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Dante's View, Death Valley NP

Dantes View Road, Inyo County, California

Description

Dante's View provides visitors with sweeping views over Death Valley, in particular the Badwater Basin. It is located at an altitude of 1,669m and accessed by road; there is a parking and a panoramic terrace. The viewpoint is situated on the crest of the Black Mountains, a part of the Amargosa Range created when the surface of the earth was being stretched, forming grabens (a depressed block of the crust such as the Badwater Basin). On very clear days, the highest and lowest points in the contiguous 48 states of the United States can be seen: Mount Whitney 4,421 m (14,505 ft) high and Badwater −86 m (−282 ft below sea level). The spot is named after the author of the Divine Comedy. Trivia: Dante's View was used as a filming location for the 1977 film Star Wars when the characters overlook the fictional Tatooine spaceport.

Access & Transport

Dante's View is about 25 km (16 mi) south of Furnace Creek, near the border with Nevada. It is a 2h30 drive from Las Vegas, 3h from Barstow and 3h30 from Bakersfield.

Instructions & Recommendations

The best time to visit Dante's View is in the cooler morning hours, when the sun is in the east. It is also an excellent stargazing spot. We recommend combining a visit there with Badwater Basin, except during the summer when the temperature down in the valley is too hot.

Meta review

Excellent reviews overall with most visitors rating the views as spectacular and very much worth the drive (with its steep hairpins near the top). There is a minority who was a little underwhelmed, admitting that the views are indeed nice, but their expectations were just too high. Tips: it is possible to take a short hike for even better views; expect windy and much cooler conditions at the top than in the valley; and trailers & mobile homes are not allowed on the road up to the summit.

Environmental & Social

Infrastructure has been kept to a minimum so this is a green activity (besides the transport to get there)

Conclusion

Nothing to do except enjoy the views and those are quite spectacular, but we would not suggest all that driving just for them so make sure you also take in other highlights of the national park such as Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

Key positive

Panoramic views over Death Valley

Key negative

Time consuming to get there

Suitability

The viewpoint is accessible to wheelchair users

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

Updated in July 2023

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit

av. transport time:1h 30m

est. visit time:0h 45m

Sunlight based

Sunrise / early morningOk

MorningOk

Lunch timeOk

AfternoonOk

Sunset / eveningOk

Night – bef. midnightNo

Night – aft. midnightNo

Pricing
$20 for motorbike and $30 per vehicle. Captured under 'Badwater Basin' activity
Free

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