Death Valley National Park

Death Valley Fast Facts

How big is Death Valley National Park?

Death Valley covers a total area of 3,367,627 acres or 5,262 square miles.

How many people visit Death Valley National Park?

1,146,551 people visited Death Valley in 2021. A table showing all years can be found at Death Valley Visitation Stats.

When was Death Valley National Park created?

Death Valley was made a national park on October 31, 1994.

What are the highest and lowest elevations in Death Valley National Park?

Death Valley’s lowest point is -282 feet at Badwater. The highest point in Death Valley is 11,049 feet on Telescope Peak.

What time zone is Death Valley National Park located in?

Death Valley is in the Pacific Time Zone.

How much does it cost to enter Death Valley National Park?

$30 per private vehicle per week.

Five Random Facts About Death Valley

one The name Death Valley came from a group of pioneers lost in the area in 1849. Although only one of the group died, they all feared they would. They dubbed the area Death Valley as they finally exited.

two A ground temperature of 201°F was recorded in Furnace Creek on July 15, 1972. This may be the highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded.

three Mining was prevalent all over the Death Valley region in earlier times. A wide variety of things were extracted, including gold, silver, lead, zinc, antimony, mercury, tungsten, copper, borax, sodium chloride (salt) and manganese.

four Death Valley is the largest national park in the United States outside of Alaska, taking over the title from Yellowstone National Park upon its creation in 1994.

five Death Valley National Park includes the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin, at 282 feet below sea level.

Where is Death Valley National Park?

Death Valley National Park covers an enormous area, mostly in California, with a small section in Nevada. It is in a very remote area, with few towns and even fewer services. Beatty, Nevada is a reasonable distance from the popular Furnace Creek area. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to Death Valley.