Death Valley National Park offers exceptional RV camping across seven developed campgrounds, featuring America's most extreme desert landscapes, iconic landmarks like Badwater Basin and Zabriskie Point, and unforgettable seasonal adventures. Furnace Creek Campground provides the only full hookups inside the park, while strategic locations like Las Vegas RV rentals and Ridgecrest camper van options offer prime access to this 3.4 million-acre wonderland that draws millions of visitors annually during the cooler months from October through April.
Stretching across 3.4 million acres of stunning desert landscapes, Death Valley National Park captures the raw beauty and extremes of America's most fascinating desert environment. Famous for being the largest national park in the lower 48 states, it spans across California and Nevada, showcasing everything from the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin (-282 feet below sea level) to towering peaks rising over 11,000 feet. Death Valley is the ultimate RV adventure since it's home to some of the world's most spectacular natural wonders like Zabriskie Point's colorful badlands, the mysterious sailing stones of Racetrack Playa, and the massive Ubehebe Crater.
You'll discover a world of limitless adventure during your RV trip to Death Valley, from sunrise photography at Zabriskie Point to exploring otherworldly salt flats at Badwater Basin. You can hike through colorful canyons like Golden Canyon or drive the scenic Artist's Drive to witness nature's incredible palette. There's no shortage of spectacular spots for photography and stargazing—Death Valley is an International Dark Sky Park with some of the clearest night skies in the country. You'll want to bring your camera because the park's dramatic landscapes and ever-changing light create breathtaking moments from dawn to dusk.
The cooler months from October through April are peak season for RVers, with comfortable daytime temperatures ranging from 65-75°F and cool nights perfect for campfires. Late spring offers the chance to witness Death Valley's legendary wildflower blooms when conditions are right. Summer presents the ultimate challenge—Death Valley holds the world record for the hottest air temperature ever recorded at 134°F, making RV travel extremely dangerous during June through September. No matter when you plan your RV road trip to Death Valley, you'll experience one of the most unique and memorable adventures available in any national park.
Death Valley attracts millions of visitors annually, with the cooler months seeing the heaviest visitation. This makes advance planning essential for securing campground reservations, especially at popular spots like Furnace Creek Campground which books up quickly during peak season. The park's extreme conditions and remote location make proper preparation crucial for a safe and enjoyable RV adventure.
No open flame fires are allowed at Thorndike, Wildrose or Mahogany Flats campgrounds or in firepans above 3,000 ft in elevation. Controlled flame devices with shut off valves and gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel sources are allowed.
Gasoline is available at Panamint Springs Resort from 7am-9:30pm, daily. Gas is available at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells 24hrs.
You can access Death Valley through multiple entrances, with the most popular being Highway 190 from the east (Nevada) and west (California). From Las Vegas, take US-95 north to Highway 373, then west to the park entrance—a scenic 2-hour drive covering 120 miles. From Los Angeles, the journey is approximately 220 miles via Highway 14 north to Highway 190 east. All main park roads are paved and suitable for RVs, though some scenic drives like Artist's Drive have narrow sections. The maximum RV length varies by campground, with most accommodating rigs up to 30-40 feet.
Las Vegas Gateway Access: Las Vegas RV rentals position you perfectly for Death Valley's eastern entrances, offering the shortest drive time to the park at just 2 hours via well-maintained highways. This route provides direct access to popular attractions like Furnace Creek and Badwater Basin, with Las Vegas serving as the ideal base for stocking up on supplies and preparing for desert travel.
California Central Access: Ridgecrest camper van rentals offer convenient access to Death Valley's western regions while keeping you closer to California's major cities. Located about 70 miles from the park, Ridgecrest serves as an excellent launching point for exploring the park's western attractions and provides a more relaxed alternative to the Las Vegas hustle.
You can park your RV at designated areas throughout Death Valley, including visitor centers, campgrounds, and major attractions like Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Most parking areas accommodate large RVs, though some scenic overlooks may have size restrictions. During peak season (October-April), popular attractions can fill up early, so arriving early morning is recommended for the best parking spots.
Public transportation is extremely limited in Death Valley's remote location. Most visitors rely on personal vehicles or RVs to explore the park's vast distances between attractions. Some tour companies offer day trips from Las Vegas, but having your own vehicle is essential for fully experiencing the park's many scattered points of interest across 3.4 million acres.
Furnace Creek is open year-round with 136 sites available for tents and RVs, featuring the park's only full hookup options at 18 sites for RVs up to 40 feet. Located at 196 feet below sea level, this campground offers bragging rights for camping at one of the lowest spots in North America. Amenities include flush toilets, hot showers, drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings, and a dump station. The campground provides easy access to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, general store, restaurants, and the famous Death Valley golf course—the lowest-elevation golf course in the world.
Sunset Campground offers 270 sites from October through April on a first-come, first-served basis, making it the largest campground in the park and rarely reaching capacity. Located near Furnace Creek, this campground provides basic amenities including vault toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and a dump station. While less scenic than other options, its proximity to park amenities and large capacity make it ideal for late arrivals or budget-conscious travelers.
Located at 4,100 feet elevation, Wildrose offers 23 free campsites providing relief from valley heat with temperatures often 20 degrees cooler than lower elevations. This primitive campground features pit toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and fire rings, accommodating RVs up to 25 feet. Note: Wildrose Campground is currently closed through April 2025 due to road construction on Emigrant Canyon Road.
Stovepipe Wells offers 190 first-come, first-served sites from October through May, accommodating both tents and RVs up to 30 feet with no hookups available. This campground features flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and fire rings, with generator use permitted from 7 AM to 7 PM. Located near the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, it's perfect for sunrise photography and sandboarding adventures. The nearby Stovepipe Wells Village provides basic amenities including a general store, gas station, and restaurant.
Texas Springs provides 92 first-come, first-served sites from mid-October through April, nestled in the hills above Furnace Creek with stunning valley views. This quiet campground prohibits generators, creating a peaceful atmosphere perfect for relaxation and stargazing. Amenities include flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings, and dish-washing stations. The upper loop accommodates RVs and campervans, while the lower loop is designated for tent camping only.
Mesquite Spring is the only year-round campground besides Furnace Creek, offering 30 sites in the northern section of the park near Scotty's Castle. This remote campground features flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, and fire rings, accommodating RVs up to 30 feet. The higher elevation and northern location provide cooler temperatures and access to unique attractions like Ubehebe Crater and the mysterious Racetrack Playa.
Emigrant provides 10 sites at 2,100 feet elevation, offering the only flush toilets among the backcountry campgrounds but no fire rings due to fire restrictions. This small campground accommodates RVs up to 25 feet and serves as a gateway to hiking trails and more remote park areas. The moderate elevation provides a compromise between valley heat and mountain cold.
Death Valley National Park has three privately operated campgrounds located within the park's boundaries. These RV parks are suitable for RVs, and most of these parks have the modern amenities that many campers desire. Depending on which RV park you choose, you can dine, golf, or take a swim. If you prefer to stay outside of the park, there are numerous RV parks on the western side of the park in nearby Beatty, Amargosa Valley, and Pahrump.
Death Valley allows dispersed camping throughout most of the park, excluding sensitive areas like Ubehebe Crater and designated wilderness zones. This free camping option requires self-sufficiency and adherence to Leave No Trace principles, with a 14-day maximum stay before relocating at least 25 miles away. Dispersed camping offers ultimate solitude under some of the darkest skies in the country.
Explore more RV parks and campgrounds across the Southwest for your next desert adventure.
During your summer RV trip to Death Valley National Park, you won’t want to miss a pitstop to Ubehebe Crater. This jaw-dropping volcanic crater is 600 feet deep and a half a mile across. It’s an excellent spot for summer pictures since it can be viewed right from the parking area.
An RV vacation at Death Valley National Park wouldn’t be complete without learning more about the area’s incredible natural and cultural history. During those hot summer days, beat the heat at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center where you can watch an educational film, check out interpretive exhibits, and get the inside scoop from park rangers. Don't forget to pick up your Death Valley souvenirs.
If you want to explore Death Valley in style, hire a private company to give you a guided sightseeing tour. You’ll be able to see all the one-of-a-kind attractions of the park from the comfort of air-conditioned vehicles. You can view the colored stones of Artists Palette and take incredible pictures at Zabriskie Point with the help of an experienced guide that takes you everywhere you need to go.
If you want to enjoy one of the most breathtaking drives in the country, you’ll want to take your RV or vehicle on a trip down Artists Drive. This nine-mile route will take you through multicolored hills and rugged beauty. The afternoon is the best time of day to catch photogenic views of colorful hillside and terrain. If you drive a larger rig, pay close attention to the driving restrictions as this one-way drive is limited to vehicles up to 25 feet in length.
For some of the most interesting views in the entire park, take a scenic drive to the Devil’s Golf Course, which is a vast area filled with eroding rocks formed into jagged spires. If you listen carefully, you can hear the pings and pongs of tiny salt crystals bursting apart in the heat. This striking large salt pan was named after a phrase in a 1934 National Park Service guidebook that claimed “only the devil could play golf” here.
Star Wars Fans, do you want to go out of this world with your RV trip to Death Valley National Park? You can venture to the locations of the fictional planet Tatooine from the original Star Wars movie. There are six separate sites you can visit to get a glimpse of Star Wars history during your stay at the park, including the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Desolation Canyon.
The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are an incredible site in Death Valley that you won’t want to miss. You can enjoy an easy two-mile round trip hike for some jaw-dropping views of high sandy dunes under a rugged rocky backdrop. Located in the Stovepipe Wells Village, the nearby parking lot offers pull-through spots for RVs and trailers.
Darwin Falls, located just over a mile west of Panamint Springs, is one of the few spots with crystal clear water in the entire park. Get your camera ready for this desert oasis in Death Valley complete with lush natural springs, waterfalls, watercress, and shady trees. After a moderate hike to the falls, you can enjoy a scenic picnic surrounded by a tranquil landscape. There is a small gravel parking lot near the entrance to the hike, but it is not recommended for large RVs.
Spring is a perfect time to cruise on your bike and explore all the natural splendor of Death Valley National Park. There are tons of bike trails for all ability levels waiting to be explored, from the easy Salt Creek Road to the strenuous Trail Canyon Road. You bike through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes while soaking in views of rugged mountains, colorful canyons, and sandy dunes. Biking is allowed on paved roads and unpaved trails.
If you want to explore all the amazing sites of Death Valley National Park uniquely, hire a private company to take a Jeep tour. This guided once-in-a-lifetime expedition will let you travel in style through the dunes, salt flats, and the colorful canyons. These jam-packed tours will take you to all the major natural attractions, so you can sit back and enjoy the ride.
Imagine hiking through golden-colored hills, winding canyons, and towering walls. This dream can become a reality with a hike through the Golden Canyon to the Red Cathedral. Star Wars fans are in for a treat since this was the filming backdrop of the fictional planet Tatooine in the original movie. The Red Cathedral is a fantastic site of towering red rocks that look down over narrow paths. The parking lot near this trail is suitable for RVs and trailers.
You can cycle through colorful mountains and vast sandy dunes when you take an unforgettable bike tour through Death Valley National Park. Private companies offer the chance to take a guided tour with spectacular views right from your bike. If you want to soak in all of Death Valley’s best attractions like Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Golden Canyon, and Zabriskie Point while cycling with gorgeous backdrops all around you, this is the adventure for you.
Death Valley National Park is home to a diverse habitat of desert birds like the cactus wren and the mountain bluebird, making the park a prime spot for bird watching. For several weeks in the fall, you will be thrilled by the scores of birds that migrate through the area. Popular bird-watching places include Furnace Creek Ranch, Saratoga Spring, and Wildrose. Before heading out for your birdwatching expedition, make sure you have your bird guide with you to help you classify the birds that fly past.
The Racetrack is a remote valley filled with wonder and striking beauty. The road to the Racetrack is only recommended for high clearance vehicles with 4x4, but the trek is worth it. After you make the expedition through whistling Joshua Trees, you’ll discover the mystery of the moving rocks at the Racetrack, which baffled scientists for decades. Splattered across the desolate terrain are hundreds of rocks, some up to 700 pounds, which would mysteriously move like magic, leaving behind eerie trails. The answer to this mysterious area lies within the incredible climate of this other-worldly environment.
Founded in the 1800s, the Harmony Borax Works holds tremendous importance in the history of Death Valley. It helped develop the area because of the influx of borax miners. You can see the remains of settler buildings, railroad cars, wagons, and tools used by those miners. Harmony Borax Works is a prime place to soak up the history behind the heritage of Death Valley National Park.
The winter is a perfect time to take a ranger-led tour of Death Valley National Park. The park service offers regularly scheduled tours and talks at popular destinations including Golden Canyon, Mesquite Flat Dunes, and the Harmony Borax Works, where you can learn about the cultural and natural history of the park from the experts.
Experienced hikers won’t want to miss a trip to Wildrose Peak, where you can get a glimpse of some of the beautiful, diverse landscapes that make up Death Valley. This eight-mile hike will take you to some gorgeous views of green peaks and desert valleys. There is a parking lot near the beginning of the trail that is suitable for RVs and vehicles up to 25 feet long.
If you want to explore the road less traveled and experience the incredible diversity of Death Valley, you will enjoy backpacking through the Owlshead Mountains. This trek will take you through the wondrous canyons, rolling hills, and desert wildflower meadows. This seven to 18-mile moderate hike is perfect for getting unique views you won’t find anywhere else in the park.
The most famous viewpoint in the park is Zabriskie Point, where you can soak in breathtaking views of golden badlands, rolling desert terrain, and rugged mountains. For an unforgettable experience, get your camera and hike up to the viewpoint during a sunrise or sunset, when the desert sky lights up in a parade of colors.
Death Valley National Park is known to have some of the darkest skies in the country, meaning you are in for a treat with a night sky glittering with stars. You will be awed by incredible views of the Milky Way. If you want to stargaze on your own, the Harmony Borax Works, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, and Badwater Basin offer perfect viewpoints. You can also get out the telescope during one of the park’s regularly scheduled night sky programs.
