Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is the largest national park in the contiguous US — 3.4 million acres of basin-and-range desert anchored by Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 ft below sea level. It also holds the world's hottest reliably recorded air temperature (134°F at Furnace Creek, July 10, 1913) and one of the most extreme vertical reliefs in the country, with Telescope Peak rising 11,049 ft directly above Badwater. The park spans the California-Nevada line; from I-15 the standard access is Exit 246 in Baker, CA — "the gateway to Death Valley" — then 110 mi north on CA-127 and CA-190 through Shoshone to Furnace Creek. From Las Vegas, US-95 north to NV-373 / Death Valley Junction is a similar distance. Designated a national monument in 1933 and a national park in 1994.

• Largest national park in the contiguous US (3.4 million acres)
• Lowest point in North America: Badwater Basin, 282 ft below sea level
• World record high temperature: 134°F (Furnace Creek, July 10, 1913)
• Designated an International Dark Sky Park (Gold Tier, 2013)
• Telescope Peak (11,049 ft) rises 11,330 ft above Badwater — among the steepest reliefs in the US

• Badwater Basin salt flats
• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at sunrise
• Zabriskie Point at sunset
• Artists Drive scenic loop
• Dante's View overlook (5,476 ft above Badwater)

Best months: November through March — daytime highs in the 60s-70s, manageable temperatures even in the basin.

Closures: No seasonal road closures on the main paved network. After heavy rain (rare but consequential), unpaved roads and even paved CA-190 segments can be flood-damaged and closed for weeks.

Notes: Summer (June–September) routinely sees 115°F+ daytime highs; carry one gallon of water per person per day, never hike midday, and watch for vehicle overheating on long climbs.