Pro-tip: Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a must for anyone in Southern Nevada visiting…read moreDeath Valley National Park. Ash Meadows is located in the Nevada portion of Death Valley National Park. It is sometimes referred to as the Galápagos Islands of North America considering it has the highest concentration of endemic species in the United States & the second highest in all of North America. The Devils Hole desert pupfish found at Ash Meadows was actually the first ever species to be listed as endangered (by President Truman). Additionally, the wildlife refuge is one of the last remaining natural desert springs oases in the Mojave Desert, where turquoise water, grapevines, and aquatic species are abundant.

The preserve roadways are dusty gravel so pick your car/truck accordingly. No low-riders!…read more There is a visitor center, 2 boardwalk trails, a bunch of reservoirs and a couple of devil holes to hike around to. There are 2 park entrances and no cover charges or parking payments. There are restrooms at certain spots. It is still unspoiled and the color of the glacial spring water is a most relaxing blue hue. At the 2nd boardwalk, I think I saw their infamous guppy fish. Overall, the boardwalk trails, reservoirs and devil's hole trail are actually doable in a day and won't leave you hurting.

Easy 5 minute detour just past the Chevron and we find a little town gem here! Basically they are…read morecaverns carved from miners in the 1920s and people lived there til the 70s. From Highway 127, there's an unpaved road that leads past the cemetery next to Chevron. After the Cemetery, there's a small spot to park. A lot of the homes are locked (Probably cause of vandals, anyways it seems like the locals are taking care of this place), though you can look in through the windows. Apparently some people took refuge here in cave #7 from Charles Manson after they found that that they were targeted next by him. Nice place for some creative photo ops, but definitely a place to check when passing through!

Gayle and I took a morning walk through Dublin Gulch (past the cemetery) and enjoyed the various…read moreminer-carved caverns that also provided home spaces well into the 70s and beyond. It's an easy stroll, and I found peering into these abodes to be fascinating.

Really nice and easy lookout spot. Can get crowded so plan accordingly with parking. We went…read moretowards the end of sunset so some people were already heading out. It's a short walk to the lookout point once you park. Breathtaking views with cascading and layered rocks and the setting sun made it that much more beautiful. An easy must stop if at Death Valley NP!

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset here this week. It's a beautiful view at any time, but the colors on…read morethe unique rocks at sunset are really stunning. There's a large parking lot with a restroom here. There's a bit of an uphill climb to the top, but it is well worth the effort to walk up there.

The only hike we really did at Death Valley NP. It's about 2-3 miles RT with some incline and a…read morelarge stretch of uncovered trail so bring sunscreen and plenty of water! There are some challenging climbing pieces through slot canyons and some parts where you have to decide what is actually the trail. Then the end it kind of abruptly has a rock wall so there's no 'viewpoint' at the end but the rock marbling and mosaic rocks along the way are very cool to see. We saw a lot of groups here doing like discussion circles so seems like a popular spot to walk a little in and hang out.

Beautiful dry hiking trail. Reminds me of Zion Narrows without the water. Some bottleneck boulder…read morescrambling from time to time. Arrows made of rocks point the way. Stay on trail. One guy had to be rescued by helicopter in the last year. Very dry terrain. Bring extra water. Limited shade. I suggest using the restroom at Stovepipe Wells first. No cell service. Better go near wintertime. Can be cold, so layer up. Summer can reach over 120°F. We hiked almost 4 mi for about 2 hr.

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Death Valley National Park was one of the biggest surprises of the entire journey. Before visiting, I honestly expected Death Valley to be mostly a vast, empty desert. Instead, we discovered a place that was incredibly diverse, dramatic, and surprisingly beautiful. We stayed at The Oasis at Death Valley, which was a wonderful retreat after long days exploring the park. The funny thing about Death Valley is that when you first drive in, the landscape can seem almost endless and barren. You wonder what you are going to find in such a harsh environment. Then, as you turn toward the different areas of the park, the scenery completely changes. The desert opens up into mountains, colorful hills, salt formations, canyons, and landscapes that look almost unreal. One of the highlights was visiting places like Artist's Palette, where the hills are painted with incredible shades of gold, pink, green, and purple created by different minerals in the earth. It truly feels like nature took a paintbrush and created its own masterpiece. We also enjoyed driving the historic Twenty Mule Team Canyon, named after the famous Borax mining operations that helped put Death Valley on the map. In the late 1800s, teams of 20 mules pulled enormous wagons loaded with borax across the desert because there were no practical roads or railways. Learning about those incredible journeys added a whole different dimension to the landscape. It made us imagine the determination and hardship of the people who lived and worked in this extreme environment more than a century ago. We also visited areas where scenes from the Star Wars movies were filmed, which added a fun element to the experience. It was easy to understand why filmmakers chose Death Valley. The landscape looks like another planet. What surprised me the most was discovering that even in one of the hottest and driest places on Earth, there is life. We were amazed to see fish surviving in the waters of Death Valley, a reminder that nature finds a way even in the most extreme environments. Our visit also came with a little adventure of its own. We experienced a powerful dust storm that knocked out electricity for several hours. It was impressive to witness the force of nature, but thankfully we were safe and comfortable. And we were very lucky with the temperatures. When we arrived, it was around 110 degrees, but the following days cooled down to about 97 degrees. We took advantage of the cooler mornings, waking up early to hike and explore before the midday heat arrived. By late morning or noon, we would return to our peaceful retreat and enjoy the comfort of being out of the desert sun. Death Valley is a place of extremes: extreme temperatures, extreme landscapes, and extreme beauty. It is not just a desert. It is a place full of surprises, colors, history, and incredible scenery. I left with a completely different appreciation for this park and would highly recommend it to anyone willing to experience one of America's most unique landscapes. Death Valley truly earned its place as one of the unforgettable stops on our journey.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: A truly amazing place, period…read more You might think the whole place is just sand dunes, but you'd be wrong. There are fantastic sand dunes, yes, and Mesquite sand dunes is a great place for some free form fun (like sand sledding and boarding, and you can just roll down some dunes like my hubby), but there's so much more! Some more highlights: - Ubehebe Crater: mind-boggling crater with a fun hiking trail around its rim. You can hike down to the bottom too, but you gotta come back out, and we opted to just stay at the top. That rim trail was plenty long for us. - Badwater Basin: We decided to walk out about a mile into it, and as the crowds faded away the vast white expanse made it feel like we were in the Arctic--magical. - Zabrieski Point: Took in breathtaking views and sunset. Also did some hiking around the Badlands nearby, which was really cool. - Death Valley Inn: treated ourselves to some great cocktails at their swanky bar after a grueling hike. The bartender didn't bat an eye when we arrived all dusty and gross. I did clean up a bit in the bathroom, but there's only so much you can do. - Artists Palette: Did the drive-thru road and got out along the way for short explorations into its canyons. We were there in late March/early April and lucked out with relatively cool overcast weather. It was also very windy. The last time I was at Death Valley was in the spring of 2009, and it was also very windy, making my decision to tent camp a miserable experience. This time the hubby and I decided to stay at a hotel in Pahrump, NV, about an hour away. Yes, we had to drive into the park every day, but it was totally worth it. We loved our time here and are looking forward to our next visit, hopefully before another 15 years pass!

We visited last saturday, which turned out to be a FREE entry day. This was a nationwide promotion…read morefor state parks. But not highly advertised. I think that this happens several times a year, every year. (Otherwise, it was $18 last year. This is the private area. Less people here. More people are at the free areas.) It was beautiful, the trees, the mountains, the scenery. Sunny, with it getting dark (chance of rain), at times, and some wind. At first, we went to a table that didn't have any shade. So we went a little further away. We went to Parking section H, which was not busy at all. Table number 71. Overlooking large white boulders. We saw chipmunks, a hawk high overhead, huge butterflies, and pesky horseflies. Also, a loud grasshopper making a mating call. (Section E was Reserved.) TIP: wipe off the tree sap with wet wipes! Good thing, my MIL brought a table cover to use. We had sandwiches, chips, cookies, bottled water, and sodas. (Some people were barbeque'ing. There are grills, but I suggest using foil, because they are black.) The blue dumpsters are in the parking lots. The dual bathroom, also located in the parking lots, is porta-potty style. There is a sign to "place the lid down". No trash bins inside. No soap to wash your hands. Good thing, I have hand sanitizer on my purse, always. (There is a purse hook inside, which is handy to use.) We went on a trail, which logged in 43 minutes of hiking, Past Discovery Trail, to the Fossil section, overlooking the mountains. Gorgeous. We brought the new pup along, and he didn't have any issues. He even jumped over a huge log on the ground! There was a random bench near the Bridge, which we noticed last year, too.

Excellent hike in the Mt Charleston mountain area, about 40 minutes outside of Vegas…read more Ample parking lot but it was definitely packed and the restrooms were kind of gross and no TP. This is a popular hike so be prepared to see humans. This is about a 2.8 mile in and out hike with the hike to Cathedral Rock mainly all incline. You are def gonna work for the views but man it is so worth it. I definitely got my workout for the day and enjoyed the views once on top. The rock definitely looks like a cathedral, no joke. The climb back down pretty easy and took half the time to get up. Really nice hike and a memorable one. If you wanna get out of the city, this is a moderate hike that will get your heart pumping and the views are so sick! Loved it!

Glamping at Tarantula was the perfect mix of wild desert beauty and total comfort. Our glamping…read morecamper was super cozy, with bathrooms very nearby and the outdoor shower under the stars was pure magic (there is also an indoor shower). The sweet cats are very social and really know how to climb up every high spot at the camp! Great entertainment without being annoying. Sierra, our camp host, was friendly, helpful, and made us feel right at home. We also loved the Wine Hall which doubles as entertainment central, camp kitchen & cool hangout... We really enjoyed our wine under the stars, next to a vineyard, and the endless desert views. If you want to experience Nevada Desert, without giving up good coffee, comfy beds, and a killer stargazing shower, this is your spot. We'll definitely be back!

Amazing stay - - so happy we found this lovely place!!! The property is so well laid out. They…read morethought of everything. Choose between camping, glamping or the Bottling Room. That's where we stayed and it was fantastic. Bedding was super comfortable. Kitchen area is small but so well stocked. Just look in all the cabinets/drawers and you will probably find what you are looking for. Loved the outdoor shower - - might not be for everyone:) There are a couple chairs just outside that we took advantage of and had ourselves a relaxing happy hour, enjoying the view. You can park your car right outside the door so pretty easy unloading/loading. Keep in mind that there isn't a lot around there - - kinda the point - - so come prepared with your food, etc... So glad we signed up for the sip and stargazing. Definitely looking forward to next time.

Enjoyed going thru this river and canyon on a side by side! We camp at Dumont Dunes and this is…read morelocated in that vicinity. This river is an underground river but when it rains hard there's so much water on the trails it looks so cool! Such a great experience seeing this canyon! Totally recommend!

I have been hiking in the area for over a decade and it's always been a very special…read moreplace--history, great geology, and a date shake--all are part of hiking here. The Amargosa Rover Canyon offers several trails in China Ranch and beyond. There are two ways to hike the canyon itself. The best way to enjoy most of the entire canyon is to spot cars. Leave one at China Ranch and drive the other to Tecopa, California and park where there's public parking behind the post office. From here, hike south following the trail. Mostly you'll hike on the railroad bed of the T&T Railroad (Tonopah and Tidewater) bed as it follows the Amargosa River through the canyon. At places, the trail leaves thew railroad bed and makes wide arcs on the east side of the trail. After 5 miles, you'll reach the turnoff for China Ranch and where the spur from the T&T was built to bring gypsum from the mines above the ranch from the Morrison Siding. Along the way through the canyon from Tecopa, you'll see areas with barbed wire. This is where horses and cattle were fenced in to keep them off the railroad tracks. You will see no track. The railroad stopped operating in 1940 and the rails were pulled up and used for World War II needs. About a mile and a half from the Ranch, there's a turnoff to the west (right) and this leads to a little waterfall on the river. Beyond this about 1/4 mile, there's another turnoff--again to the west--that leads to a slot canyon that is blocked by a huge chockstone. Both side trails have signs but they have faded a lot over the years. When you almost reach the 90º bend in the river, the trail goes up a hill and heads east (left) toward the ranch. Before going up the hill, take time to look at the wood left from when this was where the gypsum was loaded onto ore cars over 100 years ago. Follow the trail from here to China Ranch. On this last bit, you'll come to a building. My first photo of this building is from 2005. The building was called the Tuff Building and the sign that was there said it was first a bar and then an assay house. The building was supposed to have been repaired that years. 1w2 years later, another portion has fallen over including the concrete piece from the doorway with the 1903 construction date in the concrete. I'm sure when I hike here next year, the rest of the southerly wall will be down too! What a shame! There are several hikes. After this 6.5 mile hike, you'll want to have a date shake and perhaps some date cookies. You earned them. On another day(s), you can explore the other trails in China Ranch. After your shake, take the car you left at the ranch and ride back to Tecopa to get the one where you started your hike. This is the way to see almost the entire canyon.

Hike to see the pupfish of Death Valley!…read more To most people Death Valley is a dead and barren desert where nothing survives, but that is the furthest thing from the truth! Death Valley is full of surprises. This desolate and arid valley was once part of a massive freshwater lake! Salt Creek is a remnant of the long gone freshwater lake. As the giant lake dried up about 10,000 years ago freshwater converted to salt water. The creek is now home to a two-inch long fish called the Salt Creek pupfish. The fish lives nowhere else but here! As the home of this fish changed from freshwater to salt water, it evolved and managed to survive in its new environment. The pupfish can also survive in water from near-freezing to above 100 degrees Fahrenheit! To see this fascinating specie all you need to do is hike the 1-mile (roundtrip) long Salt Creek Interpretive wheelchair-accessible boardwalk trail. It traces the path of Salt Creek, and you can peer down into the pools of water and spot the fish swimming around. You must do this during the spring time, however, as the fish go dormant during the heat of the summer. You may also see songbirds and great blue herons during your visit at any time of year. Salt Creek Road is off CA-190 and located 13 miles west of Furnace Creek. It is unpaved but passable to sedans, I know because on my first visit in 2016, I drove my 2005 Thunderbird to the trailhead!

Salt Creek Trail is on a boardwalk that is a 1/2 mile loop over desert sand and spring fed salt…read morecreek. We were excited to locate the rare pupfish that spawn during Spring months, these tiny pupfish have survived in the Valley for 10,000 years yet surviving after a spawn for year ~ WOW! Unique stop worth popping over for an easy stroll to see flora, fauna and the rare pupfish. Plenty of parking and bathroom facilities plus picnic tables along with benches throughout the boardwalk to sit and enjoy the beautiful views all around.

I shared many photos during our hikes here but I realize I didn't leave a review…read more Big Falls is one of my favorite trails at Mt Charleston any time of year. I love the little bit of climbing we can do, the views we find, and as always, the people who come with us. I haven't visited this trail in so long, so I don't have fresh or new commentary. It's been over 8 years since I've been here. All the photos I see I shared here are with my old dog, who passed away, and maybe one day I'll return with my current dog.

After wanting to do this hike for years, I finally got to go this morning with a friend leading the…read moreway. Since there isn't really an official trail to follow, I'm glad that I had someone who knew where to go. Even though it's June, there is still snow in parts of Mount Charleston due to the amount of rain that we had in the past few months. The snow is melting, so there was lots of water to see on this hike, which I loved. My friend, her dog, and I crossed quite a few areas with running water, so I was glad to have waterproof boots. It was also helpful to have hiking poles, as there were parts of the trek that they came in handy, notably when we encountered some snow to get to the falls. Big Falls itself did not disappoint; it's a beautiful sight! We had it to ourselves, too, which made this hike even better. We did see a couple of people on our way back to the parking area, but it's definitely not crowded like Mary Jane Falls or Cathedral Rock. Our hike was about 3.2 miles round-trip. Be advised that the amount of running water will depend on the weather and time of year; our timing was just right today.