Best of Death Valley & Joshua Tree

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.