Death Valley Nat'l Park
 

We are heading there tomorrow with friends and due to the enormity of the park, I don't know where to start in terms of planning the excursion. We would be entering the park via Barstow around 11am, and have the entire day to explore before heading back to the Vegas area.

Wikitravel lists a plethora of places to check out, but I'm looking for tips on how to narrow things down in terms of what the not misses are, what to pass on, what places are adjacent/ doable in one day, etc.

This will likely be the first of a few visits, so what we miss this time we could perhaps get to next time.

Thanks in advance,
Boots

Since it's a pretty big detour, I would save Scotty's "Castle" for another time.

Don't miss Artist's Drive and Palette.

A pretty good buffet lunch is served at Furnace Creek Ranch.

HTTY

Artists Drive, Zabriskie Point, the sand dunes and Badwater.

Check the weather, there is a storm coming through tonight/tomorrow. I might even consider cancelling if there are going to be high winds forecast.

Agree with the above post, unless you never expect to return, save Scotty's Castle for another time because of the distance. If you really want to go there, leave the park via the road that runs past the Castle, SR 267 and pick up US 95 at Scotty's Junction for the return to LV.
If you skip Scotty's, worthwhile points of interst within a reasonable drive from Furnace Creek include the Sand Dunes, Zabriskie Point, Artist's Drive as mentioned above, Devil's Golf Course, Dante View and Badwater.
I think you mean you'll enter via Baker and then to Death Valley Junction since I don't know of route into DVNP from Barstow as military bases block any way in.

Sorry, I meant via Pahrump.

We saw the forecast for tomorrow and couldn't believe our bad luck :(...

<i>Windy. Showers early with clearing later in the day. High 61F. Winds WSW at 25 to 40 mph. Chance of rain 40%.</i>

DV is the one place around this region they haven't been to and tomorrow is the only day we can go, so I'm hoping the weather does improve some later in the day.

Thanks for your help.

I agree with the previous posters, Badwater, Artists Pallet drive, Devil's Golf Course, Borax Works, Zabriskie Point, Furnace Creek. Do stop into the VC.

This is the forecast I saw for tomorrow at Furnace Creek: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. South wind 9 to 16 mph becoming west. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph.

That's not bad, no reason to cancel based on that forecast.

Maybe not the best weather to visit DV but better than 110* with a hot wind.
If you did want to exit to the south, you can continue south from Badwater and then east to Shoshone and turn right and end up in Baker.
Turn off 180 onto State Line Road about 3 miles north of Pahrump. This will bring you to Death Valley Junction.
If you did go by way of Baker and did not want to go all the way back to LV, you could spend a night at Buffalo Bill's in Primm on the CA/NV border.

The problem is blowing sand and dust more than rain. There is a high wind watch for tomorrow. One of the sights I spot checked said gusts up to 50 mph.

It might be worthwhile calling the visitor center and see what they forecast before you leave tomorrow morning.

This is the same big storm that hammered the northwest.

Very good suggestions above for your adventure. We were to DV last February after good recommendations from Fodor's. Stayed at Stovepipe as FC was full. Never made it up to Scotty's Castle, so need to go back! Great hiking, husband enjoyed Borax Works. Enjoy your day tomorrow!

Walk the dunes-blowing sand or not.

Will do, mlgb.

Thank you, all.

"<i>Walk the dunes-blowing sand or not.</i>"

no - don't walk the dunes in high winds. But yes - check w/ the visitor center first. Up here in N. Calif we are having the first storm in nearly 2 months and the wind is picking up.

My statement was directed to tomorrows forecast of a 10 mph wind. That isn't going to be a big deal at all. Even 20 mph isn't that big of a deal. The car is not far, if you are getting pelted with sand, then obviously, go back to your car.

Spiro obviously didn't read my statement that there forecasts of gusts up to 50 mph. It doesn't feel great on your skin, but you'll know that right away if it's howling when you try to hike the dunes. There's also a few hours of driving thru desert between Barstow and DV. Having owned a condo in the Palm Desert area for 5 years, I seen the damage done to a car's windshield and paint job from a blowing sand.

mlgb,
Your right I didn't read yours. I read wherearewe's.

Having lived in Twentynine Palms for several years, I have certainly seen what wind can do to a cars paint job a few times.

You are right that you will know within a couple of minutes of being on the sand whether to continue or not.

Today ............................ Partly sunny. High around 67 at Furnace Creek. NE wind under 10 mph shifting to the SE around 10 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: ......................... Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain in the evening. After midnight a 50% chance of rain. Lows 36 to 41. South wind 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

The morning report for today that is on the NPS Death Valley website. 10 MPH isn't that big of a deal, IMOP. Looks like a perfect day for DV to me.

of course, now that I reread it. that was for yesterday. LOL,sorry. I guess they haven't updated the website for today yet.

Well they're either on their way by now or not! The rain started early here in SoCal. I may be on Fodors all day.

Hi again- there was a bit of blowing sand when we first entered the park but it died down by early afternoon.

Our first stop was the VC in Shoshone which was very quaint and informative. Then we drove to Badwater, Artist's Drive, had a late lunch at a cafe in Furnace Creek, then went on to Zabrisky Point and Borax works. We'll have to see the Dunes and Dante's View next time.

A major highlight was coming across a pair of coyotes walking alongside the road. We stopped, rolled down our windows and took pictures as they just stood there looking at us from only a few feet away. They are so beautiful- much smaller and more sandy-coloured than the ones we had in eastern Canada.

It was such a nice excursion and I look fwd to doing it again.

I'm so glad the storm system passed shortly after we arrived . As with Valley of Fire, the sun shining on all the different shades of the desert landscape makes all the difference in the world.

Thanks again everyone for your helpful input.

Boots