Highlights:
– No deadly heat, but comfortable warmth
– Rare lake!!
– Spectacular sand dunes
After reaching the highest high in the continental USA, we naturally needed to continue on to the lowest low: Death Valley National Park. It is so fascinating that the highest and lowest points in the continental USA are just a few hours apart, and I would definitely recommend seeing them in tandem if you plan on hiking Mt. Whitney. I would especially recommend visiting Death Valley after hiking Mt. Whitney as a relaxing desert getaway.
Because of its location and low altitude, Death Valley can be unbearably hot in the summer time, even setting the record for the hottest place on earth (nearly 57C!) in 1913. However, in November, the temperature is comfortable to warm, meaning it is one of the best times to visit this park.
In less than a 2 hour drive, we arrived in Death Valley National Park and set off exploring right away (a note: I would recommend grabbing a campsite upon arrival, which we did not do, and we had a bit of a panic to find only a handful of spots left since we arrived on a Friday afternoon). Due to significant flooding in August 2023, many roads were still closed in the park, but the main thoroughfare was open, and we got to see most of the attractions we were most excited about. Our first stop were the dunes, where we ripped off our shoes and scrambled to the top, watching other visitors sledding down on and enjoying the warm sun. I would definitely recommend finding a tall dune and claiming a spot at the top to enjoy the sunset over the desert from.
Other favorites from the park were the Golden Canyon, which was an easy, mostly flat hike during the day; Artist’s Palette—a beautiful loop you can drive with rocks in a rainbow of colors (pro tip: come during golden hour, before sunset, and you can see Badwater Basin from afar); and the salt flats at Badwater Basin, which we were lucky enough to see full of water (a once-every-100-year phenomenon). The salt flats are one of the most picturesque sites, even when there isn’t a lake there, featuring bright white hexagonal tiles of salt stretching across the valley, with mountains in the distance. Despite the allure of an other-worldly photoshoot, make sure to stay on the “trails” in the salt, so as not to disturb the natural tile formations.
The park is small enough that you can visit most attractions in two days easily and there are a wide range of accommodations. We were very happy with our experience in Texas Springs Campground ($14/night), which had tent and RV campsites, bathrooms, and dish-washing stations. The temperature was warm enough that it almost felt like summertime camping. Another pro-tip: take a look out of your tent late at night to be blown away by the stars! If you want to treat yourself, there are also upscale hotels and lodges in the park (mostly due to the unbearable temperatures in the summer), which we also visited briefly while on the hunt for ice cream. The prices are quite exorbitant here, so I recommend visiting a grocery store before arriving in the park!