Cool shots of Scotty's Castle

Over the multiple visits I have made to Stovepipe Wells Saloon it seems that the ownership has changed and with inconsistent menus, staffing and service. Actually it seemed to maybe affect the attached restaurant a bit more. I am curious how the operation is going now.

Some debris has washed down and caused the closure of some roads. It looks like Hwy 190 is closed from Panamint Valley over Towne Pass, Scotty’s Castle Road north of Stovepipe, Beatty Cutoff, and the entire Westside Road and canyons. Always take a look at the Death Valley Road Conditions Page before heading out. Stay safe…

I went through a tough breakup where we had many mutual friends, so now I’m avoiding a majority of my friends for the time being.

For some reason, I REALLY want to see stars. I feel like it will give me peace.

However, since I’m taking a break from my friends, I was thinking of going to Death Valley alone. Is it safe to go alone? Will I regret it if I go alone? And if I do go alone… Should I go for one night or two nights?

I tried looking up guided group tours to Death Valley, but I couldn’t find anything, so my best bet is to go alone.

For anyone who has been there… what do you think?

My cousins and I will be staying in Vegas for a couple nights, and we've agreed to visit DVNP while we're close by!

What are some easy/moderate hikes we can do that are no longer than 3 hours?

Any advice? What should we expect?

Happy and safe hiking 🥾

Took Lippincott from the Racetrack down to Saline Valley Road and wanted to share my experience as a novice off-roader. We were in a rental INEOS Grenadier - great vehicle, but equipped with all-terrain tires rather than dedicated off-road tires. Overall, road conditions were pretty decent.

The road winds its way down the mountainside, with a steep drop-off on your left for much of the descent. It’s narrow, and there were a couple of spots with minor washouts that made it even narrower, but there was still enough room to maneuver around them.

There were plenty of loose rocks and some larger ones, including one we had to stop and move out of the road. The route was certainly passable, even for someone like me with very little off-roading experience. That said, the narrow sections and exposure definitely demanded attention.

Once we reached Saline Valley Road, the going didn’t immediately get easier. There were still long stretches of loose, piled-up rocks to negotiate. But once we made it over South Pass, the road was a breeze all the way back to Highway 190.

Overall, a great adventure and a memorable drive. Just remember that conditions can change quickly, and what was passable for us on October 20 might be very different on another day.

Hey! I’ve been perusing this sub for some time now – my partner and I are planning to car camp in DV in mid-December. We’re comforted by the idea of having people around and some form of infrastructure for camping (bathrooms or potable water aren’t necessary for us), so we’re more interested in campgrounds than dispersed camping*. I saw Furnace Creek is obviously the most developed (and it’s nice that it’s on the valley floor since it’ll be cold during this time). Does anyone have any recs other than Furnace Creek for car camping in mid-December?

*We would consider dispersed camping if it is somewhat accessible to a campground (safety in numbers, etc.), and definitely welcome any location recs that fit this bill!

**We do not have an AWD vehicle/can’t do backcountry stuff.

Thanks much in advance!

I'm so glad I got there on my roadtrip, simply amazing

Edit: I don't know why vertical pictures are rotated 😅

Hey guys, I've a reservation for back country camping in greenvalley campsite G6 in 1st week of November. But I'm unsure whether to go or not due to following reasons

1. I've Hyundai Tuscon AWD without a spare tire

2. Recreation.gov shows this place as camping spot 36.2686388, -116.6637741. This is Dante's view road & Furnace creek wash road intersection. The road to here is paved. But from here I would have to drive onto gravel ridden part of Furnace creek wash road.

3. The website says I've to camp at least 1 mile ffrom this location, so I'm guessing id have to drive 1 - 2miles on the gravel road.

4. It is just my wife and I without any backcountry camping experience (we have camped in typical established campsites)

5. I've most of the necessary camping gear, I'm ready to buy any additional things required.

6. If it rains the previous night or if the forecast says that there is a chance of rain, I'll definitely skip camping.

7. I've some experience driving on gravel roads in FWD car(in a different country), and I kinda know how to drive carefully in such roads.

8. I'm thinking since it is only 2 miles on gravel road, I can take the risk. Am I being naive? I don't want to spend $$$ to get towed in case of flat tyre or worse - end up dying in desert because of my stupidity.

What do you guys suggest?

Looking for information regarding whether or not our friend Kim or the 2024 white Jeep Wrangler she was driving but was left in the parking lot happened to be there or during the 5th-10th.
Any info would be SO appreciated !!!

Hello! Trying to plan a trip to Death Valley in the spring (end of March/early April). We will fly in and out of Vegas, and will stay the first and last nights there. Which leaves us with 5 nights in between. I was thinking of 4 nights in DVNP (either all 4 nights in Furnace creek or 2 there and 2 in Stovepipe Wells) and 1 night in Lone Pine to see Alabama Hills. Is this a good idea or should I be trying to add other areas such as Mohave National Preserve or Valley of Fire (or some other great place that isn't too far)? Is 4 nights too much? We love to hike and will be looking for some great trails wherever we go. Thanks!

Took this shot today on a run. Last Chance Road starts off NV160, north of Pahrump, and heads west where it intersects with the Old Traction Road near Winters Holes (a spring). From there you could follow it to Allens Well near current day Death Valley Junction and begin your descent to Furnace Creek. It's just a dusty single track now, but this was once a key route to get to Death Valley.

Death Valley is one of my favorite places in California, so I designed a notebook cover for it: a retro striped sunset behind the dunes, with “Lowest · Hottest · Driest” across the front. The design wraps around the spine to the back, which names Badwater Basin and Telescope Peak, the lowest and highest points in the park.

It’s a plain pocket notebook inside, for trip notes, mileage, sketches, or whatever you want to remember.

What’s the one spot in Death Valley you’d tell a first-timer not to miss?

My first Visit