Death Valley Inn Based Tour
Inn-Based Hiking Tours
4 Days, 3 Nights 17-24MI / 27-39KM
Trip Highlights
With secluded mountain canyons and alpine peaks towering over surreal, below-sea level salt flats, Death Valley National Park is a land of contrasts that captivates the imagination. Our Inn-based Death Valley Tour allows you to enjoy the best backcountry trails in the park while returning to the comfort of contemporary lodging and relaxing restaurant meals each evening.
Death Valley—the largest national park in the contiguous United States—is 93 percent untrammeled wilderness, making it a paradise for hikers and nature enthusiasts. Discover narrow canyons, vast dune fields, ancient lava flows, high alpine forests, scenic mountains, and the rich history of the American West. After spending your days exploring this diverse landscape, enjoy your evenings in historic Furnace Creek lodging where you can clean up, eat a fine dinner, and relax by a crackling fire under incredible starlight.
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Wonderful Hikes
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Casual or Premier Lodging
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Salt Flats & Sand Dunes
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Alpine Hike with BIG View
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Colorful Volcanic Deposits
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Mining & Pioneer History
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Narrow Canyons & Petroglyphs
Book This Trip
View Dates
Trip Details
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Trip Type
Inn-Based Hiking Tours -
Trip Length
4 Days, 3 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
4-9 mi -
Group Size
2-7 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?
The most challenging day of this tour is the 8 mile roundtrip / 2,200 ft climb up to Wildrose peak (9,064 ft). Other days are lighter, but most trails in the park are rugged with some heights exposure and little sun protection.
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: 2.5 hours
Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 680 feet
Accommodations: Inn at Death Valley (Premier) or Ranch at Death Valley (Casual)
This multi-day Death Valley hiking trip begins with a morning pick up from the Tuscany Inn and Suites in Las Vegas, Nevada. We’ll depart Vegas and embark across the fabled Mojave Desert’s basin-and-range landscape. Upon entering Death Valley National Park, we will be treated to morning views of the Badlands: jagged hills dazzlingly colored by volcanic metals. At the edge of the Badlands, we will walk to the top of Zabriske Point where we’ll first gaze upon Death Valley and the towering Panamint Mountains.
After a quick stop at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, we’ll head to the trailhead of Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch: a classic Death Valley hiking loop that takes us deep into the Badlands of the Amargosa Mountains. After a hilltop lunch with panoramic views, we’ll hike down into the water-carved Gower Gulch which will spill us out onto a slanted desert landscape at the edge of Death Valley itself.
Time allowing, we may stop at one of many historic points of interest near Furnace Creek before settling in at our lodging where we’ll enjoy a fine dinner at the historic dining room of the Inn at Death Valley.
Day 2
Drive Time: 80 minutes
Hiking Mileage: 9 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 2088 feet
Accommodations: Inn at Death Valley (Premier) or Ranch at Death Valley (Casual)
Today’s hike up Mt Perry will be the most challenging but also the most rewarding. The guests will hike a rocky route along Dante’s Ridge in the Black Mountains, offering jaw dropping views 5,000′ straight down into Badwater Basin and as far away as Mt Whitney and the Sierras. Depending on time and the group, the guide may serve lunch at the summit or may elect to return to the vehicle and head to a picnic spot back at Dante’s View. The day will finish in the afternoon.
Day 3
Drive Time: 1 hour
Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1400 feet
Accommodations: Inn at Death Valley (Premier) or Ranch at Death Valley (Casual)
Today is a welcome easier day after yesterday’s peak ascent. Today’s hike takes us onto the peaceful Mesquite Sand Dunes and to a miracle in the desert — the stunningly beautiful 1-mile out-and-back hike (2 mi total) hike to the highest Mesquite Sand Dune. Then we’ll enjoy a 4-mile hike through Mosaic Canyon, into Death Valley Wilderness. This canyon is filled with breccia – a type of rock made of broken fragments of minerals and rocks cemented together by a fine grained matrix, creating a mosaic-like display. It’s absolutely gorgeous!
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 4-7 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 200-500
Shuttle to Las Vegas: 2.5-3.5 hours
For our final day in Death Valley, we’ll hike one of several mountain canyons of the Amargosa Range. Desolation Canyon, Sidewinder Canyon, Virgin Spring Wash, and Kaleidoscope Canyon each offer their own taste of sublime Death Valley wilderness. We’ll have lunch on the trail or, if time allows, atop the expansive vista of Dante’s View—the best overlook of Death Valley itself—while celebrating and reflecting on our amazing journey.
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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3 nights of double occupancy lodging at Furnace Creek Resort or equivalent Death Valley hotel (single occupancy requires an additional single supplement)
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Use of trekking poles and a day pack
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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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Alcoholic beverages
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
OASIS AT DEATH VALLEY
3 NIGHTS
Premier Option: A deluxe resort built in 1927, The Inn at Death Valley is a four star, elegant resort that takes wonderful care of its guests. After our hikes you can relax near the spring-fed pool, walk around the stunning palm gardens, or rest up in your exquisite room.
(pool, spa)
RANCH AT FURNACE CREEK
3 NIGHTS
Casual Option: The Ranch at Death Valley features casual, family-oriented accommodations for the more price conscious traveler. After our hikes you can stroll around the Old West-themed grounds, enjoy a dip in a spring-fed pool, or relax in your quiet, recently renovated room.
(hot springs pool)
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
This trip originates from 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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Jeff T
8 months agoExcellent Trip
The Death Valley Inn based trip was excellent. Our Guide Beau was a wealth of information, and made sure the trip was fulfilling for everyone!
Kelly M
9 months agoFabulous Trip
Wonderful trip to Death Valley. January is a great time to hike it, not crowded and temps are just right. Sam was the best guide! She has it all: hiking knowledge, fun seeker and a joyful attitude. Thanks to her for a trip I’ll never forget!
Lawrence A
3 years agoGreat Time Hiking
We had a great time hiking in Death Valley but a break in the water line left us without water in our cabins or restaurants. Not WT fault and Carm, our guide did a great job adapting and took us out for dinner outside the park. We weren’t notified of any free water and everyone in the two hotels had to buy water. The outhouses weren’t provided until the day after.
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