Death Valley National Park One Day Itinerary To See Everything

Want to take a day trip to Death Valley National Park, but don’t know if it’s worth it? This Death Valley National Park one day itinerary will tell you everything you need to know to see all of the best park spots in just one day!

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Zabriskie Point + Golden Canyon

Enter through the park’s east entrance, the Death Valley Junction entrance, to start your day off with sunrise at Zabriskie Point. Here, not only are you going to see the mountains light up pink, but you’re also going to watch the moon set. Yes, you will get to see moonset here. I didn’t even realize moonset was a thing until visiting Zabriskie Point, and I can assure you that moonset is worth the stop in and of itself, especially during a full moon.

The Zabriskie Point parking lot is only 9 miles from the east entrance national park sign — about a 15 minute drive from the sign. If you do not have an America The Beautiful annual national park pass, don’t forget to stop at a park pass kiosk on your way to Zabriskie Point. Here, you can purchase a pass to present on your vehicle dashboard. There is not a drive-through entrance to purchase a park pass here. Instead, you will find small ATM-like kiosks at an information pullout shortly after you enter the park.

After the sun rises from behind you, Golden Canyon fulfills its name and lights up bright yellow and gold, with shadows creating perfect layers for photography. There are plenty of trails to explore down into Golden Canyon if you wish. Otherwise, the view from the Zabriskie Point lookout is fantastic too.

Devil’s Golf Course

Then, you’re going to drive about 15 minutes (11.8 miles) down into the valley, making your next stop at Devil’s Golf Course. Don’t be fooled, though, Devil’s Golf Course is not an actual golf course. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s “the golf course that only the devil could play on.” Devil’s Gold Course is an otherworldly region of Death Valley that is built of rough, rugged, short salt formations that stretch as far as the eye can see. It will be a quick stop on the way to my favorite part of Death Valley National Park (next) but a worthwhile stop nonetheless.

Badwater Basin

Just ten minutes (8.4 miles) down the road is your next stop, my favorite Death Valley National Park one day itinerary stop, the salt flats of Badwater Basin. Badwater Basin is the location of the iconic bright white salt flats that you picture when you think of Death Valley. Even more impressive, these salt flats are 282 feet below sea level, and are the hottest place on record in the world to date. Definitely walk out onto the flats if you are physically able, as the views are 100x better on the flats than from the parking lot overlook.

Be careful, though, because you’re eyes will deceive you. The tall mountains that backdrop the salt flats make the salt flats appear much smaller than they are, as you’ll see from your next stop. Therefore, it can be very dangerous, if not fatal, to hike far out onto Badwater Basin if you are not prepared with adequate water and sun protection. Remember, this is literally the hottest place on Earth. I suggest hiking no more than 10 minutes out from the parking lot, as you’ll still get a great look at clean, not-stepped-on flats without endangering yourself to too much heat exposure. Remember, if you hike 10+ minutes out, you also have to hike 10+ minutes back to your car!

Dante’s View

In the heat of the day, backtrack up the mountain to Dante’s View for a beautiful aerial view of Badwater Basin and some cooler air. It’s a lengthy 55 minute drive up to Dante’s View, but worth it in my opinion if you have the time. And, if you started your day before sunrise like this Death Valley day trip itinerary suggests, then you should have time.

The view here is incredible and really puts into perspective how big the basin is. When we walked 10ish minutes out onto Badwater Basin at our pior stop, we were certain that we were halfway across the flats to the base of mountains. But, boy, were we wrong. Once we were at Dante’s View, we could see that we had only made it about a tenth of the way across the flats maximum. It’s a good thing we didn’t hike out onto the flats any further!

Furnace Creek Visitor’s Center

After lunch, feel free to stop at the Visitor’s Center in Furnace Creek. We had plenty of time to check out the museum as well as the gift shop. If you have an America The Beautiful annual national park pass, you can pick up the paper ticket to present on your car dashboard here too.

Artists Palette + Scenic Drive

Afterward, drive back down into the valley to Artists Scenic Drive and Artists Palette. This time, you’ll only have a 10 mile drive until you turn left onto Artists Drive. Artists Drive is a scenic one-way loop drive where you’ll have the unique chance to see rainbow colored mountains — we’re talking purple, mint green, blue and red — which light up for golden hour.

Additionally, there are a variety of roadside stops to get a closer look at the colorful mountains, including Artists Palette. Artists Palette is without a doubt the highlight of Artists Drive, so I highly recommend jumping out of your car and exploring here for a bit. Although dry, the colorful dirt is very slick. Heck, even I slipped and fell on my rear-end with durable hiking boots on a dry day. So, always watch your footing and never hike past your comfort zone on the ridges. Also, stay on the designated trails — both for your safety and to adhere to Leave No Trace principles.

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Finally, your last stop of the day will be the Mesquite Sand Dunes for sunset. Death Valley National Park alone is home to five dune fields: Eureka, Saline Valley, Panamint, Ibex and the Mesquite Flat. The Mesquite Flat dunes are closest to your other stops — and still jaw-dropping — which is why I choose to highlight them in this quick itinerary. Here, you will get to walk on Sahara-like massive sand dunes, which makes you feel as though you’ve left the United States altogether. While you can see the dunes from the parking lot, it’s worth walking the 10ish minutes out to the big dunes for a closer look if you’re able.

A few pro-tips for exploring the sand dunes. First, plan extra time for hiking than usual. Every step you take up, you slide a half step down. So, hiking these sand dunes will likely be harder and more time consuming than today’s other stops. Second, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. People die on desert hikes every year from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Hopefully, visiting at sunset will shield you from the harsh midday sun. Regardless, hydration is important to note. Moreover, there are snakes and coyotes that call these dunes home, so if you choose to stay past dark, keep an eye out.

Bonus Stop: Stargazing At Badwater Basin

If you have the time in your nighttime schedule, I highly recommend stargazing at Badwater Basin. Death Valley National Park is recognized as a gold tier dark sky by DarkSky International. This is the highest rating of darkness, making it one of the best places in the world to stargaze. More specifically, stargazing on the Badwater Basin salt flats provides both a perfect view of the sky and a naturally flat surface to lie on. The sky is wide open here, so you can see millions of stars without obstructive trees.

Make sure you stay at least 30 minutes to let your eyes fully adjust to see the most stars, bring a red light flashlight or headlamp (I use this headlamp) to keep your eyes adjusted, and take your tripod if you want to take astrophotographs. If you don’t have a red light source, you can wrap red cellophane over a regular flashlight for a similar affect.

Death Valley National Park In One Day FAQs

Can I see Death Valley in one day?

Yes! you can see all of the best that Death Valley as to offer in one day as you can see in this one day itinerary. Although you won’t be able to see the entire park in a day, you will get to see the main features of the park.

Is a Death Valley day trip worth it?

Yes, a Death Valley day trip is absolutely worth it. Again, you can see all of the park’s best spots in just a day. Plus, Death Valley National Park quickly became one of my favorite USA national parks during my day trip, and that’s saying a lot. I’ve been to over 20 US national parks.

How much time do you need in Death Valley National Park?

While you can see all of the best spots in the park in a day, such as Badwater Basin and the sand dunes, ideally you would have 1-2 days to explore Death Valley National Park, or 3-4 days if you want to explore the park in its entirety.

Where To Stay For This Death Valley National Park One Day Itinerary

For this Death Valley National Park itinerary, I recommend you stay either inside the park or right outside the park near Death Valley Junction. While you’re hotel options are slim right outside of the park, we car camped in a free primitive boondocking site called “The Pads,” just five miles down the road (road SR 190) from the park’s east entrance. I assume it is an abandoned RV campground, as it has dozens of flat concrete pads to park on. This was perfect for us because then we were able to start our day bright and early for sunrise without any far drives.

Otherwise, staying inside Death Valley National Park near Furnace Creek would be an even better option if you’re able to snag a coveted campsite or lodge reservation. We had a chance to explore the grounds of The Inn At Death Valley and The Ranch At Death Valley, and the properties were stunning. These hotels and campsites can book out months in advance, though, so plan ahead.

Alternatively, you can find a variety of chain hotels in the neighboring city of Pahrump, Nevada. But, staying here would mean you are still an hour away from the park entrance, which means you would have to leave an hour earlier to make it to Zabriskie Point by sunrise. So, this wouldn’t be my first recommendation.

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