One of our favorite places to visit. I would have given it 5 stars but they took a 75.00 deposit…read moreto dry camp lol. Camping is more than double what it was a few years ago but still a pretty good deal. Just not the great deal it used to be.

Clean, quiet, near everything we needed was a great price felt very safe would go again bookings go…read morefast so book early.

"Helter skelter in a summer swelter, The birds flew off with a fallout shelter"…read more SO Ive been fascinated by the whole Manson saga for years. Around 1980 I found a copy of the book Helter Skelter: The True Story of The Manson Murders is a 1974 book by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry on my parents book shelves. Being a avid reader I poured through the book. Manson was the pure embodiment of evil and being in Death Valley to spot aircraft, and since on Sunday there are no planes flying, I decided to add this odd piece of history to my itinerary. Lets be very clear however, I came from the Panamint side. If you are coming from Death Valley over the Manly Pass you need a legit off road vehicle and experience. Make no mistake however, coming up the Goler Wash from the Panamint side is also tricky. I did make it in a stock 2016 MDX but it was pushing things to the limits. I also have decent experience off road, had a full set of recovery gear, and food and water for 2 weeks in case something happens (I may be crazy, but Im not stupid) . This trip is not for the faint of heart and there is no cell phone service and if you get in trouble you are on your own. That being said if things do go wrong do not panic and wait. Someone will come by and the offroad community has a esprit de corps seldom found in other hobbies and will always help. Also pay heed and DO NOT GO IN THE SUMMER. Barker Ranch in short was one of the Manson Family hangout spots. It was super remote, and it was where they fled following the murders. It was where they were caught, including Manson (who hid in a vanity). The irony was they were arrested for crimes they did not commit, vandalizing national park equipment, only later to be connected with the heinous murders. The ranch is a bit on the eerie side but I love exploring abandoned things. You can really feel the remoteness and it was eerily quiet except for the wind and swish of trees. Most of the building were destroyed in a fire a while back but enough remains to get a sense of the place. Coupled with the Goler Wash trail its a decent way to spend a day. From the trail head it took me several slow hours to get there. As always please do not take things and level them undisturbed.

Had an eerie feeling coming here but glad we made it out. Got a chance to see the remains of the…read moreBarker Ranch and we also decided to cook some food in the parking area.

The only hike we really did at Death Valley NP. It's about 2-3 miles RT with some incline and a…read morelarge stretch of uncovered trail so bring sunscreen and plenty of water! There are some challenging climbing pieces through slot canyons and some parts where you have to decide what is actually the trail. Then the end it kind of abruptly has a rock wall so there's no 'viewpoint' at the end but the rock marbling and mosaic rocks along the way are very cool to see. We saw a lot of groups here doing like discussion circles so seems like a popular spot to walk a little in and hang out.

Beautiful dry hiking trail. Reminds me of Zion Narrows without the water. Some bottleneck boulder…read morescrambling from time to time. Arrows made of rocks point the way. Stay on trail. One guy had to be rescued by helicopter in the last year. Very dry terrain. Bring extra water. Limited shade. I suggest using the restroom at Stovepipe Wells first. No cell service. Better go near wintertime. Can be cold, so layer up. Summer can reach over 120°F. We hiked almost 4 mi for about 2 hr.

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!

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.

An amazing little gem in the middle of nowhere in death valley. We came up from Shoshone in Death…read moreValley (the last town before you enter the valley) and trekked up rough terrain for about 3 hours until we finally came to Geologist's Cabin. There were already people occupied there and it was after 10 p.m. at night. At this point we just had to find a place to set up camp. We took the dirt path further for about 20 minutes and came up to an area with an old rusted gate that said "DO NOT ENTER." Of course, we entered. And I am glad we did. The cabin sits at the top of the hill, tucked next to a small water source and some trees. It was empty, clean, and full of supplies from the previous passer-byes. There is a nice main cabin, with a sink, running (trickling) water, a fridge used to store food, a furnace, and table and chairs. There is another cabin but less clean. Outside is a fire pit with grilling grate, some chairs, and plenty of landscape with roaming wild donkeys. Inside the fridge are a number of journals. Travelers have kept a log since about 2003, making entries every 4-7 days. It is fair to say there have been numerous visitors over the years, and all have been kind to clean up after themselves and leave a little something behind. We left coffee, dish and hand soap, a sponge, and some plates. The walls are filled with newspaper clippings and some other items that tell the history of the Andersons. It looks like the cabin was built sometime in the 1920s. The husband died, and Stella remained until she was in her 90s. Special side notes: - There terrain is very rough. I hardly made it in my Honda CRV. I wouldn't do it again. You will need a Jeep or Truck or ATV. - There are other cabins in the area as well that you can find. For instance, Russell's camp is about 20 minutes away on a trail from Stella's Cabin. It is huge with about 5 rooms, but it is not kept up as nice.

This place truly is a diamond in the rough. The location and views are perfect. Camped out there…read morewith some friends and cooked some awesome food while there. It can be a challenge getting here but well worth it. If you plan on staying here I recommend come early before some group claims it.

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.

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!

This is a great campsite. The bathrooms were clean. There was a large sink outside the bathrooms to…read morewash dishes or anything else. Although it's a bit of a drive from all the other points of interest, we had a lot of fun camping here. The sites are far away from each other with enough privacy. Will definitely make this our first stop instead of our last next time we visit Death Valley!

Amazing campground in the north part of death valley. At 1800 feet, its a little cooler than the…read morevalley (furnace creek). All sites are first come, first serve. We were there in mid April and the site was nearly empty. The stars at night were incredible. Flush toilets, no showers, dump station and drinking water at the campsite entrance

Glamping at Tarantula was the perfect mix of wild desert beauty and total comfort. Our glamping…read morecamper was super cozy, with bathrooms very nearby and the outdoor shower under the stars was pure magic (there is also an indoor shower). The sweet cats are very social and really know how to climb up every high spot at the camp! Great entertainment without being annoying. Sierra, our camp host, was friendly, helpful, and made us feel right at home. We also loved the Wine Hall which doubles as entertainment central, camp kitchen & cool hangout... We really enjoyed our wine under the stars, next to a vineyard, and the endless desert views. If you want to experience Nevada Desert, without giving up good coffee, comfy beds, and a killer stargazing shower, this is your spot. We'll definitely be back!

Amazing stay - - so happy we found this lovely place!!! The property is so well laid out. They…read morethought of everything. Choose between camping, glamping or the Bottling Room. That's where we stayed and it was fantastic. Bedding was super comfortable. Kitchen area is small but so well stocked. Just look in all the cabinets/drawers and you will probably find what you are looking for. Loved the outdoor shower - - might not be for everyone:) There are a couple chairs just outside that we took advantage of and had ourselves a relaxing happy hour, enjoying the view. You can park your car right outside the door so pretty easy unloading/loading. Keep in mind that there isn't a lot around there - - kinda the point - - so come prepared with your food, etc... So glad we signed up for the sip and stargazing. Definitely looking forward to next time.