Death Valley
 

This April or May, my H and I want to do a road trip south to Death Valley from Oregon. We're thinking of doing a route that would take us to, DV California, southern Nevada (a must see due to a past job working with pupfish in/near DVNM), Utah, back to Oregon. I have a few questions-
Any suggestions for camping in DV, Utah area...we love the outdoors and prefer this.
Also, looking at the map again, I'm curious how the Grand Canyon would be to include. Any suggestions on routes from DV, timeframe, and parts of Grand Canyon to visit?

Death Valley is awesome and there are campgrounds in the National Park as well as plenty of hiking opportunities. Do expect it to be quite warm though. If you want to go to Grand Canyon I would expect it would take 9 to 10 hours from DV. You could head up to Utah from there. Lots of National Parks/Monuments in southern Utah as well as state parks and BLM areas for camping. Sounds like a great trip, enjoy.

Death Valley suprised us more than any other national park. We weren't expecting much, but we really enjoyed it there. It is one wierd place. You will swear you are on another planet. I would go in April for cooler weather. We were there in the winter and we didn't see any pupfish. I guess they are in summer as long as the water doesn't totally dry up. I don't see how they survive in that salty area.

check out Todd's Hiking Guide on the web. good site.

I think you would want to camp near Furnace Creek Inn/Ranch area. This is central and where the most lodging, food, stores are. DV is pretty darn big. A meal at Furnace Creek Inn is nice.

I think it takes about 2 hours to drive from DV to Las Vegas (check mapquest) and then it is about 5 hrs. from LV to So. Rim Grand Canyon.Try one of the campgrounds nearest Furnace Creek Ranch; that way you'll have easy access to the meager grocery store, Visitor Center, restaurants and other services.  You'll also be more centrally located in the park.

The campground at Furnace Creek, near the Visitor's Center, the Furnace Creek Inn, Ranch and Golf Course is the best in the park.

I did not stay at any campgrounds but made a few observations during annual visits to Death Valley National Park.

Furnace Creek campground looks very nice but it is a large place. Although it does not look crowded. It is next to the visitor center and golf course. I walked through this campground while bird watching. I noticed there is running water and flush toilets.I would definitely stay there.

I really liked Texas Springs where we often go to watch sunset and one time we watched a moonrise. Texas Springs seems much smaller and quieter than Furnace Creek. It is located farther from the road but a short walk or drive to the store, ranch, restaurants, post office, museum, laundry. We walked across the field to Furnace Creek Inn where we stayed. I think Texas Springs doesn’t allow generators since it is always so quiet there. There are some tress and shrubs. This campground looks nicely spaced. Texas Springs would be my choice. It is conveniently located for a visit to Salt Creek where pupfish live. Not far from there is Zabriskie Point, Badwater, Golden Canyon, Natural Bridge, Devils Golf Course and it is not too bad drive to sand dunes.

When you turn from the main road to Texas Springs on the left side you’ll see Sunset campground but I think it is only for RV’s. I would not want to stay there. No trees, no shade, just a huge wide open and paved parking lot with RV’s too close together. It is just across the road from the Ranch, store, restaurants, post office, museum, laundry.

Further north on the way to Scotty’s Castle is Mesquite Springs campground. We hiked from there and I liked this campground since it very quiet, it feels small but it is far away from Furnace Creek. It is well located if you want to drive through Titus Canyon and visit Ubehebe Crater. We hiked through the Narrows of Titus Canyon and on the trail around the crater.

There is a campground at Stovepipe Wells but it is next to sand dunes and this could be a problem. I hiked in Sand Dunes in strong winds and my camera is not the same since then.

I know there is a campground on the west side of the park in Wildrose but I can’t recall anything about it. Always too much snow to hike Telescope Peak.

If you can get to Death Valley in the end of March/beginning of April you may see wildfowers in bloom. Last March they were spectacular. Also in March you can easily see pupfish during mating season. There are also Saratoga and Amargosa pupfish in Saratoga Spring on the south side of the park and you get there from Shoshone but you need a high clearance 4-wheel drive.

If you want to include Grand Canyon consider driving from Death Valley to Zion NP. The to Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon) then to Grand Canyon South Rim. North Rim is closed until mid-May. It would be about 6 hours drive to Zion and then 2-3 hours to Page. From Page to South Rim is 2-3 bours.

I forgot about Devils Hole pupfish in another part of the park in Nevada about 30-40 miles from Furnace Creek. You can visit that area of the park and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge on the way to Zion NP if you decide to go to Utah or on your way to Grand Canyon.
http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/camping.htm

I really appreciate all of the feedback, thank you! I checked out Todd's Hiking Guide, looks very good. Thanks for sharing! I'll look into the camping areas mentioned, a few I have read about so far.

Another question--how about birding? Any birders with suggestions for the Death Valley environs?

we do lots of birding in Death Valley. What would you like to know?

Where in DV are good birding areas? Are there specific hiking areas that are better for birding? Any bird that are unique or special we don't want to miss? Are there areas outside of DV that would be nice to see & bird? Back history--we've also been to the Salton Sea and Ash Meadows (NWR... my husband worked there awhile ago). We're also thinking of tacking on Joshua Tree NP as well.

We're not exactly hard-core birders all the time, but when we are traveling we bird and look to find birds. We've road-tripped through Arizona and New Mexico and hit a variety of birding spots. So we're used to going the extra mile I suppose you could say, to see something new to us or unique flora & fauna.

luster, we too are not hard core birders but love to watch them, always looking for new areas and travel often to see something new and exciting. Anyway, I have to go now but will check my notes sometime this evening and post more details if you want. We saw a hummingbird in Death Valley. While visiting Joshua Tree NP last year we stayed in Roughley Manor B&B in Twentynine Palms. There were resident Big Horn Owls and they had babies. I never before saw such a beautiful baby owl. Big and fluffy with those huge eyes.
http://www.roughleymanor.com/owls/index.htm

Instead of the Grand Canyon, how about Zion? It is much closer--about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas, or less, so about 4.5 hours' drive in all from DV.

There is a campground just inside the park (Springdale entrance) and I think one in the town of Springdale as well).

We saw our best close-up view of a condor there, rather than at the Grand Canyon. One came and landed on a ledge about 30 yards from where we sat, at Scout Lookout.

Where in Death Valley are good birding areas?

Gardens at the Furnace Creek Inn. There is a tiny pound in the garden where we saw American Coots a few times. Many different species around the garden besides Costa’s Hummingbird. We love to be there early in the morning before majority of guests wake up. The gardens are lush and beautiful to walk around.

On the road to the airport on the left side and on the golf course there is a viewing platform for bird watching. You are not allowed to walk on the golf course, you have to stay on the platform. The platform is a decent size so you can comfortably set up your spotting scope. Don’t be surprised to get surprising looks from golfers. I couldn‘t believe how many birds congregated there. One morning (before 7 am) I saw 9 American Avocets. This was a huge surprise to see them in Death Valley. Last March we saw two Lesser Yellowlegs, Goldeneye, Great Egret, Mallards. The greatest surprise were American Avocets and Lesser Yellowlegs.

On the way to Zabriskie Point after you pass the Inn maybe 1 mile or 2 you’ll see lots of greenery on both sides of the road. If you find a safe place to park there are many song birds. Last March there was some road construction going on and we couldn’t find a place to park. Song birds are common and loud.

At Scotty’s Castle but you would have to get there early in the morning long before tours start (9 am). Once crowds arrive all birds go somewhere else.

Darwins Falls. This is a surprisingly green place with lots of water so it is a paradise for birds. There are some stream crossings involved. Poorwill Nightjar, Swainson Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and song birds.

From all these places only Darwins Fall is a hiking trail and it is a farther away in the west part of the park near Panamint Springs. The sign for the road, which is about 1 mile or so from Pamnamint Spring, was missing but there are not many road dirt roads going to the left from the main route 190. From there the road to the trailhead was horrible but we made it in our sedan. The potholes in the parking lot were bigger than our car so we parked right in front of a sign “4 wheel drive only.”

Some other birds during our annual trips were Western Kingbird, Say’s Phoebe, American Robin, Roadrunner, Chipping Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Raven, Gamble’s Quail, Mountain Chickadee, Costa Hummingbird, White- crowned Sparrow, Tree and Barn Swallows.

We didn’t look for birds around Joshua Tree NP but we need to do it this March. We are also going to Anza Borrego Desert State Park (first time) and stopping on the way at Salton Lake (first visit). Since your husband is familiar with this area can he recommend any spots for birds and a short hike or two? We are spending a whole month in Bisbee, AZ and birds in that part of the state are amazing but I bet you were there already since you mentioned you have road tripped through Arizona. Besides this part of southeast AZ is far away from Death Valley.