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    Barker Ranch

    5.0 (4 reviews)

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    Death Valley National Park - This plant looked like it was giving me the finger LOL!! (Ubehebe Crater)

    Death Valley National Park

    4.7(393 reviews)
    10.9 mi

    We visited for a long weekend in January and such a cool experience! Known as the hottest part of…read morethe US. We loved the different scenery in different areas of the park. Going in January was not very hot and some water was in the basin which was cool to see! We were there from 10AM to sunset and was able to hit all the major spots and get a longer hike in. The park is pretty spread out too so be mindful of driving time. Most hikes are easy, out of the parking lot to a short walk but we did one longer hike that was fine with a January cooler temp, but I'm not sure I would visit during summer time.

    Itinerary: Day 1 -…read moreVisitor Center, Zabriskie Point, 20 Mule Team Canyon, Ubehebe Crater Day 2 - Badwater Basin, Devil's Golf Course, Artists Drive, The Ranch, Dantes View Day 3 - Mesquite Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon Day 4 - Salt Creek We found out real quick that we need to pay attention to elevation levels in the park. Lower elevations in the early morning and late evening and higher elevations in the afternoon to handle to heat. I also recommend hats and sunbrellas. After running our plan by a ranger, then headed to Zabriskie Point. Short hike up to an amazing viewpoint. The variety in the landscape is stunning. After, we drove through the unpaved 20 Mule Team Canyon and saw a lot of rock formations there too. I have a hatchback and made it through nicely. Ubehebe Crater was a bit of a drive, but the crater was also over 10F cooler and super windy. Also huge and awesome to see. We hiked a bit to the Little Hebe Crater, and hiked into the crater itself. So cool! There were some wildflowers around the area that were really pretty. We went to Badwater Basin early in the morning and saw the salt up close - looks very different than seeing it from the higher viewpoints. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 282ft below sea level. The white salt was vast and stretched as far as some adjacent mountain ranges. There's a small natural pool that had snails! Artists Drive was really colorful - so many hues of red, blue, gray, brown, white... it was really beautiful. Definitely one of the most picturesque views I saw in the park. There are restaurants, stores, and gas stations in the park. We had lunch at Wild Rose Tavern at The Ranch, then enjoyed some ice cream at the parlor. We enjoyed the cooler temperatures at Dantes View, which was stunning. There's such a great panoramic view from up there, and seeing Badwater Basin both up close and from so high up in the same day was surreal. There were a lot of bugs though, but also a lot of wildflowers! Not as many as a few weeks prior, but still very pretty to see in the desert. The Mesquite Sand Dunes I would definitely recommend visiting in the early morning. There's barely any shade, and it can get hot. What a unique part of the park! Same with Salt Creek, though it's much shorter and more manageable. We so many pupfish! At times, it looked like they were jumping out of the water. I want to come back to do some stargazing and astrophotography another time!

    Photos
    Death Valley National Park - I slayed a dragon lol!! (Part of a Cotton Top Cactus in one of the slot canyons)

    I slayed a dragon lol!! (Part of a Cotton Top Cactus in one of the slot canyons)

    Death Valley National Park - I made it

    I made it

    Death Valley National Park - Leftover spring blooms backlit in the sunset at one of the mountain vistas (taken with a macro lens - Dec 2024)

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    Leftover spring blooms backlit in the sunset at one of the mountain vistas (taken with a macro lens - Dec 2024)

    Ballarat Ghost Town

    Ballarat Ghost Town

    3.9(9 reviews)
    32.6 mi

    How cool is this place... a little "ghost town" which is really just some broken down buildings but…read morethe history and the feel is awesome. Great little store which is really just for looking at the oddities and pictures of a time gone by. Store also acts as the "check in" spot for the camp ground which only asks for a $5 donation. Lots of wild burros about, along with many parts and pieces of whatever machinery was utilized in this area. The truck is said to have belonged to Charles Manson, which of course adds a level of curiosity and imagination. Close by was the location of Barker Ranch, Masons compound where they were hiding in 69' and where they were eventually caught. Since then there were attempt to locate some of the Helter Skelter victims but I don't believe any were. The house has since burned and the area flooded. You can still gain access however even the road to Ballarat is difficult after the rains already this year and the road from there up is 4wd only. It definitely sparks the imagination. Now it's just a destination I think most people stop at on the way elsewhere. Mostly 4wheelers I think. I couldn't bring myself to camp there tho, just a little too creepy but it is a site to see knowing who what when and where. . Another must see if going to DV and entering from the west side.

    IT'S SHIT. There's one structure that's cool. You can see it…read morefrom your car. It's takes 30 seconds. And then there's one piece of a wall that is being held up with a couple of planks. And then there's another smaller section of wall that's not being help up by anything and looks like it's going to fall over on the next windy day. You just saw the whole "ghost town". Everything else there is a half assed rusty tractor part, a gear they probably found at a yard sale, the grill and bumper from a model T, and a "country store" that looks like any other roadside/hole-in-the-wall/going out of business because they have nothing worth buying or looking at, kind of shop. I'd drive hours for a real ghost town. But this place isn't worth the 15 minute drive down the dirt road. There are more broken down trailers on the property than ghost town structures.

    Photos
    Ballarat Ghost Town
    Ballarat Ghost Town
    Ballarat Ghost Town

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    Texas Spring Campground

    Texas Spring Campground

    3.3(23 reviews)
    11.7 mi

    Pretty decent campground overall. I've highlighted my top pros and cons for this location…read more Depending on the type of camping you'll be doing, this campground might be perfect for you, or might not. Pros: Great hiking trails, sightseeing, and views General store nearby in case supplies get low. (Very pricey) Running water Clean restrooms Fire pits Picnic tables Camp host on site Cons: -1st come/1st serve is a nightmare. We circled for hours, and watched other do the same. On the morning of our departure, we couldn't even enjoy our breakfast without someone stopping every few minutes to ask if we're leaving and to request we hold the spot. There seemed to be a lot of "unused" space around the entire campground that, in my opinion, could have been used for more sites. -ground is too hard for spikes -small campsites (literally someone is inches away from you) -no showers -no lights inside restrooms -coyotes (but aye, that comes with camping right!)

    With 3.4 million acres in Death Valley it would be nice to give all the campgrounds in Death Valley…read morea little more space. As is, Texas Springs "B" loop looks like a gravel parking lot for RV's, trailers, campers and tenters who do not want to stay in designated loop "A" which is for tents only. What's up with that tenters? The parking spaces are way too tight, worse in the Sunset campground down the hill. Fire pits are WAY WAY too close to trailers and so I do not want my Airstream catching fire or the inside smelling like smoke! What's up with that Death Valley Park Ranger? Would Smokey the Bear approve? I doubt it! However, in camp it is beautiful to look in all directions at the colorful geological formations--jaw dropping views! Since we spend very little time in the campground anyway, cuz we are off exploring the wildflower super bloom and hiking--I just need a place to park the 25 foot trailer to eat and sleep anyway. However, more space would make the whole camping outdoors so much more of a pleasurable and memorable experience, when I hang out in camp. There are no lights in the restrooms. Bring your own light. I am ok with that. After all we are outdoors camping. We get to enjoy the night sky without light pollution. You know Death Valley is designated a dark sky place for viewing the stars--I like that too! Let me continue to rant on ... How about some more spacious campgrounds--Mr. Superintendent, Mark Reynolds? My campground was full everyday of my stay! More campgrounds please. Give up some of the 3.4 million acres for something better than a gravel parking lot surrounded by spectacular views ... and more campers will come! So, I step down from my soap box ... I digress! But camp fees are a bargain at $7/night with America the Beautiful, Senior Pass, or $14 normal fee is all quite the deal for quite the extraordinary national park! Quite!!!!! Quite the national treasure!

    Photos
    Texas Spring Campground
    Texas Spring Campground - Morning has broken....!

    Morning has broken....!

    Texas Spring Campground - Always nice to have a fire pit! This spot had a little extra room because it was a corner site.

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    Always nice to have a fire pit! This spot had a little extra room because it was a corner site.

    Telescope Peak

    Telescope Peak

    5.0(2 reviews)
    5.7 mi

    Ok here is my first review of Telescope Peak, it might be a long one…read more Telescope Peak is located in the Death Valley National Park. It is a strenous but totally beautiful hike to the summit. The access to the trail is rather difficult depending on road conditions you might have to take a long detour if you travel from the Southwest. In my case the access to the trail from Trona was closed due to last years road damage so I had to drive through Panamint Valley to access the Western entrance of Death Valley and Emigrant Canyon road that leads further to the remote camp locations. Check the Morning Report on the park´s website for current conditions. Here is my trip report of September 2014: Arrived at Mahogany Flat campground about 5pm. The road to the campground is in very bad shape, they recommend a high clearance 4x4 vehicle but my regular Dodge Charger made it as well, you just have to drive slowly and carefully. Camped overnight at Mahogany Flat. At night it became obvious why it is called Telescope Peak. The sky was clear and no other sources of light polluted the sky so with the naked eye you could spot billions of stars and many comets/shooting stars. Got up early the next morning to catch the sunrise from about half a mile up the trail to Telescope Peak. An amazing show of mother nature as Death Valley and the Bad Water Basin slowly got drenched in sunlight. Return to camp for a good breakfast and the start of the hike to the Telescope Peak about an hour later. To me the hike was quite challenging, the round trip took about 8.5 hours with an elevation gain of almost 3000ft. Especially the last 2 miles of the hike were demanding but with frequent stops and lots of drinking and snacking I reached the peak. The vistas from top of Telescope Peak are very spectacular. The entire Death Valley to the East including Badwater Basin and the Panamint Valley on your West. The Mojave Desert to your SW and the Sierras to the NW....Spectacular There is a log to sign at the peak. After about 40 minutes of relaxing, eating and taking in these stunning views it was time to return to camp. Here are my recommendations for this spectacular hike. Drive carefully on the road to Mahogany Flat. It is not as steep as one might think but the road is in very bad condition. Camp out a night at Mahogany Flat. Several camp sites available on first-come first-served basis. Might be more frequented on week end. Campground has pit toilets but there is NO WATER available so make sure to bring plenty with you. Camp fires are ok in the fire rings/pits on each site. Enjoy the clear sky at night, watch the stars and enjoy the silence out there, soul stimulating.... It does get cold at night because of the elevation at 8800ft so pack in some extra warmth for your stay. Do not miss the sunrise over Death Valley, it is fantastic, force yourself to get up. I even set up my alarm clock. For the hike pack in plenty of water I had about 1.5 gallons. A warm layer for windy situations and of course snacks, trail mix, jerky, sandwich, fruit, whatever you wanna eat and do not mind carrying in your backpack. Put on a hat, dont forget sunglasses and a camera and put on sunscreen. On the peak there is no shade and the sun will beat down on you. Enjoy yourself and the nature

    Great 15 mile (round trip) hike with a spectacular views in all directions.read more

    Photos
    Telescope Peak
    Telescope Peak - Sunrise from .5 miles of Telescope Peak trail

    Sunrise from .5 miles of Telescope Peak trail

    Telescope Peak - Panoramic view of Panamint Valley to the West

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    Panoramic view of Panamint Valley to the West

    Emigrant Campground - Emigrant campground

    Emigrant Campground

    4.5(2 reviews)
    11.7 mi

    Nice place, toilets 2 min away, there is just 10 space on this campground so it was pretty quiet…read more This one campground is one of the highest in the Death Valley, in the night the view was amazing! Gas station is about 20 min away from this place, so if you have any emergency situation you can go there, to buy some ice for your drinks ;)

    We stayed here the first night of our 3 night camping trip in Death Valley. We came in from the…read morewest entrance of Death Valley, close to Stovepipe Wells. There wasn't any sign for the campground from the west entrance, so we passed it and had to turn back. There was a small tent sign for the campground if you're heading northeast. It's easy to miss if you're not paying attention. It's a little past the bathrooms on the right side if you're heading east, and a little before the bathrooms on the left side if you're heading west. It's a very small campground with only 10 spots for tents only. No RV hookups, which is a plus for us. We came in January, so there were sites available, even though we arrived at 2 am. The biggest pro for this campground is that it's free. The other plus is it's tents only. The con is that there is no bathroom at the campground, you'll have to walk about 200 meters to get to one. But don't worry, they're flushing. Other cons are that there is no potable water, dump station, or a pit for a campfire, and it's very hard to pound the stakes in because the dirt was so hard. What we ended up doing was to put big rocks on the ropes to keep the tent in place. But honestly, I didn't mind any of the cons. I was happy to have a place to set up my tent and get a good night's sleep. I recommend Emigrant Campground if you're looking for a free campground to stay at for a night or two.

    Barker Ranch - campgrounds - Updated May 2026

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