Hiking Death Valley. His work has appeared in Club Traveler magazine, Gambit Weekly, Berkeleyside and other publications. Death Valley National Park Weather in December While the middle of December gets fewer crowds, the period from Christmas until New Year’s is far more bustling at the national park. WOW! LODGING - which Death Valley resort or hotel is best for us? I think we’ll probably be talking again, once you digest some of this info and have a chance to think about your time in Death Valley. Death Valley Weather in December. How far to ____ ? If you’re a cyclist, especially one who lives somewhere too cold for winter riding, a Death Valley trip could be just the thing to keep you motivated during the off-season. The name might sound ominous, but Death Valley National Park in wintertime is strangely inviting. The major natural wonders along Badwater Road are in the northern 25 km, so if you go through Shoshone, most of the southern portion of this road will be about long-range panoramas rather than specific natural marvels. Visiting Death Valley in the winter is the way to do it. In December, you’ll have fewer daylight hours, so it’s good to get an early start. Death Valley Explorer Tour by Tour Trekker, Death Valley National Park - Private, Custom Adventure w/ Pro Photography, Private Tour: Death Valley Day Tour with Evening Milky Way Viewing, http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. 6 Must-See National and State Parks in California. Do you know what kind of room or perhaps even what building they are putting you in? 3 Things to Do in Death Valley National Park in Winter The name might sound ominous, but Death Valley National Park in wintertime is strangely inviting. Plan your trip and get on the road! The Sand Dunes are magical at sunset and also sunrise. If your plans have you continuing north on 395, the winter storm conditions are possible all the way to Reno and beyond. In the morning, there is the additional fun of looking for animal tracks in the dunes. On 190 from DV Junction, it is right on the way, then 190 takes you to the north Badwater Junction and closer to Devil’s Golf Course, Badwater, Natural Bridge, Artist’s Drive, and Golden Canyon. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-40386926', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Las Vegas, through Death Valley to Mammoth Lakes over two days and hence an overnight stay somewhere in Death Valley. Or see Death Valley from Las Vegas and fly. SUMMER - is it safe to go to Death Valley? For that reason, many summer visitors see only the beginning of the dunes, comprised of ridges or hills of sand formed by the wind. Averages By Month. WILDFLOWERS - will this be a superbloom year? These are the product of water erosion down the canyon, You can see some of the beautiful colors and formations without a strenuous hike.. It is a long way off yet, but I have found already that accommodation in various places is filling up. From December through March, everything is cooler and quieter than it is during spring and summer, when the … The rest of Death Valley National Park has a 30-day per calendar year camping limit. 5-stars Hotels in Death Valley National Park, Popular Death Valley National Park Categories. Probably before 5:00 PM. In any season, if you find it too hot on the valley floor, go up. With December’s more pleasant temperatures (highs average in the mid-60s), you can also forge deeper into the backcountry, where the dunes are all but untouched. The other resorts are Stovepipe Wells Village, a half hour northwest of Furnace Creek, and Panamint Springs, a half hour west of Stovepipe. CAMPING - where and when can we camp in Death Valley? Back soon. Getting to the dunes: The parking lot for the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is on California Route 190, about 2 miles east of the Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. Read on to discover the most exciting things to do in Death Valley National Park: the must-visit Death Valley attractions and points of interest you will not want to miss! Before heading out, pick up a free backcountry permit from any visitor center. The park can be too hot to ride in the summer, and there are more cars on the roads in fall and spring, so winter is the time to do it. (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Generators are prohibited in Texas Springs Campground, except from April 16 to May 15 in the upper loop from 7 a.m. … This canyon is better in daylight (mid-morning to mid-afternoon), especially in winter, because it is a north-south canyon with sheer walls, so the lighting is best when the sun is higher.The canyon has white polished walls that look like marble, and broken rock floors resembling mosaics. And with 21 days over 120, this past July in Death Valley was the hottest month all-time at a single location. The Scenic Route > Travel Destination Guides > National Parks > Death Valley Winter: Visiting Death Valley in December. And other DV enthusiasts will come and share too. JimG is one of our TAs who experienced Death Valley when almost no roads to natural wonders off the main roads were open, because of snow, ice, or mud. Continue onto California Route 190 at the junction and follow this road to the park’s visitor center. Early in the month is a park-wide event called Death Valley '49ers Encampment, honoring the pioneers of 1849 who got lost heading for the California Gold Rush and were stranded in what they later named Death Valley. It might not be the typical winter wonderland, but this desert on the California-Nevada border offers its own kind of magic.