The Death Valley National park is an American National park, straddles the California -Nevada border, east of the Sierra Nevada. Death Valley National Park is open all around the year.
The best time to visit Death Valley National Park is Spring with blooming wildflowers, besides warm and sunny days, or Autumn with clear skies. Both seasons have pleasant temperatures. Winter is called but it’s also great in terms of weather and least crowded. Winter is the best time for the fewest visitors. that. However, most visitors go there in Spring. Because of the beautiful wildflowers.
So, when you think of death valley, the hottest desert will come to your mind. But there are much more things in Death Valley than the hottest desert. This is the largest National Park in the United States.
If you spend several days in Death Valley you will love it. So in this content, we try to make an exploration of Death Valley to you. Read the complete content and get some ideas on the best times to visit Death Valley and the things you can do in those best times.
Best time for good weather
The best time for good weather is exactly mid-October to mid-May. In this time of period, the temperatures are cool enough to enjoy your trip. Temperatures are enough to take hikes around Furnace Creek. Death Valley National Park has a hot desert climate. A datasheet of climate-changing in Death Valley is given below:
Best time for Camping
The best time for camping in Death Valley National park is in October. By this time the weather is cool enough for camping in the daytime and the evening temperature is cool enough for a comfortable night camping. This time is famous for camping due to less wind. Wid makes camps difficult in the spring in Death Valley. You will need to book a spot at the park’s ground early. There are two top campgrounds in Death Valley.
- Furnace Creek campground
- Sunset campground
Camping in winter/spring ( October-April)
Furnace Creek campground fills during the busy season. Even this busy season you will able to find a spot at the sunset campground or Stovepipe Walls campground. All the reservations are available in Furnace Creek campground for first comes. However, you can arrive any time and pay at the campground.
Camping in summer ( May-September)
In summer you will see a few campgrounds. Because of the extreme temperature. In this season sleeping conditions are unfavorable. Holiday weekends can be very busy because of the limited number of campgrounds. The higher elevation campgrounds can be full-on most weekends during the summer.
Best time to avoiding crowds
The best time to avoid crowds in the park in December and January. The busiest times are March and April. However, the park has the fewest number of visitors it gets busy on certain days such as Christmas. The cool temperature is perhaps the perfect time to visit the park to beat the crowd. At this time campgrounds and other lodgings are easier to find than other months.
Best time for Hiking
Most activities of the park depend on the temperature. The best time for hiking is November to March. Even during spring and autumn temperature can’t be bearable for most visitors. The most iconic hikes in Death valley are too dangerous to take in the summer season. Because the heat is too high.
In December the temperature reaches high into the 70s and low into the 40s. Because of that Badwater Salt Flats, into Mesquite dunes and Zabriskie point are making perfect weather for hiking. There are five easy hikes in Death Valley;
- Harmony Borax Works
- Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
- Badwater Salt Flat
- Natural Bridge
- Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Best time to photograph the dune
dunes are very spectacular scenery in Death Valley. The best time to photograph this beautiful display in December. There are some reasons for that. When the temperatures are so moderate it’s easy to bring cameras and other equipment. It is very important.
Also, if you photograph during the summer it’s very hard because the heat can quickly creep up on you. December also offers the fewest crowd so you can spend less time getting your shots.
Besides, that most photographers recommend 1 or 2 hours before the sunset, to capture the best picturesque colors for the shots. There are some spots for perfect photography;
- Zabriskie Points
- Devil’s Golf Course
- The Artist’s drive
- Badwater Basin
- Dante’s View
- Mesquite Flat dunes
- Racetrack Playa
Best time to see wildflowers
Considering the harshness of the conditions in the park, animals are not to be seen except in the summer. In Death Valley, there are beautiful wildflowers. Wildflowers blooming in the park quietly depending on the rain.
Springs with little rain will see a little count of wildflowers and springs with wetness a big count of blooming wildflowers. The best time is really in the range between mid-February and mid-May. Wildflowers will not last long, thus you will need to explore the best to see this.
Best time to see wild animals
The best time to see wild animals in March. There are quite a few kinds of wild animals in Desert Valley. there are various kinds of tarantula and different kinds of mammals including coyotes, bobcats, desert bighorn sheep, gopher, kangaroo rats, foxes, and even a few mountain lions. Indeed this Death Valley is like a house of Devils and you can see it only at the end of fall to the beginning of summer.
Stargazing in Death Valley
If you love stargazing, Death Valley National Park is best for it. For stargazing a dark sky is required and the Death Valley has the largest dark sky national park in the country by the International Dark-Sky Association. You can observe this year around but winter and spring are the best seasons for stargazing.
Also, without a visible moon, the sky gets darker and that dark sky promotes seeing more stars. In addition to that, try to avoid lights from buildings and cars for a better experience. The whole Valley is excellent for stargazing as long as you are not close to buildings or any other light source.
There are some spots to that,
- Dante’s view
- Badwater Basin
- Mesquite Flat Dunes
- Harmony Borax Works.
Seasons of Death Valley
Summer – It’s hot! By May the valley is too hot for most visitors. But it’s not that much hot to prevent visitors. This is one of the wonders of death valley. In July there are twice as many visitors as in November.
The summer in Death Valley National Park is crucial because it takes 110 degrees of Fahrenheit higher elevation. If you visit the park during the summer you should be ready to face the high temperature. Things can do in summer;
- Visit Mesquite flat and dunes at night
- Experience real heat
- Head to the high country
Autumn – It comes in October, with a warm but pleasant temperature. It makes a better time to visit the park. Also, you will see a clear sky. Camping begins this season and ranger programs will continue all over the fall. Also, it’s relatively uncrowded at this time. Things can do in the Fall;
- Hike the Rim of Volcano
- Go for a hike
- Drive down Badwater road
Winter – It has cold days, chilly nights, and rarely rain storms. This season is suitable for winter exploring the valley. With these lower elevations, hiking is too enjoyable. Nights this season require jackets for comfort. Also, the winter is one of the least busy seasons for Death Valley without crowds. Things can do in winter;
- Going hiking
- Playing golf
- Going camping
Spring – This is the most popular time to travel in Death Valley. The temperature is pleasant. Also, it brings wind. In this season you can see the spring wildflowers which get more attraction. If the previous winter brought rain, the desert can put on an impressive floral display. this season is very crowded and busy. Things can do in spring;
- See wildflowers
- Stay at a resort
- Take artist’s drive