Death Valley Classic Backpack
Guided Backpacking Trips
4 Days, 3 Nights 26 MI/ 42 KM
Trip Highlights
Connect three incredible canyons in one wonderful, four-day backpacking adventure in wild and scenic Death Valley National Park (see a video). This trip explores lush, desert oases, ancient petroglyph rock art and some of the most impressive narrows anywhere. Our adventure begins in Las Vegas, Nevada, where we’ll pick you up from your hotel and get an early start out to Death Valley National Park, Cottonwood Canyon and this otherworldly Basin and Range environment. We’ll spend 4 days traversing a series of valleys and canyons, camping near springs and oases, and sleeping under one of the most vivid night skies you’ve ever seen!
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3 Dramatic Canyons
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Desert Oases
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Stunning Narrows Sections
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Potential to See Wild Horses
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Elaborate Concentration of Petroglyphs
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Colorful Rock Formations & Fossils
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Point to Point Thru Hike
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
4 Days, 3 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
3-9 mi -
Group Size
4-10 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This trip is overall moderate to strenuous. Significant (Level 4) exposure and ruggedness ratings are due to the off-trail nature of this trip and an 8 ft vertical dry falls, which must be climbed down. One section of the trail involves descending a steep slope that is greater than 45 degrees with loose rocks.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
Shuttle to Death Valley: 4 hours
Hiking Mileage: 8.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1300 feet
This multi-day Death Valley hiking trip begins with pickup from the Tuscany Inn and Suites in Las Vegas, Nevada and transportation to our trailhead. Upon entering Death Valley National Park we’ll stop at the Furnace Creek Visitors’ Center to pick up our permit. After Furnace Creek, we’ll have about 30 more minutes of driving on the pavement before we turn off at Stovepipe Wells onto a rough dirt road. Ten miles of washboarded four-wheel driving will take us to the start of our hike at the confluence of Cottonwood and Marble Canyons. We’ll make lunch at the car before heading off down the trail. Our hike will take us along 8.5 miles up the Cottonwood Canyon road to the wilderness boundary. We’ll make camp here under the shade of a few cottonwood trees next to a lush desert spring, a pleasant anomaly in such a harsh environment.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 3.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 500 feet
With just a few miles on our plate today, we’ll enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning and take our time packing. Traversing along Cottonwood Creek for another 3.5 miles, we’ll come to another spring where we’ll make camp and break-out lunch.
We’ll then enjoy the option of exploring one of the many narrow, side-canyons or summiting one of the surrounding unnamed peaks for incredible, 4,000-foot views of the surrounding desert. Tonight, we’ll stock our bellies with a hearty dinner and go to bed early to get plenty of rest for tomorrow’s adventure.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 6.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1500 feet
Elevation Loss: 1200 feet
Although today doesn’t have the most mileage, many would consider it the most difficult day of the trip. We’ll start by hiking further into Cottonwood Canyon. Our now-familiar springs quickly dry out as the once-dramatic canyon dissipates into a shallow valley.
Hiking towards the head of Cottonwood Canyon, we’ll continue up over a pass and drop down a steep, off trail descent into Dead Horse canyon — all the while enjoying tremendous views of 6,381-ft Thimble Peak and the Grapevine Mountains to the Northeast. After a steep descent, we’ll enter Dead Horse Canyon and make our way to our campsite for the evening near a friendly spring. We’ll follow this trickle to an eight-foot dry-fall, scramble down the fall and take a rest at the confluence of Dead Horse and Marble Canyons. Tonight’s camp is here on a secluded sandy bench at the confluence with our third and final canyon.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 7.8 miles
Elevation Loss: 1800 feet
Shuttle to Las Vegas: 4 hours
Today, we’ll finish out our trip with an exciting early-morning hike down stunning Marble Canyon. In many ways, we’ve saved the best for last. Today’s scenery is enough to turn any hiker into an aspiring photographer.
We’ll pass several smaller springs along the hike today, providing pockets of riparian vegetation. Further on, the incredible geology of Marble Canyon starts to show us a wheel of colors. We’ll also try to spot fossil shells in the polished dolomite wall, and find ourselves marveling under the most impressive collection of petroglyphs in Death Valley National Park.
After exiting the last narrows, we’ll come upon a primitive dirt road that signals our final two miles of easy cruising back to the vehicle for our return drive to Las Vegas.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Use of trekking poles
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Comprehensive, roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Las Vegas and back
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All necessary entrance fees and permits
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
IN THE ACTION
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
This trip originates at Tuscany Suites and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Your guide will be in contact approximately 10 days before the trip start date to coordinate the pre-trip orientation, which will be at 5:00 PM at a hotel in Las Vegas. Your guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Death Valley Tours your guide will meet you at your hotel in Las Vegas at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Las Vegas
Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport is one of the most easily accessed destinations in the country. Many major cities in the United States and internationally offer direct flights into Las Vegas. A company named Airline Shuttle (1-888-554-1156) can help you with economic transport to most hotels. Taxi cabs run about $40 to downtown, and the city is also Uber- and Lyft-friendly.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Reviews
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Keith R
8 months agoCouldn’t have been better.
This trip was a lifetime highlight for me. Our guide, Beau is an amazing human. We had an eclectic group of hikers from all over the country, and it made for a perfect cast of characters. Every day the hike provided a new highlight better than the day before. Varied terrain, varied temps, hot, cold, just right. All the things you may worry about when booking a trip like this will be silly afterthoughts when it’s over. First time backpacking and camping. I am so thankful for this experience.
Christina B
2 years agoWas a rewarding and memorable trip!
The Death Valley backpacking trip was incredible. Such varied and unearthly scenery. Jennie was a fantastic guide and prepared wonderful backcountry meals for us. She was very knowledgeable about the area and was patient and helpful with less experienced hikers. Overall it was a rewarding and memorable trip!
Matt J
2 years agoIncredible Experience
I am so grateful for the professionalism of hiking guide Jennie D. She carefully guided me down a very challenging water fall, and even carried my pack through a difficult terrain (after dropping her's forward and coming back for mine), along with many other examples I could give. During the most challenging times in this level-4 hiking experience, she was like an angel sent from heaven. I will cherish the experience for a lifetime! Would I recommend Wildland Trekking to a friend? Absolutely! I am amazed at the value I received for this trip, which was priceless to me, mostly because of the expertise of the hiking guide, Jennie D.
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