Death Valley -- Furnace Creek -- Mid-May

[TenOC]

We will be staying at Furnace Creek for a few days in Mid-May. After 4/15 all the spaces are "walk in" that is no reservations.

There are only a few sites with electrical. What is the probable that one will be open??? or do all the electrical sites get taken during the summer.

In other words how busy is the park in Mid-May??

[eastern_sierras]

I have a place in Lone Pine. I've done many Death Valley trips. Early spring is the best time. If you are into fighter jets, Panamint Spring vista point is a must. You can see F-16 and F-35 ripping thru the valley.

[Atlee]

I was in Death Valley NP in 2014. However, I can't help you with Mid May. I was long gone by the end of March. I ws there in the middle of March, and it was 90 one day. Then a "cold front" came through.
Lot of wind, and dust but certainly no rain. Temperature fell to the 70's.

TenOC wrote:
We will be staying at Furnace Creek for a few days in Mid-May. After 4/15 all the spaces are "walk in" that is no reservations.

There are only a few sites with electrical. What is the probable that one will be open??? or do all the electrical sites get taken during the summer.

In other words how busy is the park in Mid-May??

[TenOC]

time2roll wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
Never been ( may next April ) but I gotta laugh about issues with heat at a place called Furnace Creek.

I love the names in the park...

Furnace Creek
Stovepipe Well
Crankshaft Junction
Devils Cornfield
Deadman Pass
Badwater Road
Salt Creek
Funeral Peak
Devils Golf Course
Dry Bone Canyon

And many others.

What do you expect in a place called Death Valley -- Green Valley?????

[time2roll]

jplante4 wrote:
Never been ( may next April ) but I gotta laugh about issues with heat at a place called Furnace Creek.

I love the names in the park...

Furnace Creek
Stovepipe Well
Crankshaft Junction
Devils Cornfield
Deadman Pass
Badwater Road
Salt Creek
Funeral Peak
Devils Golf Course
Dry Bone Canyon

And many others.

[jplante4]

Never been ( may next April ) but I gotta laugh about issues with heat at a place called Furnace Creek.

[TenOC]

lbrjet wrote:
Furnace Creek has many full hook ups, not just electric sites.

I thought there were only 18 FHU at the NP campground. . . . :h

[lbrjet]

Furnace Creek has many full hook ups, not just electric sites.

[2gypsies1]

TenOC wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
Mid-May can be extremely HOT. Folks there will want electric if they can. We dry-camped and only lasted one night by sitting outside. . . not enjoyable. We came back in November for the 49ers Days - wonderful.

I assume that the 18 electrical sites were taken. How many other people in the campground. Was it 1/2 full or 3/4 full????

Sorry, we didn't even check at the electric site area. We're typically dry-campers and hikers and May was not suitable for either. We've dry-camped there at Mesquite Springs and Stovepipe Wells at other times and the temps were thoroughly enjoyable but never in May again.

[RinconVTR]

TenOC wrote:

Trackrig wrote:


West thru Paramount Springs is very hilly and winding. There's a 30ft semi trailer length limit/warning in fact. We drove thru them during a 124 degree day (peak) at only 25-35mph. I wont claim its fun, but I knew what we were driving into, and some of the best views of the park are found in those hills.

I would like other people's comment on "some of the best views of the park are found in those hills". We have a lightweight 28 foot 5er and a GMC 2500 diesel so towing should not be a problem.

Let the pictures do the talking...of which 80% of ours were in these hills/mountains. This drive was a lower level of difficulty (scare factor?) as Hwy 34 thru the Rocky Mountain NP. Not for everyone.

[TenOC]

Trackrig wrote:


West thru Paramount Springs is very hilly and winding. There's a 30ft semi trailer length limit/warning in fact. We drove thru them during a 124 degree day (peak) at only 25-35mph. I wont claim its fun, but I knew what we were driving into, and some of the best views of the park are found in those hills.

I would like other people's comment on "some of the best views of the park are found in those hills". We have a lightweight 28 foot 5er and a GMC 2500 diesel so towing should not be a problem.

[KCFDCapt]

Heading west towards US 395 you can turn south towards Trona and Ridgecrest to avoid the climb on 190. You will follow 178 to 395 to continue your journey.

[RinconVTR]

TenOC wrote:

Trackrig wrote:
If you're going out the west side, be sure your rig can handle the long up hill climbs before you get started.

Bill

Yes, we plan to exit west on highway 190. Is the hill any different from a long mountain drive? Or will there be high temperatures going up the hill that will cause problems?

West thru Paramount Springs is very hilly and winding. There's a 30ft semi trailer length limit/warning in fact. We drove thru them during a 124 degree day (peak) at only 25-35mph. I wont claim its fun, but I knew what we were driving into, and some of the best views of the park are found in those hills.

[TenOC]

2gypsies wrote:
Mid-May can be extremely HOT. Folks there will want electric if they can. We dry-camped and only lasted one night by sitting outside. . . not enjoyable. We came back in November for the 49ers Days - wonderful.

I assume that the 18 electrical sites were taken. How many other people in the campground. Was it 1/2 full or 3/4 full????

[TenOC]

Trackrig wrote:
If you're going out the west side, be sure your rig can handle the long up hill climbs before you get started.

Bill

Yes, we plan to exit west on highway 190. Is the hill any different from a long mountain drive? Or will there be high temperatures going up the hill that will cause problems?