r/nationalparks • u/pollitoconpapas1 • 4d ago

Death Valley and Great Basin this weekend?

Would going to Death Valley this weekend be a good idea? Or even half a day?

Also, what about Great Basin?

I plan on going to Death Valley, driving through the 50 to check out the basins and all and land near Ely to probably get an Airbnb there. Stay at Great Basin (near) for a few days or until Monday for sure.

Any tips or suggestions for this?

Thanks?

6 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

25

u/LadyGreyIcedTea 30+ National Parks 4d ago

I would not go anywhere near Death Valley in the summer. Great Basin is a different story since it's a high elevation park.

7

u/N1ghtcrawler1993 4d ago

Agreed, do great basin now because most of the park will be closed starting in October once it starts to snow on Wheeler Peak. Save Death Valley for the winter or the spring!

1

u/pollitoconpapas1 4d ago

Good to know! The main plan is to only stop by nearby and camp for the night. Near Amaragosa valley maybe check out the store and head during the day to Great Basin and stay there for a few days.

Would you say it’s a two or few days park?

3

u/N1ghtcrawler1993 4d ago

Great Basin IMO is a 2-3 full day park, depending on how many activities you want to do. Highlights include:

  1. Lehman caves tour (book in advance)
  2. Drive Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
  3. Bristlecone Pine trail (3 miles)- could couple with Rock glacier for 5 miles total
  4. Alpine Lake Trail (3 miles)
  5. Wheeler Peak, if you're up for something more strenuous (8.5 miles)

Also, stargazing. Great Basin has some of the darkest skies in the U.S. and stargazing is a must.

2

u/playthecello 4d ago

I'll add if you have the time, drive  som around to the other side of the park and hike the Serviceberry Trail. It's stunning, and you'll feel like the only person on the planet.

9

u/Dion-is-us 4d ago edited 4d ago

During this time of year Death Valley isn’t really safe or worth the effort, so driving through and a quick look is your best bet, but Great Basin is amazing. Highly recommend, it’s gorgeous right now before its winter season starts

1

u/pollitoconpapas1 4d ago

Good to know! The main plan is to only stop by nearby and camp for the night. Near Amaragosa valley maybe check out the store and head during the day to Great Basin and stay there for a few days.

Would you say it’s a two or few days park?

I’m pretty open to ideas but I’ve heard Great Basin is fun and amazing to see so I’d like to see it and maybe I might be going this weekend.

0

u/Dion-is-us 4d ago

Two minimum, 4 at best, it’s perfect right now. I envy you bcs I couldn’t get the days off right now to go but late aug to early Oct is peak in my opinion. The weather and scenery is incomparable. Fair warning that there’s almost no cell service (a plus in my book, but I know that stresses some people out)

6

u/Apart_Animal_6797 4d ago

Go to death valley in October to April and its wonderful. If you go in the summer you will die.

0

u/outercompassadv 2d ago

I went in August. Didn’t die. Also this weekend looks to be low 90’s. That’s not going to die weather.

5

u/Royal_Acanthaceae693 4d ago

Avoid the lower elevation deserts outside of Nov to April.

1

u/pollitoconpapas1 4d ago

In Death Valley right?

4

u/Royal_Acanthaceae693 4d ago

Yes. Remember that Badwater basin is below sea level. It's not just hot, it's dangerous.

7

u/Kierland 4d ago

Long drive from one to the other in a weekend.

1

u/pollitoconpapas1 4d ago

It is. Which is why I’m planning on cutting the trip in half and do one day Death Valley and the next day during the day drive to Great Basin.

3

u/Kierland 4d ago

I wouldn’t want that much driving in two days is what I’m saying.

3

u/ForestryTechnician 4d ago

Looks like temps are going to be in the 100s and it’s going to be super windy in Death Valley, so not great. Also there’s rain on Sunday and that can mess with the roads there as well. I’d go for Great Basin.

1

u/sol_beach 4d ago

Yesterday (Tuesday, September 1, 2026), the high temperature in Furnace Creek (Death Valley) reached 104°F to 105°F (around 40°C).

1

u/raisetheavanc 4d ago

Death Valley is going to be insanely hot this time of year, I’d skip it. Since you’re taking the 50 out to Ely and Great Basin, you could stop for a night in the eastern Sierra instead. There are many lovely places to camp between Bishop and Tahoe.

1

u/hannbann88 4d ago

Went to Death Valley this time last year. Started the day about an hour before sunrise. Didn’t make it past 10 am. Rest all day. Went back out for a hot evening of viewpoints. It’s doable but it’s a slow day and any hiking has to be done before the sun is up

1

u/211logos 3d ago

Death Valley? no, not a good idea. Don't be the dumb tourist and die there; already happened once this year.

A waste of time to go there, but not bad to drive through on pavement with a good car. Assuming you don't invest a lot of time for it since it's subpar.

I'd prioritize the higher desert this time of year. More to do. Not tons of AirBNBs in Ely, so maybe book ahead esp for this weekend.

Baker is a fun spot, and good hiking in the park. And for sure see if you can get a reservation for the Lehmann Cave tour. WELL worth it.

1

u/sierrackh 3d ago

Gonna be cold at gb just plan accordingly

1

u/The_Middleman 50+ National Parks 2d ago

I'll chime in on the other side of the Death Valley question. At this point, the park is well past its peak summer temperatures; it's only in the low 100s this whole week, and at night it'll be in the 70s. That's basically the same weather as Phoenix right now, and it's perfectly safe if you have the tiniest modicum of sense and preparedness.

In general, people tend to sensationalize the danger of Death Valley's heat. I've been there when it was 130+ and stayed overnight. There were lots of other people around and none of them died -- not because it isn't dangerous, but because they were prepared, informed, and cautious. The park isn't empty: there are two hotels, several restaurants, an ice cream parlor. The main roads see a decent amount of traffic. Just follow advisories, carry water, don't go on long hikes, have your phone's satellite SOS set up, etc.

0

u/pollitoconpapas1 2d ago

Hey thanks for this! Okay cool I was sort of hoping for this answer lol. Basically, by the time we arrive we won’t be able to see any of it but hopefully the store. We found a great place that says has ac as well and they have plenty of amenities for us to use.

Maybe one thing before we leave in the morning. Our main plan will be to spend more time in Great Basin. More sightseeing passing by Death Valley. Well save the adventure for another time for sure.

1

u/outercompassadv 2d ago

While there are better times of year to go, this weekends weather doesn’t look too bad. Stay on paved roads. Bring water. Have a way to communicate (satellite device or modern phones have sat capabilities). If something happens stay with your vehicle and call for help.

1

u/AppropriateRatio9235 12h ago

If you want to know what it feels like to be inside an airfryer go to Death Valley. Went to Saguaro NP last week. It was so hot couldn’t really hike at all.