7 Summer Hikes in Death Valley National Park

Our family’s picks for summer hikes in Death Valley

We use the term “hikes” very loosely in this post, as some of these are very short walks to an overlook or don’t really have a final destination per se, as you can go as far as you want (as in the Sand Dunes, for example). Also, while we rated the difficulty, some of these would not be moderate/difficult in normal temperatures.  As with most things in Death Valley, they are made more difficult by the heat and desert conditions so be mindful of the conditions and forecasted temperatures in your planning!

We went to Death Valley in early June, so it wasn’t as hot as it gets later in the summer, but we kept most of our hikes early in the day to be safe. We recommend checking out the National Park Service’s visitor center for current conditions before heading out on a hike and carrying LOTS of water and some snacks.

7 Summer Hikes in Death Valley National Park

Father Crowley Vista – Easy

This short hike overlooks the beautiful Rainbow Canyon, which is a great introduction to the Park if you are coming from the west side.  It also happens to be a canyon where fighter jets regularly practice low altitude canyon maneuvers, so we had the pleasure to see two jets literally below us in the canyon.  While you certainly cannot count on that experience, you will for sure see a beautiful canyon!  

Mesquite Sand Dunes – Varies

These beautiful dunes are a sight in themselves and truly stunning!  You can hike as far into them as you would desire, but if it is late spring through early fall you will want to check air temperatures as is not advised to go out in them after mid-morning or if the temperatures are above 100F.  This is for good reason, as it is harder to walk on sand dunes than you would anticipate, it is often windy, and the sun is strong as well.  Be careful, but enjoy the dunes!  We hoped to make it to the top of one of the largest dunes, but didn’t make it that far.  Next time!  

Keane Wonder Mill and Mine – Moderate

This abandoned mine area is really neat to explore, but you should be aware that the road up to it is really rough and you have a short but steep hike up to the base of the mine itself.  Be careful and stay off/out of the equipment, as it is abandoned and not “safe” for exploration.  This is not as busy of a spot in the park despite being very accessible from the main park road, Highway 190.  

Death Valley Buttes – Difficult

If your kids are older, the temperature is lower, and you are up for an adventure, on a later trip (mid-November) I (Ross) was on for work I hiked to the top of the Death Valley Buttes.  My coworker asked the Ranger at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center for the shortest, steepest, closest hike and she immediately pulled out the guide for this one.  She was right on!  This was a tough hike, but provides a unique view over Death Valley. 

To hike the Buttes, you park at the Hells Gate Information stop where there is a restroom, and then walk across the wash area before ascending the first of the two buttes.  They are big, challenging, and guaranteed to get your heart-rate up.  There is a trail up, which we only saw once we got up to the top of the first butte.  The second butte is harder to get to the top of as it requires scrambling, and we ran into our time limit and had to turn back just before the summit.  

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail – Easy

How do animals survive in the desert?  What about plants?  What is a Death Valley pupfish and why are these ones rare?  All of these are reasons to take the boardwalk trail at the Salt Creek area!  Part of the trail is on the boardwalk, but there were a lot of footpaths that head beyond the formal trail end to walk out on in search of the creek and areas still holding water. (We broke a cardinal Jr. Ranger rule and took one of these well worn footpaths to find some pupfish. Shh! Don’t tell!). 

The pupfish themselves are a unique species of fish found only in the park. Another unique side-trip is to visit the Ash Meadow National Wildlife Refuge, where the Devil’s Hole pupfish is protected in a small section that is managed as part of the National Park.  Ash Meadow NWR is on the way back to Las Vegas and also has a Junior Desert Ranger program.  

Zabriskie Point – Easy/Moderate

For those traveling from Las Vegas, this will be your first opportunity to get out and stretch the legs and obtain a beautiful perspective that looks over Death Valley itself.  Stop, walk up the trail, and admire the colors and the Valley in the distance!  There is also a restroom here (pit toilets).  A bit further East of Zabriskie Point is the Twenty Mule Team Canyon, which is a one way unpaved loop drive through.  I drove this dirt road in a minivan without concern (gotta love rentals!) but small cars with low clearance could have some issues.  Zabriskie Point is a must-stop in any weather! 

Badwater Basin – Easy

Badwater Basin is the part of the park that carries all of the superlatives.  Lowest, hottest, driest.  This is the lowest place in North America at 282 feet below sea level (once named lowest in the Western Hemisphere until a location in Argentina was discovered to be lower) also has the highest evaporation potential in the United States (12 feet of water could be evaporated each year but the area only receives 1.9 inches of rain).  This is the must-see area of Death Valley. 

There is a pit toilet at the parking area that was the stinkiest bathroom we’ve encountered in any National Park.  It isn’t the maintenance, it’s the fact that everything dries out quickly and only leaves the stink 🙂  Stop here, make it a must do, and if you walk out onto the Basin, which you should, bring a good deal of water and hold onto your possessions as the wind is strong.  We walked further out then we should have and had too little water, which resulted in regret and downing all the water we had in the car once we returned.  I was motivated by the camera and wanting to capture that perfect Death Valley picture…

Death Valley is one of the most unique National Parks we have been to. We definitely recommend checking it out at least once in your National Park adventures and hope our guide to summer hikes in Death Valley is helpful for your trip. I’ve been twice now in a few years, and am already hoping to get back to continue adventuring!  Check out our post on quick stops in Death Valley if it’s too hot to hike or you don’t have enough time.

Do you have any suggestions for summer hikes in Death Valley that we missed? Let us know in the comments.