Warmest regards , Lisa. Note: December in Death Valley is as "cold" as January. Explore Death Valley in winter with these three must-do activities. I look forward to hear from you again when you have the time. Temperatures drop … Weather in Death Valley National Park in january 2021. It’s tough to explore the famous Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, for example, when the burning sun reflecting off the sand brings temperatures above 100 degrees. Hiking Death Valley. I also am excited about the drive from SPW thru to Mammoth on the second day - it sounds like it will be a very scenic trip! Or see Death Valley from Las Vegas and fly. JimG is one of our TAs who experienced Death Valley when almost no roads to natural wonders off the main roads were open, because of snow, ice, or mud. In the morning, there is the additional fun of looking for animal tracks in the dunes. And other DV enthusiasts will come and share too. If you’re a cyclist, especially one who lives somewhere too cold for winter riding, a Death Valley trip could be just the thing to keep you motivated during the off-season. Capture the park from its legendary sunrise vistas at east-facing Zabriskie Point to the rugged cliffs and shadows of its slot canyons and the brilliant stargazing at Aguereberry Point. HOWEVER, a couple of big CAVEATS: December is winter in California. This canyon is better in daylight (mid-morning to mid-afternoon), especially in winter, because it is a north-south canyon with sheer walls, so the lighting is best when the sun is higher.The canyon has white polished walls that look like marble, and broken rock floors resembling mosaics. How far to ____ ? Generators are prohibited in Texas Springs Campground, except from April 16 to May 15 in the upper loop from 7 a.m. … Because the dunes are constantly shifting with the wind, there’s no marked trailhead — just pick a ridge and start wandering. Getting to Furnace Creek Visitor Center: Follow California Route 190 about 25 miles west from the Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. There are normally 6 hours of bright sunshine each day in Death Valley in December - that's 65% of daylight hours . Other good news is that Mammoth is about four hours from Furnace Creek in DV, so you can spend some of the morning seeing places in Death Valley and taking your time to Mammoth; see my post on Leicestershire’s thread titled “I think I have boobed” for some comments about the route. The main formation visible in the canyon is called Ely Springs Dolomite, a rusty colored rock. Wind in Death Valley is usually calm. The most quiet area, and the darkest for nighttime stargazing, is the Roadrunner building. The weather in Death Valley National Park in the month of january comes from statistical datas on the past years. He spends his summers working as a guide in Iceland, where he tries his best not to antagonize the local sheep. Take a direct route: as noted Death Valley and then across to 99. On average December is the 6th wettest month of the year in Death Valley with around 4mm 0.1 inches of rain making it a very dry time to visit.. On the flip side this corresponds to an average of 7.1 hours of sunshine per day. When I visited the road to Eureka dunes was not officially open (as well as some others I didn't care about), but a ranger was nice enough to hint that … DV visit with 2 yrs and 6 yrs old - pahrump as a base? I’m one of those people who live in Death Valley in summer, and it’s true that for most North Americans, is more comfortable to visit in winter. 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Between now and February, the Furnace Creek Golf Course will host a steady stream of golfers. Death Valley Junction is a ghost town, a former borax mining settlement. Located in southeastern California, Death Valley National Park is about 4.5 hours by road from Los Angeles and a two-hour drive from Las Vegas in neighboring Nevada. Death Valley’s Winter Sports A properly equipped winter sports enthusiast in Death Valley is outfitted with good hiking boots, sunscreen, hat, binoculars, camera, golf clubs, bathing suit, tennis racket, water, full tank of gas and light jacket. The Moon phase calculator shows exact times of the various moon phases for Furnace Creek (Death Valley), California, USA in year 2021 or in other locations and years. We went in late April and at sea level, it was around 100 degrees. Can leave LV as early as needed on the first day but would like to be on the mountain at Mammoth by night fall of the seond day. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-40386926', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Las Vegas, through Death Valley to Mammoth Lakes over two days and hence an overnight stay somewhere in Death Valley. Read about the best national and state parks in California to visit on your next California vacation. They have a few different sizes and prices to choose from. The adventure continues in Part Three - Click Here. "At Death Valley the sky literally begins at your feet," said Tyler Nordgren, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Redlands (Calif.) and International Dark-Sky Association board member. LODGING - which Death Valley resort or hotel is best for us? It can rain, sometimes heavily, to the point that roads are washed out and canyons flooded. In terms of daylight, this day is 4 hours, 59 minutes shorter than on June Solstice. Charles Cody Siler is a writer, photographer, cyclist and active travel guide based in Bogotá, Colombia. Stovepipe in general has more subdued lighting than (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? So, since we were visiting Southern California and Channel Islands National Park in January anyway, it was not too big of a deal to add on a four-hour drive to Death Valley and see it when there were fewer people, some water, and even snow. SPW is my own favorite; it’s smaller and more rustic than Furnace Creek and it feels more to me like "being in Death Valley." We are a family of 4 from Australia travelling to the US in December of this year. Generally, the temperatures are moderate at lower elevations with some snow in the mountains, a beautiful contrast. If you go during November's Leonid meteor showers, especially if they occur during a dark moon, you'll get an extra nighttime light show. Death Valley is on the border between the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. The rest of Death Valley National Park has a 30-day per calendar year camping limit. Continue onto California Route 190 at the junction and follow this road to the park’s visitor center. They are all on paved roads or graded gravel side roads that are maintained regularly. Furnace Creek is close to many of the major sights, including Zabriskie Point, Golden Canyon and other places along Badwater Road, the park visitor center, Harmony Borax Works, and Salt Creek. Mammoth is a renowned ski destination and there will be snow, on the highways around the town and on local streets. Averages By Month. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. It is one of the best national parks to visit in December and the weather is a large reason why. ROUTES to Death Valley? As part of a month long holiday we are planning on driving from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Copyright ©2020 Alamo. Death Valley Explorer Tour by Tour Trekker, Death Valley National Park - Private, Custom Adventure w/ Pro Photography, Private Tour: Death Valley Day Tour with Evening Milky Way Viewing, http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html. 5. The park can be too hot to ride in the summer, and there are more cars on the roads in fall and spring, so winter is the time to do it. I think we’ll probably be talking again, once you digest some of this info and have a chance to think about your time in Death Valley. Many thanks for all of the wonderful advice. You won’t need 4wd to see the sights I’ve mentioned if the weather has been mild. From December through March, everything is cooler and quieter than it is during spring and summer, when the … Death Valley, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon, Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, Ubehebe Crater, California more, Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park Destination Experts. His work has appeared in Club Traveler magazine, Gambit Weekly, Berkeleyside and other publications. There may actually be road closures this time of year. In most locations north of Equator, the shortest day of the year is around this … Fly into McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and pick up your rental car. Death Valley is officially the toastiest place on the entire planet, thanks to a scorching day back in 1913 when temperatures reached 134 degrees, the highest ever recorded anywhere on the globe. (More on snow later.) During summer, the valley is blazing hot and the Inn at Death Valley is closed. Answer 1 of 2: Hello! WOW! 3 Things to Do in Death Valley National Park in Winter The name might sound ominous, but Death Valley National Park in wintertime is strangely inviting. In December, you’ll have fewer daylight hours, so it’s good to get an early start. We have never been there and don't know much about the area. Normally, the heat hinders hiking in Death Valley. (Tip: Save time by reserving your bikes online.) You’ll be out in nature and be able to see the vistas all around, enjoy sunrise and/or sunset from a variety of magnificent settings, take nature strolls or rides, and maybe have a roadrunner or coyote greet you in the morning. This is a beautiful scenic route, but it will take you longer. From there to Dante’s View, you’ll follow Route 190 for 12 miles before turning right onto Furnace Creek Wash Road. High temperature: 65°F (19°C) Low temperature: 39°F (4°C) Hours daylight/sun: 10 hours. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Not clear you have time for Yosemite too, aside from driving to the valley (with your chains) and then heading back out on 140 to San Francisco. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. The strata in the north end of the Panamint Mountains has been tilted to almost vertical. That said, it’s always best to bring a map and let someone know where you’re planning to go. SUMMER - is it safe to go to Death Valley? For that reason, many summer visitors see only the beginning of the dunes, comprised of ridges or hills of sand formed by the wind. Death Valley Service to Close Noon Dec. 7, 2020, Your vision for Stovepipe Wells & Emigrant areas, Driving from Stovepipe Wells Village to The Strip Vegas, See All Death Valley National Park Conversations, Driving Las Vegas to Yosemite - Where to stop. I really appreciate you taking the time to help. Hwy 395 from Lone Pine (or more usually Big Pine) northward is subject to winter storms that may bring heavy snow, icy surfaces, and high winds. Fewer people means more room to start snapping photos across Death Valley. Driving through Death Valley in August -advice please. Easily accessible and especially enjoyable in winter, Mesquite Flat features three types of dunes — crescent, linear and star-shaped — and it’s the only dune field that permits sandboarding in Death Valley. On average, the warmest months are June, July and August Death Valley National Park has dry periods in January, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November The coldest months are January and December Thank you so much! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-40473366', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Las Vegas to Death Valley is a couple of hours. Since Las Vegas is only 2-3 hours from much of DV, you will have time to see Dante's View, Zabriskie Point, the places along Badwater Road, the Furnace Creek area and visitor center, and maybe Harmony Borax and Salt Creek on the first day. Answer 1 of 9: We are a family of 4 from Australia travelling to the US in December of this year. CAMPING - where and when can we camp in Death Valley? Death Valley National Park Weather in December While the middle of December gets fewer crowds, the period from Christmas until New Year’s is far more bustling at the national park. 4. Before heading out, pick up a free backcountry permit from any visitor center. Hopefully, you have more than one day to do this. Visiting Death Valley in the winter is the way to do it. I see it like this pretty often. I like Stovepipe Wells, too. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-40410452', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Death Valley is very pleasant in December. All Rights Reserved. Is Death Valley wildlife dangerous? The peaks aren’t so high that you’ll be disoriented, and you may even be able to retrace your steps in the sand on the walk back to your car. If you fill your tank there, you’ll have to buy less in Death Valley where gas is very expensive. 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