Forum Discussion

FirstTracks's avatar
FirstTracks
Explorer
Dec 14, 2018

Video TR: Death Valley National Park

It's the hottest, driest place in North America, and the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere. Yet if you look hard enough, you can spot signs of life everywhere in Death Valley, life that has adapted to this harsh climate.

While we're not the biggest fans of national parks, we loved Death Valley, and Episode 77 is our most ambitious video undertaking yet. Just by leaving asphalt, you can easily leave the crowds behind and have a solitary experience in this spectacular desert landscape. We camp at the luxurious Nevada Treasure RV Resort in Pahrump, Nevada while we visit Dante's View, Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Furnace Creek, Badwater Basin, Artist's Palette,Titus Canyon, Leadfield and The Racetrack in Death Valley National Park to see the famed Sailing Stones, as well as the ghost town of Rhyolite and wild burros in Beatty, both outside the park:

https://youtu.be/IqpF9_Pqxmo
Boondocking
Dry Camping
Public Lands
  • pnichols's avatar
    pnichols
    Explorer II
    Dec 14, 2018
    You're right-on about Death Valley.

    It's not necessary to camp inside Death Valley in a campground. For maximum serenity and enjoyment of the Desert Experience, drycamping way out there is the best.

    Here's us boondocking inside Death Valley out in the middle of nowhere there just off a 4X4 road:


    We were with friends in two other small Class C RVs who camped around us outside the photo. We fired up one of the generators for a few minutes to make popcorn which we shared while sitting around outside taking it all in. What an experience!
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Dec 14, 2018
    We were at Badwater Basin in late October. Then we drove to Primm to see Bonnie & Clyde's car. It was an interesting drive. I want to go back and see more of Death Valley.
    One thing I noticed at Badwater, we passed a hundred or more people while walking. None of them spoke English.
    DV attracts people from all over the world.
  • FirstTracks's avatar
    FirstTracks
    Explorer
    Dec 14, 2018
    gbopp wrote:
    We were at Badwater Basin in late October. Then we drove to Primm to see Bonnie & Clyde's car. It was an interesting drive. I want to go back and see more of Death Valley.
    One thing I noticed at Badwater, we passed a hundred or more people while walking. None of them spoke English.
    DV attracts people from all over the world.


    Yep, we noticed the same thing. We were there to film this episode at the end of October, probably there at roughly the same time.
  • Acampingwewillg's avatar
    Acampingwewillg
    Explorer II
    Dec 14, 2018
    I had plans to make the 49er Encampment this year but things came up and we missed it. Have traveled many times to Death Valley but without the RV, but its on the list. Just for kicks and while I love Nevada Treasure RV(coldest beer on tap, I've ever had), the RV Park attached to that small Casino in Amargosa Valley( making the trip into Death Valley even closer) has fairly nice grounds. We checked it out in Oct and there was maybe 3 RV's there ….FYI

    PS....and at 25.00 a night or less, its a bargain.
  • FirstTracks's avatar
    FirstTracks
    Explorer
    Dec 14, 2018
    Acampingwewillgo wrote:
    I had plans to make the 49er Encampment this year but things came up and we missed it. Have traveled many times to Death Valley but with the RV, but its on the list. Just for kicks and while I love Nevada Treasure RV(coldest beer on tap, I've ever had), the RV Park attached to that small Casino in Amargosa Valley( making the trip into Death Valley even closer) has fairly nice grounds. We checked it out in Oct and there was maybe 3 RV's there ….FYI

    PS....and at 25.00 a night or less, its a bargain.


    Agreed! We only saw it from the distance seen in the shot near the beginning of the video.
  • Roy_Lynne's avatar
    Roy_Lynne
    Explorer
    Dec 15, 2018
    I love Death Valley but I would bypass it in a heart beat if I had to take Hwy 190 in. Not happening AGAIN. Once was enough. Also, I don't think I'd go in dead of summer either. We went in April and it was 118 degrees.
    Lastly don't under any circumstances run out of gas. Its always 4 or 5 dollars more a gallon down there.
    But I think I've gone 3 or 4 times and loved each time
  • pnichols's avatar
    pnichols
    Explorer II
    Dec 15, 2018
    Roy&Lynne wrote:
    I love Death Valley but I would bypass it in a heart beat if I had to take Hwy 190 in. Not happening AGAIN. Once was enough. Also, I don't think I'd go in dead of summer either. We went in April and it was 118 degrees.
    Lastly don't under any circumstances run out of gas. Its always 4 or 5 dollars more a gallon down there.
    But I think I've gone 3 or 4 times and loved each time


    What's up with Hwy 190 into Death Valley?
  • FirstTracks's avatar
    FirstTracks
    Explorer
    Dec 15, 2018
    pnichols wrote:
    You're right-on about Death Valley.

    It's not necessary to camp inside Death Valley in a campground. For maximum serenity and enjoyment of the Desert Experience, drycamping way out there is the best.


    I assumed that within the NP, usual NP rules apply, i.e. camping in designated sites only. That's not the case for Death Valley NP? Who'd have known? We certainly didn't, although being a National Park we didn't bother looking into it, either.
  • FirstTracks's avatar
    FirstTracks
    Explorer
    Dec 15, 2018
    pnichols wrote:
    Roy&Lynne wrote:
    I love Death Valley but I would bypass it in a heart beat if I had to take Hwy 190 in. Not happening AGAIN. Once was enough. Also, I don't think I'd go in dead of summer either. We went in April and it was 118 degrees.
    Lastly don't under any circumstances run out of gas. Its always 4 or 5 dollars more a gallon down there.
    But I think I've gone 3 or 4 times and loved each time


    What's up with Hwy 190 into Death Valley?


    I'm wondering the same, although we only entered on 190 from the east, and not from the west via Panamint Springs. The way we came in it was a very long, but not excessively steep grade, and a good road.
  • pnichols's avatar
    pnichols
    Explorer II
    Dec 15, 2018
    FirstTracks wrote:
    pnichols wrote:
    You're right-on about Death Valley.

    It's not necessary to camp inside Death Valley in a campground. For maximum serenity and enjoyment of the Desert Experience, drycamping way out there is the best.


    I assumed that within the NP, usual NP rules apply, i.e. camping in designated sites only. That's not the case for Death Valley NP? Who'd have known? We certainly didn't, although being a National Park we didn't bother looking into it, either.


    It was a few years ago when we were there, and we checked with the field office on camping. Boondock camping is allowed under certain rules (i.e. distance from roads, etc.) and in certain areas. We picked one of those areas and complied with the rules.

    As I understand it, there are several 4WD backcountry roads in DV and it seems logical that folks that get way out there in their vehicles, might want to, or have to, at least overnight camp out there.

    Our small Ford E350/E450 based 2WD motorhomes had about stock PU ground clearance and in dry conditions, we were able to slowly and carefully weave our way between the rocks a little way up a 4X4 road.

    There's nothing like being way out there with all the comforts of A/C, a furnace, a refrigerator, a shower, queen beds, out of the sun, and out of the wind ... whenever you want.

About Campground 101

Recommendations, reviews, and the inside scoop from fellow travelers.14,716 PostsLatest Activity: Oct 15, 2013