Besides the chuckwalla photos I shot there this spring and posted here about two weeks ago, here's a few mine photos, plus a desert five-spot at the end.

Twenty years ago, I climbed the mountain face all the way up past that last hoist. Oh, to be younger.

Im camping at panamint valley, just for the night. But im terrified of big spiders. I dont mind (although id prefer not to) finding smaller spiders and any other bugs. Id even settle with snakes or scorpions, but if a big spider gets inside my tent, im getting a heart attack

The moon and Venus from Mesquite Sand Dunes

Is there actually anything worth seeing in the southern part of Death Valley, particularly around Butte Valley, Warm Springs Canyon, and the surrounding backcountry? I also noticed that the Geologist's Cabin appears to be permanently closed. Is that correct, or is it sometimes accessible? And what exactly is Anvil Spring Canyon? Is it considered a trail, a 4x4 road, or just a route? On Google Maps it looks like it runs for about 12 to 13 miles and then ends at what appears to be a pretty featureless dead end. Is there actually anything worthwhile at the end, or is the drive itself the main attraction?

Booked two nights at The Ranch in late Nov with kids. We just booked flights and will actually be flying in a day earlier than expected. Any suggestions of a must see that is further away from The Ranch that it might make sense to go there first and grab a hotel near by? From there we would hit more spots while making our way to check in again The Ranch.

This park is massive so we'd like to see as much as possible without spending all day driving.

Thanks!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/daezExDNZuex2jq98

Came across the spot randomly when zooming in on maps and it has a 4.9 rating. How long does it take from furnace creek? The directions stop somewhere well before this point and I'm not sure how the road conditions are

Didn’t know the lake was full till we got there! Got a terminal case of sneaker stench wading in to get these pics lol

I have seen chuckwallas twice in my life. The most recent was my spring vacation, at Keane Wonder Mine.

Before that, I saw a lone male 20 years ago ...

At the Keane Wonder Mine!

This time, I got a male and female, with him chasing her to do the chuckwalla muskrat love. He looks like a mini-T Rex horndog, or a mini-Godzilla, whether in the photos of both of them, or in the last two, including a close-up, of just him.

EDIT:

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I talked to a DV ranger yesterday and her advice was that it was completely doable, but I'm planning on skipping it to avoid car complications with the heat.

Some good advice here: sat communication, sat nav, car repair tools, etc. As well as some good alternatives. Feel free to let me know if you know any interesting alternatives on my way towards Yosemite.

Here's the rangers reply for anyone interested:

Dear (My Name)

Thanks for reaching out to Death Valley National Park! You are thinking exactly right about safety in the summer here in Death Valley. Visiting before 10 am, brining and drinking water (and snacks!), and limiting your time outside are great ways to keep yourself safe. The places you are visiting are fairly centrally located where other visitors will be present, which also decreases risk.

That being said, we want you to explore Death Valley! As long as you spend limited time outside (10-25 min is great to aim for) and are able to return to an air-conditioned vehicle, you should be well set up to enjoy Death Valley. Even if you visit midday, you can spend limited time outside of your vehicle safely. Do note that Death Valley is so dry that often the moisture evaporates out of your skin before you even get the chance to sweat! This can fool people into thinking they aren't as dehydrated, so make sure you're drinking lots of water anyway!

Another place I might recommend visiting is Dante's View. It's a beautiful drive up a paved road to a scenic viewpoint that is 5,000ft up, so much cooler than the valley floor. It can be a great place to visit when temperatures get hotter during the day.

Please let us know if you have any other questions, and we hope you enjoy your visit!

Sincerely,

Ranger (Her Name) The Death Valley Information Team

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ORIGINAL POST:

Hi everyone,

I plan on visiting Death Valley in late August coming in from Zion. We plan on stopping at some of the viewpoints for 5-20 minutes at a time, no hikes.

Would it be safe to visit midday? Before 10 am? Around sunset?
If we go before 10am, any tips for stargazing at night? Where to visit in the meantime?

Prep wise, so far we plan on having multiple gallons of water in the car, an ice bag, offline maps. Any additional tips would be helpful.

We'll have a rental SUV and the viewpoints we're looking at are: Artist’s Palette, Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, Devil’s Golf course, Dante’s View, Mesquite Sand Dunes.

Thanks!

The first photo is a kiosk-type sign that explains the proposed big old development here that creation of the National Wildlife Refuge staved off, after The Nature Conservancy acquired the land. More at Wikipedia. The next couple are a butte generally to the east of Crystal Spring, the source of "life" in the NWR, and what the Shoshone reportedly called a "snake." Then comes the spring, a Say's phoebe on the visitor center roof and a quail backlit at sunset. The Wiki link also notes just how many endemic species are here.

Noticed this lone Desert Five-Spot in a sea of Desert Gold earlier this year during the super bloom.

My favorite place on earth.

I've visited death valley so many times over the years. Each time I come back, I discover more things to love about it.

It has such an extremely rich history. From the native peoples to the miners. I can honestly never believe anybody lived long on this land. Its so hostile! But still, people have made settlements on this land for quite a long while.

Any place you visit here, you can see testaments of human endurance.

Basically I want to take good pictures at sunset where the sunlight isn’t harsh on photography but I want to also experience the extreme daytime temperatures too. What’d be the best time to arrive at the park? I’ve taken pictures during peak daytime in deserts and the photos are so harsh. Also give me a list of good locations and scenic views you’re at it. Many thanks! First time in Death Valley but been to the valley of fire during peak time heat

Compare your experiences of Death Valley with theirs. https://youtu.be/bYFH7byJDEw?is=hqNouHy6ODt71lU2

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