Camping Death Valley National Park Campgrounds California Death Valley Camping

Nine campgrounds are open to visitors within the boundaries of . Texas Spring Campground near Furnace Creek is centrally located and one of the nicer campgrounds in Death Valley, with bushes and short trees providing shade. Some of the other campgrounds are not California’s most impressive, offering little more than open gravel landscapes for setting up tents. Still, Death Valley camping is a rewarding experience.

Campgrounds in Death Valley National Park vary in size and amenities. The list below offers more information about each campground and the map at the bottom of this page displays their locations. Because of the extreme temperatures in Death Valley, many of the campground close during the summer months, leaving visitors to pick from the higher elevation campgrounds. For other lodging options, visit tripadvisor.com.

Furnace Creek Campground is the only campground in the park to take reservations, which it does from mid October to mid April. Outside that period, the sites at Furnace Creek Campground are first-come first-served just like the other campgrounds in the park. Reservations for Furnace Creek Campground can be made by visiting recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance.

The busy camping season in Death Valley National Park is from November through March and during fall and spring holidays. According to the National Park Service:

It is very rare for all campgrounds to fill in Death Valley. Sure, all of the “good sites” may be taken during busy times, but spaces are typically available at Sunset Campground (no tables, hookups, or firepits) even during the busiest of times.

Camping with an RV? Furnace Creek Campground has 18 sites with full hookups. These sites are almost always reserved in advance. Privately held camps within Death Valley offer additional RV hookup sites, so visit Stovepipe Wells RV Park, Furnace Creek Ranch, and Panamint Springs Resort if you need an RV site and can’t make a reservation at Furnace Creek Campground.

 

Campgrounds in Death Valley National Park

Wildrose Campground | 23 sites | open year round | no fee | first-come first-served | potable water, picnic tables, fire pits, and pit toilets | elevation 4100 feet

Thorndike Campground | 6 sites | open March – November | no fee | first-come first-served | picnic tables, fire pits, and pit toilets | elevation 7400 feet

Texas Spring Campground Death Valley Camping

Mahogany Flats Campground | 10 sites | open March – November | no fee | first-come first-served | picnic tables, fire pits, and pit toilets | elevation 8200 feet

Sunset Campground | 270 sites | open mid October – mid April | $14 per night | first-come first-served | potable water, flush toilets, and a dump station | elevation 196 feet below sea level

Texas Spring Campground | 92 sites | open mid October – mid April | $16 per night | first-come first-served | potable water, picnic tables, fire pits, flush toilets, and a dump station | elevation sea level

Stovepipe Wells Campground | 190 sites | open mid September – mid May | $14 per night | first-come first-served | potable water, some picnic tables, some fire pits, flush toilets, and a dump station | elevation sea level

Emigrant Campground | 10 tent only sites | open year round | no fee | first-come first-served | potable water, picnic tables, and flush toilets | elevation 2100 feet

Mesquite Springs Campground | 30 sites | open year round | $14 per night | first-come first-served | potable water, picnic tables, fire pits, flush toilets, and a dump station | elevation 1800 feet

Furnace Creek Campground | 136 sites | open year round | Reservations accepted October 15 – April 15 | $22-36 per night | potable water, picnic tables, fire pits, flush toilets, RV hookups, and a dump station | elevation 196 feet below sea level

For additional up-to-date information, visit the Death Valley National Park Camping Page.

Use the map below to view the campgrounds and get directions:

View Death Valley National Park in a larger map
Or view California Desert trails and campgrounds in a larger map

Hikes in Death Valley National Park

TrailDescriptionDistance Location
Death Valley Ubehebe Crater110Ubehebe Crater
You can get a great view of Ubehebe Crater from an overlook near the parking lot, and there are also three trails to choose from.
0 - 2 miles
0 - 275 feet

37.0108,
-117.4549
Mosaic Canyon Death Valley120Mosaic Canyon
This out and back hike starts up a smooth marble slot canyon and exposes visitors to unique Death Valley geology.
1 - 4 miles
100 - 750 feet
36.57193,
-117.14434
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Death Valley130Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
This hike explores the most visible sand dunes in Death Valley
1 - 3 miles
100 feet
36.6062,
-117.1150
Grotto Canyon Death Valley140Grotto Canyon
This out and back hike requires a bit of climbing and is a lesser-visited trail in Death Valley.
2 - 4 miles
625 feet
36.5823,
-117.1041
Death Valley Salt Creek150Salt Creek
This easy out and back hike crosses a short boardwalk bordering a rare desert stream.
1 mile
25 feet
36.5906,
-116.9906
Death Valley Harmony Borax160Harmony Borax
This short walk around the Harmony Borax plant offers a window into the mining past of Death Valley.
0.25 miles
25 feet
36.48003,
-116.87335
Death Valley Golden Canyon Gower Gulch170Golden Canyon - Gower Gulch Loop
This loop visits some of the most stunning terrain in Death Valley.
4 miles
675 feet
36.4207,
-116.8467
Death Valley Badlands180Badlands Loop
This loop offers a great immersion into the terrain beneath Zabriskie Point.
2.5 miles
300 feet
36.42085,
-116.8099
Death Valley Zabriskie Point190Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point offers a stunning panorama of the badlands near Furnace Creek.
0.25 miles36.42085,
-116.8099
Death Valley Scenic Drive200Twenty Mule Team Canyon
This 2.8-mile one way road lets visitors experience a fine canyon right from the driver’s seat.
0 miles36.40953,
-116.7947
Artists Drive Death Valley210Artist’s Drive
This 9-mile drive crosses a sloping mountainside composed of vibrant soil colored by rich metals.
0 - 0.5 miles36.32995,
-116.82995
Death Valley Darwin Falls220Darwin Falls
This out and back hike visits a refreshing year-round waterfall on the western edge of Death Valley.
2 miles
275 feet
36.32776,
-117.51466
Death Valley Wildrose Peak230Wildrose Peak
This out and back hike summits a 9,064-foot peak in the Panamint Mountain Range on the west side of Death Valley.
8.4 miles
2,200 feet
36.2467,
-117.0763
Death Valley Charcoal Kilns240Charcoal Kilns
These conical constructions converted lumber to charcoal for area miners from 1879 to 1882.
0 - 0.5 miles36.2467,
-117.0763
Death Valley Natural Bridge250Natural Bridge Canyon
This is a great out and back hike for those interested in learning about the geological history of Death Valley.
2 miles
400 feet
36.28115,
-116.7699
Death Valley Badwater Basin260Badwater Basin
This is the lowest place in North America -- a required stop for first time visitors to Death Valley.
0 - 1 miles36.2301,
-116.7671
Death Valley Dantes View270Dante’s View
This towering overlook above Badwater Basin offers panoramic views of Death Valley.
0 - 1 miles
0 - 200 feet
36.2206,
-116.7266
Sidewinder Death Valley280Sidewinder Canyon
This out and back hike visits narrow slot canyons full of pour-overs, carve outs, and dark passages that beg to be explored.
4 - 7 miles
500 - 750 feet
36.0650,
-116.7448
Ashford Mill Death Valley290Ashford Mill
These ruins, where gold was once processed for the Ashford Mine, provide an example of how tough life can be in this harsh desert.
0.1 miles35.9209,
-116.6813
More Desert Camping
mojave campingMojave National Preserve
There are a few campgrounds and endless roadside camping within the preserve.
joshua tree campingJoshua Tree National Park
Nine campgrounds with 500 total sites are spread throughout the park to facilitate your visit.
California Desert CampingAnza-Borrego Desert State Park
The biggest state park in California has four developed campgrounds, eight primitive campgrounds, and as much roadside camping as you could ever want.
Tagged with · National Parks · Tent Camping

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12 Comments on Camping in Death Valley National Park

  1. Richard wrote:

    Does Texas Spring campground fill up on weekends this time of year?

  2. James girkin wrote:

    Is January a good time to camp in death valley

  3. Gene Niec wrote:

    Do the campsites fill up quickly this time of year (April 4th to 9th)? Where are good places to camp with a tent away from RVs? Thank you.

    • hikespeak wrote:

      The campsites shouldn’t be full, but they will be hot. You may be happier in the higher elevation. Wildrose Campground is good for tent camping.

  4. Lesley wrote:

    With the 2016 super bloom, will campgrounds still be closing April 1? Which ones accept 13′ trailers?

  5. daniela wrote:

    Is Spring Break a nice time to camp? Do we need 3 or 4 season tents and what’s the nicest for tents?

  6. Rebecca wrote:

    Is Thanksgiving weekend a busy time of year for campin in Death Valley?

    • hikespeak wrote:

      Thanksgiving and New Years can be quite busy in Death Valley and Joshua Tree. Furnace Creek and Texas Spring are likely to fill, leaving you to choose from a campsite with less amenities. Have a great trip!

  7. Albert Hueston wrote:

    going in April

  8. […] Valley, especially Stovepipe and Emigrant, both of which Rob mentions specifically, check out the Hikes Peak website (which will give you good info) and the Death Valley National Park website, which will tell you […]