No visit to this NP is complete without doing the one way artist's palette drive. The drive is easy with lots of pullouts. There are currently many wildflowers to be seen here as well. You can easily enjoy the views from the far or venture out on a trail or short walk from Parking spots. read more

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Easy parking and a short walk to get through a lookout. The photos don't do the color justice and I think when it's not peak light, you'll see them more vibrant but still fascinating to see up close! Theres not too much of an actual path here then just climbing around for a lookout and then returning to the parking lot. read more

If you only have time for one short drive, this is the one to take. The road winds around the geologic formations with a variety of colors and views down the valley. There are no real hikes here, just pullouts with photo opportunities. It was March and about a week past the peak wildflower super-bloom of 2026, but we did find one area with a river of purple flowers. The interpretive signs are good and explain that the unique green colored layers are from the mineral chlorite. read more

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Artist's Palette of Death Valley National Park is beautiful. Did I get lost? Yes. Are we surprised? Not at all. We followed other people and found ourselves atop a mound around sunset. The hues are really faint and not as vibrant as some photos make it out to be, but pretty nonetheless. Getting to Artist's Palette is a trip though. Be prepared for a ton of dips and winding narrow roads. You'll feel as if you're on a roller coaster with beautiful scenery haha One of the things about visiting Death Valley is you gotta fuel up the car because there aren't any gas stations for miles once you enter the national park. Happy hiking! read more

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Death Valley's Painted Hills [Death Valley National Park CA] Nuzzled into the Black Mountains it looked rather pale in real life. It was hot that day in Death Valley 'mkay, at 9:15a it was already 102°. By the time we got to Artist's Palette it was almost 10:00a... there were some faint hues of pinks, reds, yellows, golds, greens, and purples but not as vibrant as I thought it would be. Maybe the colors become more vibrant at different times of the day or like late afternoon... maybe the colors pop up even more at sunset or something... the colors were still pretty though. The first major turnoff on Artist's Drive offers a short uphill trail. This is not the Artist's Pallette. Drive further in and you'll see the sign. We were fortunate that there was no crowd at all, just maybe a car or two at the time. The Artists Drive Scenic Loop itself is easy, but may be challenging for those who get dizzy with the winding turns, deep dips, and steep climbs. Happy trails! Review #3535 read more

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Stellar scenery. One of DVNP's shortest hikes. Fun photo ops. The colorful mounds are due to the presence of various minerals. Volcanic deposits rich in compounds (iron oxides and chlorite) create the rainbow effect. Desiccated terrain. Keep your car loaded with drinks and food. Better go around winter, but layer up. Summers here can exceed 130°F. We walked about 2.5 mi (1-2 hr). read more

Artist's Palette - Strava: Artist's Palette, DVNP. We spent only about a half hour here, walking only about half a mile. - Hiking Near Me - Death Valley, California

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Beautiful view with a very small hike up. This is located in a very short drive from the Bad water basin once you take the artist drive. The artist drive as such is fantastic, but the artist pallete is the natural formation with great colors, Pictures don't do justice. Visit this place during your trip to Death Valley Park. read more

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THE BIG: Located in Death Valley National Park and near the interior of the park. Very close to Badwater Basin. Need to take Artist Drive up and parking is limited. THE BLACK AND WHITE: The wife and I came here as our second to last stop before heading back to Vegas and this was the turning point of when I decided that Death Valley NP was cool. The colors were amazing with light green, light purple, light red or pink, and yellow. To think these colors were all blasted naturally from the ground from the area's ancient volcanic activity. There were hiking trails up and you get to see a nice 360 view of the different soil colors. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Definitely a must see when you're in Death Valley NP. I highly recommend coming during the winter months. read more

It was a bit underwhelming, likely because the only unique color I saw was the light green. Still worth a drive to come by but it was not super amazing. Barely any parking when we came by so did not even leave the car to take the photo. read more

Artist's Palette is a stop-off along the Artist Drive. This is a parking lot / lookout point with an amazing view of the colorful geology. The great news is that you can actually walk inside the Badlands and get up close to colorful rocks. Most people just drive up, take a few picks and get back into their cars. NOTE: The biggest negative for the artist road and the artist's palette are the number of cyclists and cyclists tours that crowd the narrow road and this parking lot. If you thought cyclists acted "entitled" in the city, just wait till you experience them in a national park. - Stinky Pit toilets. - Small parking lot. - Annoying cyclists. read more

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My husband brought me to this route because I'm an artist and I should went to see it. And it is a beautiful road to drive on. You can stop by several nice spots to take a closer look. The colors of the rocks are not that vibrant but it still looks very pretty. read more

Artist's Palette - Hiking Near Me - Death Valley, California

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If you plan on doing the Artists Drive, then it's only right that you take the time to stop at Artists Palette. The drive alone is beautiful, but getting out of your vehicle to see this beauty up close and personal is truly a wonderful experience. Artists Palette features colorful hilltops that occur naturally due to rich volcanic deposits that create a rainbow effect. It's the most colorful and vibrant spot along Artists scenic drive. It's surreal to think that these colors on the mountaintops are natural because it seriously does seem like the mountains were painted. Although you can see the beautiful colors anytime during the day, it's been said that the colors are more alluring during sunrise and sunset. I didn't get the chance to visit during either of these times, but it was still enjoyable. This was one of my favorite places to visit during my trip to Death Valley National Park. Next time, I would love to see the colors of the palette during sunrise or sunset. read more

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Oxidation never looked so pretty! The Artist Palette rocks in Death Valley are a must. Try to get there right before sunset because the lighting is just on point to illuminate all the colors without overkill. You can even make a quick trek a few hundred yards to get closer as well. A great natural landmark in Death Valley for sure!! read more

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Artist's Palette is a miracle that nature created and we're lucky to be able to enjoy it. It's an unique place and if visit Death Valley, you should check it out! It's easy to find, marked, on the way to Badwater Basin! The drive is a one way road with various stops where you can enjoy the scenic, colorful rocks. There's a mix of reds, dark pink, yellow, purple, turquoise, green rocks from mineral deposits. So bring a camera and you can even do a few short hikes around. You can't get that close to the rocks, but I enjoyed finding cool angles and admiring the cool palette of colors splashed on the rocks. Where else can you see anything like it! read more

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An easy, one way loop off of Badwater Rd. That gets you up close and personal with some of the mineralogy of the area. Pretty ores of red, brown, yellow, orange and greenish-blue betray the elemental composition of the rocks on the hillsides. Even the most amateur geologist will enjoy the signs of erosion, deposition, and sedimentation in the hillsides. There are a few spots to get out and hike around.... but honestly, the one lane drive is also pretty if you're hot and sick of walking on hot desert ground. Check this place out at different times of day to see how light and shadow change the view throughout the day. read more

Artist's Palette - Hiking Near Me - Death Valley, California

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We drove through Artist's Palette around 4P and perhaps the lighting isn't just right around this time but I didn't find much of it impressive. There is one main area that presents a lot of color (and not just the iron present red rock that so many of us are use to seeing at National parks) and this area is really neat. If you're visiting Death Valley National Park, I wouldn't rule out a visit into this area on the one way 9 mile road, but do a little bit of research on the best time to view this area. I'm sure it's not 4P. read more

Located about 120 miles from Las Vegas, Death Valley is a spectacular geological oddity that has to been seen, When entering Death Valley stop at the nearest visitor center and pick-up a map. The map will clearly show you the sights that you will want to see. You can also print out an online map. Furnace Creek was the closest visitor center to where I entered. t Zabriske Point, Furnace Creek, Artist's Palette, Badwater and Dante's View are located in relatively close proximity to each other. The road to Artist's Palette is called Badwater Road. Artist's Palette lies off this road and is south of Furnace Creek. . It is off Badwater Road that Artist's Palette can be accessed. Artist's Palette Road is 9 miles long. Traffic can make this a long 9 miles. The start of the road is clearly marked with signage at the entrance. The elevation is 114' and it is accessible year round. The 9 mile stretch is curvy and dips periodically much like a rollercoaster ride. When you reach Artist's Palette in about 5 miles you will see rocks and minerals colored purple (manganese), hematite (pink), chlorites (green) and iron( reds, browns and yellows. These rocks and minerals were in part deposited by volcanic eruptions which spewed lava from mountains located on the California/Nevada border about 5 million years ago. Iron, titanium, aluminum and mica added to the mix and were eventually chemically and physically altered by geological processes. There are short trails you can hike but much can be seen from the parking area. read more

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You can drive the whole way through and spectacular views just a short walk from the car. We went at about 2 pm so that the sunlight was shining on the rocks and making them extra colorful. It's a 9 mile long loop packed full of curvy road and gorgeous views everywhere you look. A must stop in Death Valley, absolutely beautiful, the colors of the rocks are spectacular! read more

When we got there this weekend, the rocks looked faded and it was not as vibrant as I thought it would be. I think it was the time of day because we got there around 9:00am and most of the reviews on here suggest afternoon light. Regardless, we made the best of it and Artist's Drive was super fun to drive on. The road was one way and small in width and at first we were thinking, what's so scenic about it? But it soon turned into a little desert rollercoaster that kind of reminded me of the Cars Land ride at Disneyland. We had to drive through a narrow crevasse past huge rock formations and there were multiple dips in the road. Really great and even though we didn't get to see the full brightness of color we expected, it was still a lot of fun getting out of the area! Tips: - Go in the afternoon if you can to get better pictures - Do not misinterpret the first parking lot you see for Artist's Palette's parking lot. When you reach Artist's Palette, you will see a very clear sign labelling it for you and telling you to turn right. At the first parking lot, you can get out and walk up the hill but all you'll see are rock stacks where people have spent a lot of time rock balancing. read more

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A quaint piece of natural beauty which has a lot of re-visit value because even as I was watching the clouds go by, since the different levels of light change the intensities of the color! It's also only a 5 minute drive and its quite a fun experience itself. Would certainly recommend! read more

Artist's Palette - Hiking Near Me - Death Valley, California

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My first impression was, "Beautiful." Great spot for travelers going through Death Valley. It's a popular photo spot among the visitors and has an interesting geological description to the formation of the colors. This was one of the stops made by our geology field lab class, and is a result of one of Death Valley's most violent volcanic periods. The colors at Artist's Palette and formed from the oxidation of different metals: red, pink, yellow - iron salts green - tuff derived mica purple - manganese The lasting impression? "Surprised myself how much geology I learned in college!" read more

A super fantastic spot in Death Valley National Park. The Artist's Palette is a spot on the Artist's Drive, a 9 mile one way loop off Badwater Rd, south of the Furnace Creek junction with hwy 190. There are several parking spots along the loop. Look for the Artist's palette sign to a small parking area. Here you can see a fabulous array of variously colored hills all close by. Greens, reds, purples, pinks. It is quite unbelievable. You can carefully follow the steps down and walk among the hills to see more. Breathtaking! Do be careful, it's easy to slip on the gravel. read more

Artist's Palette - P at Artist's Palette spot. - Hiking Near Me - Death Valley, California

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it is recommend to go here in the late afternoons as it is most photogenic. Driving back from Badwater, we turned off only the smaller road ..on to this lazy 9 mile paved road (parallel the main one) this one way road loops through volcanic and sedimentary hills. (only go with vehicle 25 feet or less) great relaxing view :) read more

Another fantastic stop in DVNP! Towards the end of this one way 9 mile loop is Artist's Palette. There is a viewing area from the parking lot, but we chose to walk down to get a closer look at all the beautiful colors. The colors reminded me of ice cream sherbet, and definitely made me crave some after all of the hiking we had done earlier in the day. We went later in the afternoon after reading recommendations from other yelpers and they were right... The afternoon sun really made the colors pop! Artist's Palette was one of our favorite stops -- definitely one you can't leave out!! read more

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The parking lot is small so you may have to park next to the road. The trail to the hilltop used for viewing is uphill and is a rough, dirt and rock area. The surrounding hills contain many colors, they are not quite as vibrant as in the postcards, but still worth a visit. There is no signage to tell you what you are looking at. Access is by a nine mile long, one-way road. The entrance and exit are both off Badwater Road, you can save yourself some backtracking if you enter Death Valley from the south. There are no restroom facilities. read more

The main draw in this area and the route off of the main road through the valley is the multi-colored rock walls that give the name. The rocks range from blue to yellow, to green, to orange. The drive through is scenic, but to get the full effect, it's worth pulling over and taking a quick hike to the rocks. It may not be quite as extensive a hike as others in the valley, but the scenery gives all the others a run for their money. read more

This is a great drive that anyone should enjoy. The rock colors are absolutely amazing. Stop and enjoy the view along the way.

Absolutely beautiful, definitely worth taking the Artist's driving tour one-way road to see this up close. So surreal, makes you want to dribble some chocolate sauce on the landscape and dig in with a spoon... read more

Beautiful. Majestic. These pictures don't do it justice. Get in your car and go there. Just not in the summer.