So, since we were visiting Southern California and Channel Islands National Park in January anyway, it was not too big of a deal to add on a four-hour drive to Death Valley and see it when there were fewer people, some water, and even snow. For that reason, many summer visitors see only the beginning of the dunes, comprised of ridges or hills of sand formed by the wind. We'll talk about the lodging options so you can do your research and decide soon; winter is a popular visitor season so you'll want to reserve while there is a good selection. 5-stars Hotels in Death Valley National Park, Popular Death Valley National Park Categories. From there to Dante’s View, you’ll follow Route 190 for 12 miles before turning right onto Furnace Creek Wash Road. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. In terms of daylight, this day is 4 hours, 59 minutes shorter than on June Solstice. Death Valley is on the border between the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. FC Inn is more upscale, a historic Spanish villa with hand-cut stonework, beautiful terraced gardens, and elegant pool, and a fine dining room with unique specialties and a mild dress code. So if you want groceries, stop at Pahrump. Other good news is that Mammoth is about four hours from Furnace Creek in DV, so you can spend some of the morning seeing places in Death Valley and taking your time to Mammoth; see my post on Leicestershire’s thread titled “I think I have boobed” for some comments about the route. I like Stovepipe Wells, too. You need to know, if this applies to you, you CANNOT enter Yosemite from the east in winter once Tioga Pass closes; this usually happens in early November but can vary. Plan to bring your own wheels or pick them up on your drive from the airport. Do you know what kind of room or perhaps even what building they are putting you in? The adventure continues in Part Three - Click Here. Since Las Vegas is only 2-3 hours from much of DV, you will have time to see Dante's View, Zabriskie Point, the places along Badwater Road, the Furnace Creek area and visitor center, and maybe Harmony Borax and Salt Creek on the first day. Weather in Death Valley National Park in january 2021. Many thanks for all of the wonderful advice. Charles Cody Siler is a writer, photographer, cyclist and active travel guide based in Bogotá, Colombia. It’s tough to explore the famous Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, for example, when the burning sun reflecting off the sand brings temperatures above 100 degrees. Death Valley has some months with regular humidity, with some extremely dry months. Mosaic Canyon is a fine hike just west of Stovepipe; it's on a gravel road that's OK for any car driven carefully. Must-See Attractions In and Around Las Vegas. (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Getting to Zabriskie Point: Drive 30 miles east on California Route 190 from the Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. It's $39-49 each way on Virgin America and takes 90 minutes. Enter custom title ... We want to go through Death Valley and then up north over the 395 towards Yosemite to take one of the all-year open roads west towards San Fransisco. Death Valley has snow at higher elevations and often heavy rain elsewhere, and this may cause some roads to be closed or require chains. You won’t need 4wd to see the sights I’ve mentioned if the weather has been mild. Discover gardens with incredible views, stunning rock formations, Spanish-style beach towns and more all within California, The Golden State. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. Furnace Creek is close to many of the major sights, including Zabriskie Point, Golden Canyon and other places along Badwater Road, the park visitor center, Harmony Borax Works, and Salt Creek. With December’s more pleasant temperatures (highs average in the mid-60s), you can also forge deeper into the backcountry, where the dunes are all but untouched. Answer 1 of 9: We are a family of 4 from Australia travelling to the US in December of this year. Driving through Death Valley in August -advice please. Death Valley is very pleasant in December. Continue onto California Route 190 at the junction and follow this road to the park’s visitor center. If your plans have you continuing north on 395, the winter storm conditions are possible all the way to Reno and beyond. SUMMER - is it safe to go to Death Valley? It's the hottest place on earth and the driest spot in North America, getting less than 2 inches of rain per year on average. (Tip: Save time by reserving your bikes online.) The Sand Dunes are magical at sunset and also sunrise. I appreciate the offer for even more help too! Panamint Springs is still more rustic, and it’s on the west edge of the park so it might be farther than you want to go. Alamo.com offers a variety of vehicles for Alamo Rent A Car at many airports in the US to meet your car rental needs, including: economy, fullsize, hybrid and luxury cars, SUVs and minivans. In the morning, there is the additional fun of looking for animal tracks in the dunes. Visiting Death Valley in the winter is the way to do it. The name might sound ominous, but Death Valley National Park in wintertime is strangely inviting. Read about the best national and state parks in California to visit on your next California vacation. Also, this will put you far out of the way to go to Dante’s View, one of the great must-see places of Death Valley. Furnace Creek has two facilities. I see it like this pretty often. But yes, sunset will be early; if you want to be at a particular place to see it, check at the visitor center for the time and give yourself a time cushion so you can enjoy all of it. His work has appeared in Club Traveler magazine, Gambit Weekly, Berkeleyside and other publications. "When my students and I look up at night from our southern California campus, we can usually count 12 stars in the sky. Thank you so much! I look forward to hear from you again when you have the time. WILDLIFE - do they bite? Temperatures drop … Friends, Death Valley weather is no joke. The rest of Death Valley National Park has a 30-day per calendar year camping limit. Stop by Las Vegas Cyclery, which offers road, mountain and e-bike rentals for up to two weeks. The least humid month is June (9.6% relative humidity), and the most humid month is December (36.3%). Fly into McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and pick up your rental car. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. Before heading out, pick up a free backcountry permit from any visitor center. The Ranch is a more mainstream, family-oriented place with more services: a variety of room styles, a big pool, golf course (lowest in the world), a general store, several restaurants, post office, and a small museum. Death Valley Explorer Tour by Tour Trekker, Death Valley National Park - Private, Custom Adventure w/ Pro Photography, Private Tour: Death Valley Day Tour with Evening Milky Way Viewing, http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. What maps to use? The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash late Friday afternoon, Dec. 20, in Death Valley. Death Valley holds the record for the highest recorded temperature on earth of 134 °F, and it was living up to its name. They are all on paved roads or graded gravel side roads that are maintained regularly. Sky is clear and peaks can be snow-capped. Generators are prohibited in Texas Springs Campground, except from April 16 to May 15 in the upper loop from 7 a.m. … Take Nevada Route 160 west through Pahrump, then turn left and follow Bell Vista Avenue across the state line. Answer 1 of 12: Hi guys, We are going to visit the USA for the first time this December and do a trip which starts in LA through San Francisco, Sequoia Park, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Sedona, San Diego. Wind in Death Valley is usually calm. We spent half a day there on our 10-day West Coast road trip since we were only passing through Death Valley on our way from Las Vegas to Yosemite. From December through March, everything is cooler and quieter than it is during spring and summer, when the … Related: What are the most popular tours in Death Valley National Park? From (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? There are normally 6 hours of bright sunshine each day in Death Valley in December - that's 65% of daylight hours . Hwy 395 from Lone Pine (or more usually Big Pine) northward is subject to winter storms that may bring heavy snow, icy surfaces, and high winds. Explore Death Valley in winter with these three must-do activities. Mammoth is a renowned ski destination and there will be snow, on the highways around the town and on local streets. Death Valley’s Winter Sports A properly equipped winter sports enthusiast in Death Valley is outfitted with good hiking boots, sunscreen, hat, binoculars, camera, golf clubs, bathing suit, tennis racket, water, full tank of gas and light jacket. The second hottest month? Generally, the temperatures are moderate at lower elevations with some snow in the mountains, a beautiful contrast. In winter, there are guided horse tours. On 190 from DV Junction, it is right on the way, then 190 takes you to the north Badwater Junction and closer to Devil’s Golf Course, Badwater, Natural Bridge, Artist’s Drive, and Golden Canyon. I think we’ll probably be talking again, once you digest some of this info and have a chance to think about your time in Death Valley. If you stay there, you’d need to see all of the major sights in the park on your first day, or else backtrack on the second day, which I don’t think would be an efficient use of your time. We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. SPW is my own favorite; it’s smaller and more rustic than Furnace Creek and it feels more to me like "being in Death Valley." But you can walk across the road to the campground or the path to the airfield and find it quieter and darker. The windiest month is April, followed by May and June. On average, the warmest months are June, July and August Death Valley National Park has dry periods in January, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November The coldest months are January and December (More on snow later.) I have now booked our night at Stovepipe Wells. Death Valley Junction is a ghost town, a former borax mining settlement. If you fill your tank there, you’ll have to buy less in Death Valley where gas is very expensive. I was in Death Valley in early December two years ago. The most direct way in, and the one I’d suggest for people with only a day or two for the park, is to Pahrump, then Stateline Road to Death Valley Junction and CA Hwy 190 into the park. Since your trip is in December, you have a little time to plan ahead. Email This BlogThis! There may actually be road closures this time of year. This canyon is better in daylight (mid-morning to mid-afternoon), especially in winter, because it is a north-south canyon with sheer walls, so the lighting is best when the sun is higher.The canyon has white polished walls that look like marble, and broken rock floors resembling mosaics. As part of a month long holiday we are planning on driving from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? How sunny is it in Death Valley in December? Death Valley National Park Weather in December While the middle of December gets fewer crowds, the period from Christmas until New Year’s is far more bustling at the national park. Fewer people means more room to start snapping photos across Death Valley. Capture the park from its legendary sunrise vistas at east-facing Zabriskie Point to the rugged cliffs and shadows of its slot canyons and the brilliant stargazing at Aguereberry Point. Not clear you have time for Yosemite too, aside from driving to the valley (with your chains) and then heading back out on 140 to San Francisco. 3 Things to Do in Death Valley National Park in Winter The name might sound ominous, but Death Valley National Park in wintertime is strangely inviting. We though we were smart by going shoulder season. Plan your trip and get on the road! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. And what plans do you have after Mammoth? Death Valley Service to Close Noon Dec. 7, 2020, Your vision for Stovepipe Wells & Emigrant areas, Driving from Stovepipe Wells Village to The Strip Vegas, See All Death Valley National Park Conversations, Driving Las Vegas to Yosemite - Where to stop. You can view the weather statistics for all the month, but also by using the tabs for the beginning, the middle and the end of the month. High temperature: 65°F (19°C) Low temperature: 39°F (4°C) Hours daylight/sun: 10 hours. He spends his summers working as a guide in Iceland, where he tries his best not to antagonize the local sheep. It is one of the best national parks to visit in December and the weather is a large reason why. Because the dunes are constantly shifting with the wind, there’s no marked trailhead — just pick a ridge and start wandering. And with 21 days over 120, this past July in Death Valley was the hottest month all-time at a single location. WILDFLOWERS - will this be a superbloom year? I am looking for itinerary suggestions for Death valley NP in December end. It can rain, sometimes heavily, to the point that roads are washed out and canyons flooded. But in January, the number of recreational visitors dips to just over a third of its August peak, according to the park service. It’s no wonder Death Valley has become a destination for cyclists. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-40522329', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Furnace Creek. HOWEVER, a couple of big CAVEATS: December is winter in California. Accom doesn't need to be fancy but expect clean and happy if it is an interesting place to stay - not just touristy. DV visit with 2 yrs and 6 yrs old - pahrump as a base? Death Valley weather is best in December and January. Hopefully, you have more than one day to do this. Located in southeastern California, Death Valley National Park is about 4.5 hours by road from Los Angeles and a two-hour drive from Las Vegas in neighboring Nevada. The other resorts are Stovepipe Wells Village, a half hour northwest of Furnace Creek, and Panamint Springs, a half hour west of Stovepipe. From an observation deck, to a Roller Coaster and Red Rocks Canyon see all that Las Vegas has to offer on and off the Strip. It might not be the typical winter wonderland, but this desert on the California-Nevada border offers its own kind of magic. I’m one of those people who live in Death Valley in summer, and it’s true that for most North Americans, is more comfortable to visit in winter. Death Valley is famous for its vistas, and in spring and fall camera-toting tourists mob the park, eager to take that perfect shot. Easily accessible and especially enjoyable in winter, Mesquite Flat features three types of dunes — crescent, linear and star-shaped — and it’s the only dune field that permits sandboarding in Death Valley. 6 Must-See National and State Parks in California. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-40386926', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Las Vegas, through Death Valley to Mammoth Lakes over two days and hence an overnight stay somewhere in Death Valley. LODGING - which Death Valley resort or hotel is best for us? This is a beautiful scenic route, but it will take you longer. The strata in the north end of the Panamint Mountains has been tilted to almost vertical. 5. We went in late April and at sea level, it was around 100 degrees. 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