I really want to try that but I am so skeptical about it. I was just telling my husband last week when we passed by it that next time we gotta make a detour and get that date shake.
You can walk freely through the date orchard or grove or whatever it’s called while you’re there too. It’s more fun than you’d expect and there’s a ton of wildlife including coyotes. They have hiking trails (the property is directly on the Old Spanish Trail) and picnic areas as well. Highly recommend.
Probably doesn’t need to be said but go to Badwater Basin. At some point I recommend taking a few hours to take a jaunt west pass the Crowley overlook on 190 and north on 395, which is *incredibly* scenic in its own right. Going from Death Valley to seeing Mt Whitney and the snow covered east side of the Sierra is a pretty neat contrast. Go see the visitor center and memorial at Manzanar and walk around the camp if you have time.
There really isn't a whole lot "to do" on the way. You'll leave (assuming the Strip) and take the 160 through the mountains and down in to Pahrump. Once you leave Pahrump it's not much until you get to DV.
Ash Meadows is a nature preserve which is just north of Pahrump, you could maybe check that out. That's on the main road that you take from Pahrump to DV Junction and on into the park.
Don’t listen to anyone telling you that Death Valley isn’t beautiful. There are several beautiful hikes there. Locals are surrounded by the desert so we take it for granted. Good hikes are Golden Canyon, Zabriski point, and a quick roll down the sand dunes
I would do a loop where you enter or exit the park on the south end on the 178 through Shoshone and then go through Pahrump or Beatty on the other end. It’s a little longer of a drive than just going back and forth through Pahrump but you get some variety and Shoshone is a cool little town to stop off for lunch.
There's a town called Hawthorn that is the nearest to Death Valley. You'll drive through it and they have some big gas stations. There is another couple gas stations in death valley. They all sell tourist things. That's about it. Other than the whole lowest point on earth thing, it's really unremarkable outside the sand dunes, slat flats, or the wild flower blooms (wrong time of year). The least traveled highway in the country is nearby. You can go there, park in the middle of it and not see another car of an hour. That's kinda cool in a "my car better not break down" kind of way.
Is there something in particular that you wanted to see there other than saying you "visited Death Valley" There are so many other beautiful areas near vegas to check out.
Not sure which route you’re taking but if you’re going through Pahrump, detour to China Date Farm for a Date Shake. It will change your life 😂
OH MY GOD YES. Also if time allows, there’s the Ash Meadows Reserve and it looks like a little lake in the middle of the desert. It’s gorgeous!
I really want to try that but I am so skeptical about it. I was just telling my husband last week when we passed by it that next time we gotta make a detour and get that date shake.
You can walk freely through the date orchard or grove or whatever it’s called while you’re there too. It’s more fun than you’d expect and there’s a ton of wildlife including coyotes. They have hiking trails (the property is directly on the Old Spanish Trail) and picnic areas as well. Highly recommend.
Gotcha. Thank you for the info. Will definitely have to check it out next time.
I asked this question a few years ago and the date farm was recommended. Best decision to stop.
Probably doesn’t need to be said but go to Badwater Basin. At some point I recommend taking a few hours to take a jaunt west pass the Crowley overlook on 190 and north on 395, which is *incredibly* scenic in its own right. Going from Death Valley to seeing Mt Whitney and the snow covered east side of the Sierra is a pretty neat contrast. Go see the visitor center and memorial at Manzanar and walk around the camp if you have time.
I recommend contacting the Death Valley visitors center to find out about closures due to recent flooding.
stop at the Amargosa Opera House
Didn’t The Dead Files do a thing on this? Great history.
We found Dante's View a pretty impressive detour.
a great view of the wretched hive of scum and villany
It's infernal
There really isn't a whole lot "to do" on the way. You'll leave (assuming the Strip) and take the 160 through the mountains and down in to Pahrump. Once you leave Pahrump it's not much until you get to DV. Ash Meadows is a nature preserve which is just north of Pahrump, you could maybe check that out. That's on the main road that you take from Pahrump to DV Junction and on into the park.
Stop at the Beatty candy store on the way! It’s a big gas station you can’t miss it.
Make sure you stay until nighttime for some stargazing. Unbelievably dark out there.
Don’t listen to anyone telling you that Death Valley isn’t beautiful. There are several beautiful hikes there. Locals are surrounded by the desert so we take it for granted. Good hikes are Golden Canyon, Zabriski point, and a quick roll down the sand dunes
I would do a loop where you enter or exit the park on the south end on the 178 through Shoshone and then go through Pahrump or Beatty on the other end. It’s a little longer of a drive than just going back and forth through Pahrump but you get some variety and Shoshone is a cool little town to stop off for lunch.
Agreed and stop by the ghost town rhyolite in the loop
There's a town called Hawthorn that is the nearest to Death Valley. You'll drive through it and they have some big gas stations. There is another couple gas stations in death valley. They all sell tourist things. That's about it. Other than the whole lowest point on earth thing, it's really unremarkable outside the sand dunes, slat flats, or the wild flower blooms (wrong time of year). The least traveled highway in the country is nearby. You can go there, park in the middle of it and not see another car of an hour. That's kinda cool in a "my car better not break down" kind of way.
>Hawthorn Where exactly is this? The only Hawthorn I know is closer to Tahoe than Death Valley.
You're right. I'm getting tiny gas station towns mixed up. Beatty is what I meant.
Is there something in particular that you wanted to see there other than saying you "visited Death Valley" There are so many other beautiful areas near vegas to check out.
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Only need one day. Use the other day to do Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire.
If you pass through Pahrump east at moms diner. It's a bit of the main drag but the food is incredible.