Best of Death Valley & Joshua Tree
Las Vegas, NV
5.0 (15 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Two Stunning Parks
- California's Best Desert Hikes
- Diversity of Scenery
- Oases, Badlands & Sand Dunes
- Alpine Peaks, Salt flats & Granite Mazes
- Desert Plants & Animals
- Mining & Pioneer History
- Wonderful Lodging & Meals
Description
Explore the best of Death Valley and Joshua Tree all in one tour with fantastic lodging, expert guides and a carefully orchestrated itinerary. These amazing Southern California national parks offer incredible late fall, winter and early spring trekking across diverse and mesmerizing landscapes. Discover a plethora of desert phenomena including lush oases, a waterfall, vast sand dunes, towering granite monoliths, salt flats, badlands, alpine peaks and more! We’ll keep a sharp eye out for desert wildlife with opportunities to see desert bighorn sheep, desert cottontail rabbits, roadrunners, desert reptiles, coyotes, snakes and more! Each night we’ll retire to accommodations that put us close to the action, where we’ll get cleaned up and meet for wonderful dinners (all included!) This tour offers a cornucopia of experiences in America’s stunning Mojave Desert – join us for a week you’ll never forget!
$990/$730 Single Supplement
Unless otherwise requested, we will attempt to find you a roommate of the same gender. If you would like a single room, the single supplement will apply.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
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.
Hiking Distances:
4-9 Miles
Backpack Weight:
8-12 lbs
Terrain:
Significantly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
2000 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 8-12 lb backpack for 5-7 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain (more rugged on the Wildrose Peak hike)
- Hiking with occasional, moderate heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Death Valley hike a solitude 3. You can expect hours of solitude at a time while hiking.
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.
UTAH SALES TAX
Utah is the only state we are based in that charges sales tax to outfitters and guides. The sales tax is based on the St. George, UT municipality rates, which are adjusted occasionally but are in the 6-7% range. For all of our hiking and backpacking tours that originate from our St. George, Utah base (Utah, Joshua Tree and Death Valley trips), the sales tax will be applied automatically to your payments. Feel free to call us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions!
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 2
- 4 People: Rate x 1.5
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person and single supplements apply
Minimum 2 Guests
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Death Valley: 2.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 680 feet
- Accommodations: Inn at Furnace Creek (Premier) or Ranch at Furnace Creek (Casual)
This multi-day California hiking trip begins with a morning pick up from your Las Vegas hotel. 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 Zabriskie 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.
This evening, we will explore the iconic Badwater Basin with a sunset stroll into the very heart of Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level—the lowest point in North America.
Day 2
- Drive Time: 3 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 9 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 2000 feet
- Accommodations: Inn at Furnace Creek (Premier) or Ranch at Furnace Creek (Casual)
After an early breakfast, we’ll head deep into the very spine of the park, the tree-clad Panamint Mountains, where we’ll take-on the 9000-foot Wildrose Peak. This rugged mountain hike offers a heart-pounding physical challenge with an equally rewarding summit. At the trailhead are the historic Charcoal Kilns: enormous stone domes used for smoking out wood fuel for Old West mining operations. With surprisingly cool temperatures, our hike will take us into a rich juniper and piñon forest as we climb the east slopes of Wildrose Peak. At the summit, we’ll have absolutely breathtaking views of Death Valley, Panamint Valley, and the snow-streaked Sierra Nevada Range on the western horizon.
Day 3
- Drive Time: 5.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 4+ miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 635 feet
- Accommodations: 29 Palms Inn
A welcome easy day after yesterday’s ascent, today’s hike takes us onto the peaceful Mesquite Sand Dunes and to a miracle in the desert — the stunningly beautiful Darwin Falls. Checking out of our accommodations in Furnace Creek, we’ll drive west past the Devil’s Cornfield and stop for a quite hike on the renowned Mesquite Sand Dunes. Atop the dunes, we’ll enjoy sweeping views of several mountain ranges, and get a greater appreciation for what the valley looked like when it was a glaciated lake during the cool and wet Pleistocene.
After the dunes, we’ll drive further west to visit one of the most tremendous sights in Death Valley National Park. Darwin Falls is an anomaly — a spring-fed waterfall of marvelous beauty in the driest place on earth. Our easy, two-mile hike to the falls is a great conclusion to our time in Death Valley National Park. From here, we’ll drive south across the Mojave desert to the town of 29 Palms on the border of Joshua Tree National Park. Checking into our hotel in 29 Palms, we’ll enjoy an evening of dinner and relaxation before tomorrow’s adventures in Joshua Tree.
Day 4
- Drive Time: 2 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 7-10 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1000 feet
- Accommodations: 29 Palms Inn
Today we’ll rise with the sun to share in a wonderful breakfast and hot coffee or tea. Our first stop will be at the charmingly unique Teddy Bear Cholla Garden, where we’ll stroll among a family of deceptively inviting cacti. Dropping down through an ecological transition zone where the lower Colorado Sonoran Desert meets the Mojave, we’ll make our way to our main hike for the day: The Lost Palms Oasis.
Sustained by water seeping up through fault lines, five oases can be found within Joshua Tree National Park. Today we’ll visit two! Beginning at Cottonwood Spring Oasis, former home to the Cahuilla Indians, we’ll meander our way over arroyos dotted with ocotillo and through sandy smoketree washes to reach at last the largest group of California Fan Palms in the park. After a delicious lunch in this remote desert oasis, we’ll wind our way back to the trailhead, soaking in views to the south of California’s largest lake, the Salton Sea.
While options for stops on our return to camp are numerous, we’ll likely embark on a pleasant hike to Arch Rock, a monzonite granite natural arch set amidst a playground of jumbo boulders.
Day 5
- Drive Time: 1.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 7-10 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 600+ feet
- Accommodations: 29 Palms Inn
After a delightful breakfast, our first hike today will loop us through Barker Dam. This valley is rich with petroglyphs and tall tales from the days of gold mining and cattlemen, as well as lush with plant life thanks to the precious reservoir of water. We’ll then embark on a journey into another portion of the famed Wonderland of Rocks: The Maze. This trail will weave us through a jungle of spires, granite monoliths and delusionary rock formations, opening up to tantalize us with breathtaking views of the National Park. Returning back to town, we’ll enjoy one last evening of fine dining and good company before turning in for the night.
Day 6
- Hiking Mileage: 4+ miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 600 feet
- Shuttle to Las Vegas: 4 hours
Upon filling our bellies with another tasty breakfast, we’ll check out of our hotel and head off for one last day of exploration.
We’ll begin our excursion in Hidden Valley, a favorite destination for climbers and hikers alike. Long valued for its diverse flora and protection from the elements, this microcosm is a historically significant ecological haven. We’ll then make our way into a new portion of the Park where, conditions permitting, we’ll hike through one or more of Indian Cove’s finest remote hollows.
After soaking in the astounding landscape and enjoying one last scrumptious lunch together, we’ll embark on the scenic drive back to Las Vegas and return you to your hotel for an evening of relaxation.
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.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- 5 nights of double occupancy lodging (single occupancy requires an additional single supplement)
- Use of trekking poles and a day pack
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- 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.
- Comprehensive, roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Las Vegas and back
- All necessary entrance fees and permits
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
- Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks
- A Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and dependents to a discount of 10% off any Wildland hiking trip after your first one (must book directly with us to receive the discount)!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Alcoholic beverages
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
This Death Valley and Joshua Tree hiking tour features a combination of restaurant meals and meals prepared by your guide.
We provide breakfasts and lunches for the trip. For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables. In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Leki trekking poles
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
This trip originates 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.
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.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and that of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
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
Weather in the Mohave Desert
Together, Joshua Tree and Death Valley encompass an area with extreme elevation and climate variations. They are home to the lowest point in the United States: Bad Water Basin in Death Valley which sits at 282 feet below sea level. The highest point, Telescope Peak (also in Death Valley), is 11,049 feet high, a 11,331 ft difference!! This tour features comfortably moderate winter temperatures (but with one hike to over 9,000 feet which requires more layering), and warm-hot Spring/Fall temperatures. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). Read below for average high and low temperatures in the lower elevations of the Mohave Desert:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||||
|
Month
|
Low
|
Hi
|
||||
|
January
|
40°
|
67°
|
||||
|
February
|
46°
|
73°
|
||||
|
March
|
55°
|
82°
|
||||
|
April
|
62°
|
91°
|
||||
|
October
|
62°
|
93°
|
||||
|
November
|
48°
|
77°
|
||||
|
December
|
38°
|
65°
|
||||
Accommodations
OASIS AT DEATH VALLEY
0-2 NIGHTS
Premier DV Option: A deluxe resort built in 1927, The Inn at Furnace Creek 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
0-2 NIGHTS
Casual DV Option: The Ranch at Furnace Creek 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 renoovated room.
(hot springs pool)
29 PALMS INN
3 NIGHTS
On a 70-acre property near Joshua Tree National Park, this historic, eclectic, clean and comfortable lodge offers a unique, charming lodging experience up close and personal with nature. After our hikes you can relax by the pool, in the organic garden, or in one of several hammocks and soak up the beauty of the desert.
* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.
Trip Reviews
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Gwen N
Would highly recommend this trip!
This was a wonderful trip. Samantha was an amazing guide! She shared her extensive knowledge of the geography, geology, and history of Death Valley and Joshua Tree. Samantha knew the trails in the parks inside and out. She identified flora and fauna as we hiked and prepared fabulous lunches for us each day on the trail. Would highly recommend this trip!
Hunter N
Amazing
My experience from beginning to end was incredibly positive. The process was easy, the information was clear, the hiking were amazing, the food was delicious, and our guide was friendly and helpful!
Louise D.
Amazing Trip!
I did the inn-based Best of Death Valley and Joshua Tree trip with Wildland Trekking in December of 2022. The weather was perfect, we hiked in a great diversity of landscapes, the food was plentiful and delicious, I was with a delightful group of people, including our trip leader, Michael O'Connell, who is outstanding, so professional and so thoughtful. I highly recommend this trip. It was my first time with Wildland Trekking and I am already looking forward to my next trip with Wildland. Thank you Michael and Wildland!
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