15 Things To Do in Death Valley National Park Without a 4×4

As the largest national park in the lower 48, Death Valley National Park has more miles of road than any other national park in the service. Many of those roads are gravel roads and unmaintained four-wheel drive only roads. If you are like me and drive a car or if you are in a rental and don’t want to go off road, can you still find things to do in Death Valley National Park without a four-wheel drive? Absolutely you can! Here’s my recommendations.

READ MORE: Death Valley National Park Guide

Dante’s View

Dante’s View is one of the first stops you come to in Death Valley National Park if you are traveling to the park on Highway 190 from Las Vegas. It’s also first on my list of things to do in Death Valley National Park because it’s the perfect introduction to the area. From this viewpoint – 5500 feet high – you get a panoramic view of the valley and the surrounding mountain ranges. It’s also helpful that there’s is a topographical map of valley at the viewpoint to help you get your bearings.

From the overlook at Dante’s View, it’s easy to spot the white salt flats of Badwater Basin – or the park’s lowest point. As you look across the flats to the west, you can see the Panamint Mountain Range with Telescope Peak – the highest point in Death Valley National Park. From this unique vantage point, you are able to take in both the lowest and the highest points in the park all at once.

Southerner Says park tips:

• The parking lot is right at the viewpoint so you just pull right up, however, there are some trails where you can walk out a little further
• Vehicles longer than 25 feet aren’t allowed on the Dante’s View Road but there’s a parking lot for trailers at the entrance to the road
• Go early. The sun will be in the east and and you will be able see the area better

20 Mule Team Canyon

Since the 1870’s, white gold – aka borax – has been mined in this region of California. In the past, the only way to get the borax out of what is now Death Valley was with horses and mules.

To haul the borax from the valley, prospectors used eight and ten mule teams to pull the wagons. But the heat and the rugged terrain proved to be too much for them. So, one creative miner came up with the idea to put two, ten mules teams together to haul the borax out. Voila, the 20 Mule Team name was born. Over the course of years, 20 mule teams carried millions of pounds of borax out of this area and the name ” 20 Mule Team” stuck. Even now, it still appears on boxes of Borax.

The drive through 20 Mule Team Canyon isn’t the actual route the mules took, but it is similar. It’s one of those of things to do in Death Valley because it gives you an idea of how the ride would have been back then. Just imagine spending at minimum, a ten day journey with a bunch of mules – and not in your air conditioned car – in one of the hottest and most dangerous parts of the country.

Southerner Says park tips:

• 20 Mule Team Canyon Drive is right off Hwy 190
• The road is an unpaved, 2.5 mile, one way road, safe for cars as long as it hasn’t rained
• Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon as the sun is going down
• There are plenty of pullouts and trails for hiking.

Zabriskie Point – One of the Best Things to do in Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point is one of the most amazing spots in all of Death Valley National Park. With it’s otherworldly vibes, it’s a must see at any time of the day but it’s at sunset when it’s most special.

The evening light bounces off the rocks and softens the peaks and valleys and the light from the setting sun brings out the different hues and colors. This gives the mountains an ethereal glow. Zabriskie Point is the perfect place to relax after a long hot day. The overlook has a wall that you can sit on but for maximum comfort, I suggest bringing a chair or two – and a snack or beverage – so you can sit and take it all in.

If you want to wander beyond the overlook, there are plenty of trails around. Badlands Loop is one of the most popular ones.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Zabriskie Point is located off Hwy 190
• There is a large parking lot and from there, it’s gentle, uphill walk to the viewpoint
• Visit at sunset for the best colors

Badwater Basin

Created by movements in the earth’s crust, Badwater Basin is probably one of the most recognized sites in Death Valley National Park. At 282 feet below sea level, it’s the lowest area of the park and in the United States. In a wet climate, a place this low would normally be covered by water but because it’s so dry in the park – when it does get rain – the water evaporates and leaves behind the Badwater Salt Flats. The effect is seen by the crusty circles and hexagons that form in the salt.

One you enter the site, there’s a viewing platform, if you just want a quick look, but you can also walk out onto the salt flats. The further you go, the less of a crowd. Badwater Salt Flats are also one of the top places to catch a sunrise or sunset.

While you are at the salt flats, make sure to look for the sea level sign on the mountain behind the parking lot and see how it feels to be 282 feet below sea level.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Badwater Salt Flats are located on Badwater Road paved off of Hwy 190
• There is a parking lot with plenty of parking and restrooms
• Best visited October through March

Golden Canyon

Hiking is not what you really want to do too much of in 116F degree heat but Golden Canyon lured us in late one afternoon. The trail is three miles out and back to one of the canyon’s most vibrant colored features – Red Cathedral. If you are visiting when it’s hot like we were, you can do that section of the hike and then just turn around and go back the the same way you came. Or other trails can be added to make a loop.

The Golden Canyon trail passes through a variety of unique rock formations. If you go in the evening, the color of the rocks change with the setting sun and at times the canyon looks like someone turned a bright light on.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Golden Canyon is located on Badwater Road
• There’s a parking lot with plenty of parking and a vault toilet
• Go very early for sunrise or late in the afternoon

Artist Drive

Artist Drive is one of the most popular scenic roads in Death Valley National Park. It’s and easy drive and ideal for those that aren’t able do a lot of walking or if you’re visiting when it’s too hot to do much walking. The drive is a nine mile, one way, paved road that winds through the different colored hills.

There are no maintained trails along the road but there are several pull outs for parking so you can wander around and explore the area on foot.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Artist Drive is located off of Badwater Road
• No RV’s, buses or trailers over 25 feet allowed
• For best photography, visit early in the morning while the sun is in the east or sunset

Artist Palette Overlook

Artist Palette is a popular overlook on Artist Drive. Here, the colors in the hills are some of the most vibrant on the entire area. The hues you see are due to volcanic deposits that contain compounds such of iron oxides and chlorite. This gives the hills the look of an artist’s pallet or a rainbow. Depending on the time of day and the amount of recent rain, you might see red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, and even green colors in the hills.

The overlook has interpretive signage and several trails so you can walk through the hills.

Southerner Says park tips:

• The parking lot is right off Artist Drive
• Go early or late in the day
• Take plenty of water

Devil’s Golf Course

Devil’s Golf Course is a large area of rock salt that has been eroded by wind and rain into jagged bumps in the ground. It’s so rugged that it’s been said that “only the devil could play golf on such rough links.” 

Southerner Says park tips:

• Located off Badwater Road
• The road and parking lot are gravel, suitable for most vehicles

Furnace Creek Visitor Center

One of the first stops in the park should be the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. This is a fun and educational stop and one of the best things to do in Death Valley National Park. If for nothing else but to see the giant thermometer that monitors the temperature at Furnace Creek.

Stopping at the visitor center is a helpful way to stay up to date on what’s happening in the park. You can find out if there are are any current closures or park alerts, pick up a map, chat with a ranger or inquire about organized educational programs. The visitor center also has interpretive displays with educational data about the park, a book store for souvenirs and Junior Ranger activities.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Located in Furnace Creek on Hwy 190
• Open every day 8am-5pm
• There is a convenient shaded parking lot
• Bathrooms and water available

Harmony Borax Works

Harmony Borax Works was built in 1881 and was key to the development of the Furnace Creek Area after borax was discovered here. In its heyday, over forty men worked processing the ore to remove borax. It’s the Harmony company that was responsible for the use of the innovative concept of 20 Mule Team wagons.

However, the plant was short lived. It closed 1888. If you visit, you can still see the remains of the building and and some of the equipment that was used. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Located on Mustard Canyon Drive off Hwy 190
• The gravel road and parking lot suitable for most vehicles

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

One of the most fun things to do in Death Valley National Park is visiting sand dunes. There are several areas in the park that have dunes but the easiest to reach via car is Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes were formed by years of constant wind eroding the rocks in Death Valley. Made up of crescent, linear, and star shaped dunes – the highest dune is a two mile out and back hike although it’s not necessary to hike that far out to enjoy the dunes and the views. Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes are also one of only two areas in Death Valley National Park where you can sand board.

For Star Wars fans, you may recognize the Mesquite Dunes as the dunes of Tatooine. And while you probably won’t see any droids in the area, if you visit in the early morning, watch out for sidewinder rattlesnakes that seek out the cool sand at night. Thankfully, we didn’t see any.

Southerner Say park tips:

• Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes is off of Hwy 190
• Parking lot with plenty of parking and vault toilet
• Go early in the morning, when it’s cool

Ubehebe Crater

If I had to pick one of my favorite things to do in Death Valley National Park, Ubehebe Crater would be in the top three. Ubehebe is one of the best examples of a volcanic crater I’ve ever seen.

The crater was formed when hot magma rose to the surface of the earth and once it reached water, the steam produced caused a massive explosion that formed the hole. Ubehebe Crater is six hundred feet deep and half a mile wide. It’s so large, it’s hard to capture the size accurately in a photo.

Once you make the short drive to Ubehebe and park your vehicle, there’s a short uphill walk to crater. At the rim, there’s a 2.2 mile trail around the perimeter of the crater. You can also walk down into the crater. Getting down there is the easy part. It’s getting back up that would be hard. The crater is full of small loose rocks so appropriate footwear is important.

There are a few other craters in the area and even a Little Hebe Crater. You can hike just beyond the main crater to see it.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Ubehebe Crater is off of Scotty’s Castle Road (paved)
• The road is subject to flooding and might close during or after rain
• There is a parking lot and a walk to the rim

Wildrose Canyon Road

If you’d like to think you did a bit of off-roading while in Death Valley National Park but not enough to damage your vehicle, then Wildrose Canyon Road is the closest thing. This route is paved but there’s a section susceptible to flooding and water run off that makes it difficult to maintain.

To do this drive, we drove from Furnace Creek to Panamint Valley Road off Highway 190. The road is okay but sections are bumpy and down to gravel. The road twists and winds to a peak of 5300 feet – which is pretty high – and a refreshing escape from the heat down in the valley.

Eventually, Wildrose Canyon Road runs into Emigrant Canyon Road, which joins back up with Highway 190 at Emigrant Campground. To drive it in a loop like this, it’s approximately thirty one miles. Use my Google Map linked here that has the driving directions and other park features on this things to do in Death Valley National Park already highlighted.

Southerner Says park tips:

• RV’s, buses or trailers over 25 feet are not allowed on this route
• The road floods easily so don’t risk it during or after a rain

Wildrose Station

High on the pass through Wildrose Canyon, we stopped for a picnic lunch at what used to be Wildrose Station. There’s not much info about this part of the park online but from what I did read, because of a nearby spring, this area was once a privately owned stagecoach stop.

Then, when the park was named a monument in 1933, the land was leased to the owner and the station continued to operate as normal. However, at some point the National Park Service decided not to renew the lease and eventually – it ceased operations and the buildings were torn down.

To find this spot- keep an eye out for a few remaining palm trees. The National Park Service has also added a few picnic tables on either side of the road.

As we sat eating our lunch at one of the tables, we could hear burros – which are quite common in the park leftover from the teams in the past – but we couldn’t see them. Once we continued on our way, we literally ran right up on a group of them standing in the middle of the road. No doubt it’s a favorite spot for them because of the cooler temperatures and the spring.

Southerner Says park tips:

• The road is a little wider at the site of the former station and you can park on the side of the road
• If you do see burros remember they are wild animals so don’t feed them
• Take your trash with you and leave no trace

Wildrose Charcoal Kilns

An interesting historical-architectural feature of Death Valley National Park that can easily be visited in a car are the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns. These kilns were built in the late 1800’s by one of the mining companies as a source of fuel for their smelters – which is a way of removing metal from its ore. There are ten kilns to see here and they are believed to be the best known remaining examples of kilns in the western states.

Southerner Says park tips:

• Add a visit to the the kilns to the Emigrant Canyon Road/Wildrose Canyon drive.
• The kilns are located 28 miles from Highway 190 on Emigrant Canyon Road and the last two miles are unpaved but suitable for most vehicles.

Father Crowley Vista Point

Death Valley National Park is full of stunning views but one of the best in the entire park is Father Crowley Vista Point. This overlook is named after the Catholic priest, Father John J. Crowley – or the desert padre – who ministered to the people of Inyo County. He loved this area of California and his parish included the lowest point in the country – Death Valley and the highest – Mt. Whitney. Before it was even a park, Father Crowley would frequently stop at this view point on his way to Death Valley from his home in Lone Pine, California.

The attraction here is the beautiful Rainbow Canyon – a colorful striped canyon created by volcanic activity. In recent years, the canyon has commonly been referred to as Star Wars Canyon because of the military jets that practiced in the canyon. But after a crash in 2019, the canyon is no longer used for practice.

Southerner Says park tips:

• The overlook has plenty of parking
• There are bathrooms onsite
• This are is also wheelchair accessible

Tips For Driving in Death Valley National Park

• To help navigate the park easier and not get stuck on a road you don’t want to be on, make sure to pick up a map at the Visitor Center or at one of the entrance kiosks. There’s also a link below to the park map.
• The National Park Service maps have very good legends and info about the roads and backcountry roads. You’ll find the road categories are down divided into paved roads, unpaved roads, high clearance only roads and 4×4 roads.
• Let someone – a family member or a friend or even a ranger – know your plans. Especially if it includes unpaved roads.
• Make sure your vehicle is in tip top shape. Check all the fluids and tires. Verify you have a good spare tire, a tire gauge in case your tire light comes on and fix-a-flat. It’s also a good idea to have jumper cables.
• Gas up before you get to the park but since you will probably be doing a lot of driving, there are gas stations in the park at Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells and Panamint Springs.
• Always have plenty of water, food and an emergency kit on hand. There is no cell service in many areas of the park so be prepared for anything. It’s also best to stay with your vehicle if you have any trouble. Help will come eventually. Just be prepared to wait it out.
• If the lure of the unpaved road proves to be too strong, you can rent a jeep in Death Valley National Park in Furnace Creek.
• No matter what park you are visiting, always use Leave No Trace principles for visiting our public lands.

How to use the map: this map has four layers. You can access the layers by clicking the tab in the left top. Also add the map to your places in Google Maps by clicking the star on the header.

Other Death Valley National Park Resources

• Link to the NPS park map of the Death Valley
• Download a NPS visitor guide
• Info about the America the Beautiful Pass and how it saves money in the parks
• National Park Trust ParkPassport Mobile App
• National Park Service App
• National Geographic map for Death Valley National Park
• Hiking in Western Death Valley National Park book

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