Plizio Visual Lab

Death Valley

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

Relief

Weather…

Death Valley is an extreme desert basin in eastern California, part of the Mojave Desert. It holds the record for the highest air temperature ever recorded on Earth and features Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 86 meters below sea level. Geologically, the valley is a graben formed by the stretching of the Earth's crust within the Basin and Range Province. Its name originates from the 1849 Gold Rush, when a group of pioneers narrowly escaped with their lives after becoming trapped in the arid wilderness. The valley later gained economic fame for borax mining, famously transported by '20-mule teams.' Despite its name, Death Valley supports a surprising diversity of life, including the endemic Devils Hole pupfish and desert bighorn sheep. Designated as a National Park in 1994, the area preserves a striking landscape of salt flats, shifting sand dunes, and lively geological formations like Artist's Drive.

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Apr, May, Oct.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg °C	8	9	14	17	23	29	33	31	27	19	12	7
Rain mm	17	20	12	8	5	2	10	8	8	11	8	17

📋 Practical info

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Getting there

Reaching this iconic desert basin is extremely straightforward via well-paved state highways branching off from major transit routes originating in Las Vegas or Los Angeles, accommodating all standard passenger vehicles safely.

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Best season

The absolute best and safest time to visit is during the mild winter months from late November to March, purposefully avoiding the famously extreme, potentially lethal summer heat that defines this unique environment completely.

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Terrain & paths

The striking landscape varies immensely from vast, incredibly flat salt pans at the lowest elevations to sharply eroded, vividly colorful canyons and shifting sand dunes, requiring mostly easy but fully exposed desert walking.

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What to bring

Visitors must unequivocally prioritize carrying abundant surplus drinking water, wide-brimmed hats, high-factor sunscreen, protective sunglasses, and thoroughly reliable vehicle emergency kits due to zero local cellular service.

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Parking

Extensive, clearly marked paved parking lots are conveniently available at all major scenic viewpoints, designated official trailheads, and the central national park visitor centers to efficiently accommodate heavy tourist traffic.

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Safety

Extreme caution regarding the severe heat is vital; always stay on established roads, inform someone reliable of your itinerary, and never hike at lower elevations during the intensely dangerous midday temperatures of summer.

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Time needed

While a rapid drive-through highlighting the most famous viewpoints takes only a full day, an in-depth exploration of the diverse canyons, historical ruins, and mesmerizing dunes typically requires at least two to three days.

Geography

Coordinates

36.50000, -117.00000

Facts

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 86 meters below sea level.
The highest recorded air temperature on Earth, 56.7°C, occurred here in 1913.
Death Valley National Park covers approximately 13,650 square kilometers.
The mysterious 'sailing stones' are found on the Racetrack Playa dry lakebed.
Industrial borax mining began in the valley during the 1880s.
The valley receives an average annual rainfall of less than 60 millimeters.