Death Valley National Park is a National Park in California, Nevada. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 13 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Death Valley
We matched 13 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Death Valley. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Natural Arches (1)
Mountain Peaks (3)
Canyons (1)
Sand Dunes (4)
Ghost Towns (3)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Death Valley the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 244° | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:30 PM | 255° | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 283° | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 295° | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:09 PM | 300° | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 298° | 14h 25m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 288° | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:14 PM | 260° | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:41 PM | 248° | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:35 PM | 241° | 9h 41m |
Computed for the park's reference point (36.4875, -117.1344); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Death Valley, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:37 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 3:53 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.7 | 21° |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 11:51 PM – 3:51 AM | 4.0 | 25° |
| June | 10:00 PM – 3:30 AM | 5.5 | 25° |
| July | 9:55 PM – 2:15 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:16 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
SPRING is the most popular time to visit Death Valley. Warm and sunny days with the possibility of spring wildflowers is a big attraction. SUMMER starts early in Death Valley. By May the valley can be scorching hot. AUTUMN arrives in late October, with warm but pleasant temperatures and generally clear skies. WINTER has cool days, chilly nights and rarely, rainstorms. With snow capping the high peaks and low angled winter light, this season is especially beautiful for exploring the valley.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
There are multiple entrances to the park. Click below to learn the best ways to travel to Death Valley.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Canyoneering
- Food
- Flying
- Golf
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Living History
- First Person Interpretation
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
CA
CA
NV
CA