If you’re going to visit hell on Earth, it’s best to do it during the winter.
That was my logic when I planned a recent trip for my brother and me to Death Valley, California. The sprawling national park, which is just across the Nevada state line near Las Vegas, is most famous for recording the world’s hottest temperature. It happened at the valley’s Greenland Ranch on July 10, 1913, when the mercury soared to 134 degrees Fahrenheit (around 57 degrees Celsius).
Keeping with the hellish theme of the locale, Death Valley is also notable for Badwater Basin, the lowest elevation point on the North American continent. My video above shows me driving along Badwater Road, which leads to the basin. It measures 292 feet (~89 meters) below sea level, a striking contrast to the towering mountain ranges that encircle the formidable valley.
The days during our off-season trip were much milder than the scorching summer: December is Death Valley’s coolest month, when temperatures average a high of 65 degrees Fahrenheit (~18 degrees Celsius) and a low of 39 degrees Fahrenheit (~4 degrees Celsius). It was just warm enough to drop the top on our convertible during our afternoon drive to Badwater Basin.
Death Valley National Park is open year around, and standard admission prices range from $15 USD per person to $30 USD per private vehicle. Passes can be purchased in-person at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station, and Furnace Creek Campground.
Related Content
– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection featuring images from Death Valley.
– Click to read my feature article “Nevada: TOPGUN and My Grandma’s Legacy” for the story of my family’s connection to the legendary U.S. Navy fighter pilot training program.
– Click to browse my travel guides for driving and hiking to the mysterious stone columns at Crowley Lake, California.