Death Valley National Park

The park is a protected desert area in eastern California that covers more than 13,000 square kilometers (5,000 square miles) and extends partly into Nevada. The landscape alternates between white salt flats, tall sand dunes, jagged mountain ranges, and wide valleys where only a few plants grow.

Herbert Hoover declared the area a national monument in 1933 to protect the desert landscape from mining. Sixty years later, Congress expanded the boundaries and granted the site national park status in 1994.

The name comes from gold seekers who crossed this area in 1849 and barely survived the journey. Today, abandoned mines and historic settlements remind visitors of that time, while rangers tell stories about the early pioneers and their difficult passage through the valley.

Summer temperatures regularly rise above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), so rangers recommend visiting between November and March. All trails are well marked, and visitor centers offer maps and information about current conditions in different parts of the park.

Badwater Basin sits 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level and is the lowest point in North America, while just a few kilometers away Telescope Peak rises above 11,000 feet (3,300 meters). This extreme elevation difference creates completely different climate zones within the same park.

Location: California

Inception: October 31, 1994

Operator: National Park Service

Website: https://nps.gov/deva

GPS coordinates: 36.24189,-116.82606

Latest update: December 11, 2025 23:27