hot spring area approximately 35 miles from the nearest paved road. A high-clearance vehicle and all-terrain tires are necessary to access…
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