Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point is a popular place to view sunrise over the badlands.
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.
Map showing location of park.
Looking out windshield at the front of yellow heavy equipment and a paved road partially covered with dirt. A rainbow is in the distance.
North Highway, Artists Drive and other roads reopen in Death Valley National Park
The National Park Service reopened several flood-damaged roads in Death Valley National Park in recent days. An upcoming storm may cause new road closures.
Ten people stand in a red tile courtyard facing a park ranger in green.
Scotty’s Castle to offer public tours from January through March 2026
Public tours of Scotty’s Castle grounds will be available on select Sundays from January through March 2026. Scotty’s Castle, a historic district in Death Valley National Park, has been closed for 10 years while the National Park Service repairs extensive damage caused by a flash flood and a later fire.
The image shows a flat, dry expanse leading to a sweeping range of purple-blue mountains capped with snow. The open sky above is overcast and muted, creating a cool and subdued atmosphere.
Record Rainfall in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley has experienced record-breaking rainfall, according to the National Weather Service. The wettest fall (Sept-November) measured 2.41 inches, and the wettest November on record measured 1.76 inches of rain. The November rain broke the previous record of 1.70 inches set in 1923.
A white pickup truck dominates the right foreground, parked or slowly moving along a rough, rocky dirt track that cuts through a desolate desert valley. Mountain ranges rise up on both sides, beneath a heavy, overcast sky.
All Day Soaking Rain Closes Roads in Death Valley National Park
A storm on November 15, 2025, produced 0.6 inches of rain at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. At just over a half of an inch, this is more than a quarter of the annual rainfall for Death Valley.  
A person a pink shirt and a person in a black shirt sit looking over a wide, flat, brown and white valley.
Tourism to Death Valley National Park contributes $146 million to local economy
A new National Park Service report shows that 1,440,484 visitors to Death Valley National Park in 2024 spent $146 million in communities near the park.
badlands bathed in pale pink and orange light from the setting sun
Photo by Ronald Gaddis
Morning light on the badlands below Zabriskie Point.
Photo by NPS Photo
white salt flats with dark gray clouds
Photo by NPS photo
a sunset overlooking a valley filled with white salt
Photo by NPS / Jan Vanderlay
pink lupine flowers with an orange and black butterfly
Photo by NPS / J. Jurado
nine 25 foot tall rock beehive structures
Photo by NPS / J. Jurado
a field of yellow flowers with a mountain
Photo by NPS / Kurt Moses
thermometer reading 130 f 54 c
Photo by NPS / J. Jurado
polished walls of a narrow canyon
Photo by NPS / J. Jurado