Stretching over 5,270 square miles, Death Valley National Park is massive! To my surprise, this desert landscape was more diverse than I could have ever expected when I visited on a recent road trip. I thought I was headed to the desert, you know, flat and kinda boring. I was wrong! Especially when it came to the hiking. The trails were diverse! Everything from sand dunes to mountain tops to Death Valley has a ton of hikes, but which ones should you chose?
Here are four great hikes in Death Valley National Park:
Mosaic Canyon
Ubehebe Crater
Mesquite Sand Dunes
Darwin Falls
Read on to discover what makes each of these hikes great, how long they take, where the trailhead is, and so much more!
1) Mosaic Canyon
Beginning this hike, I’ll be honest, my hopes were not high. I have hiked several canyons before and every time I go on a canyon hike, that isn’t a slot canyon, I come back a bit disappointed, but that wasn’t the case here. Mosaic Canyon was a delight. When you first start this hike you will wind through a narrow canyon that opens up to grand views of a mountain with layers upon layers of red dirt. This mountain towers over you as you hike along the dry canyon.
If you are looking for an adventure, there is a trial just after the more narrow canyon start that switch-backs up the left ridge to the top of mountain. This is a 3rd class scramble, so be ready to put in the work if you want to get to the top. Along the way, however, there are several saddles with AMAZING views of the entire Death Valley below you. I highly suggest taking this side adventure!
Trailhead: Mosaic canyon Trailhead
Distance: 3.4 miles round trip
How long will it take: 2 hours on average
What’s important to see on this hike:
The first 1/2 miles
The view from the alternative ridge hike
2) Ubehebe Craters
Ubehebe Craters is a detour for most visiting Death Valley National Park as these craters sit in the northern parts of the park, but it is worth the detour. The drive to Ubehebe Craters is roughly 50 miles from Mesquite Sand Dunes through the barren landscape. During that drive, you will ascend a few thousand feet, so when you arrive at Ubehebe the temperatures will be significantly lower.
For most, getting out of the car and taking in the view of the crater will be enough, but, trust me, you should walk around the large crater and check out little Ubehebe Crater as well. The hike can be steep and will feel long, but the views are incredible, especially when you reach the opposite side of the Ubehebe Crater. Standing at the highest point, you will have 360 degree views of your surroundings and get to peer all the way down into the crater.
Hiking around little Ubehebe Crater is an additional .25 miles, so I suggest making the short side journey from the main loop.
If you are feeling up for a challenge, get your head in the stair stepper mentality and walk to the bottom of the Ubehebe Crater, but make sure you can walk out, as a helicopter ride would be embarrassing!
Trailhead: Ubehebe Craters Trailhead
Distance: 1.8 miles
How long will it take: 1 hour
What’s important to see on this hike:
Little Ubehebe Crater
View of Ubehebe Crater from opposite side of parking lot
Ubehebe Crater at sunrise
Running a sand dune ridge towards the sunrise in the Mesquite Sand Dunes of Death Valley National Park. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
3) Mesquite Sand Dunes
Hands down, the Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes was my favorite stop in Death Valley. We arrived a just after sunset, missing the epic colors, but still had a chance to enjoy the last light on the dunes. This was okay for me because I knew that I was going to be exploring the dunes throughout the night and into the morning for sunrise.
After a quick dinner, I packed up my astrophotography kit, made some English Breakfast tea and clicked on the red light of my headlamp. I was on a photo mission. Squishing sand between my toes I sought out several different compositions for Milky Way photographs. The sky here in Death Valley is vibrant, but Las Vegas does let off a lot of light pollution. Not letting the light pollution put me off, I took photographs throughout the entire night, not sleeping at all.
Delirious from the lack of sleep, I sat on the sand dunes and waited for the sun to rise. Black to blue to yellow, the colors of night gave way to the warmth of day. Somehow, I caught a second wind and starting photographing the sunrise colors on the dunes. I was in heaven. The contrast of warm light on one side of the dune and the other draped in darkness reminded me of the Yin-Yang symbols I saw as a kid. I shot until my camera battery died, then I sat and enjoyed the beauty.
Trailhead: Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes
Distance: 1-3 miles
How long will it take: 1-2 hours
What’s important to see on this hike:
The view from the tallest sand dune
Sunrise from the dunes
The Milky Way over the sand dunes
4) Darwin Falls
It’s not a mirage, there are waterfalls in the desert. Yup, that is right, Darwin Falls is a chain of waterfalls close to the trailhead. This family-friendly hike is accessible to all. As you wander from the trailhead, wear sandals or shoes you are willing to get wet because the creek-bed can block the main trail, requiring you to get wet.
As you hike to the main waterfall, the first one, there is an option to see more waterfalls. If you are feeling adventurous, scramble up the cliff on the left side of the waterfall to the second level. Please note, this scramble is not recommended by the park and has slippery rock. Do not attempt to reach the second level unless you are comfortable climbing on rocks. From the top of the second level, you can easily two more waterfalls.
For myself, the first waterfall is much better than the second.
Note: While there isn’t any swimming at this falls, you can dip your head into the water. With that said, please do not bath in the water.
Trailhead: Darwin Falls Trailhead
Distance: 1.9 miles
How long will it take: 1 hour
What’s important to see on this hike:
The first waterfall, the second one is not very exciting and difficult to access
If you are lucky, there will be donkeys on the dirt road approaching
Hiking up the ridge from Mosaic Canyon to gain vast views of Death Valley. Photograph by Dalton Johnson
Now that you have discovered what makes each of these hikes great, how long they take, and where the trailheads are, it is your turn to get outside and start hiking these incredible trails of Death Valley. If you have more ideas for great hikes that others would benefit from, please drop a comment below and help out the other adventurers who read this blog :-)
