Death Valley in depth: Dante’s View to Ubehebe Crater
Cross Death Valley from the viewpoint above Badwater through painted hills and marble canyons to a volcanic crater and on to Lone Pine.
- Distance
- 457 km (284 mi)
- Driving
- 5 h 04 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 8
- States
- NV, CA
- Updated
- May 29, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 457 km (284 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Lone Pine. About 5 h 04 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Nevada, California
Route description
From Las Vegas, take SR-160 to Pahrump and SR-190 through Death Valley Junction into the park, about two and a half hours. Before Furnace Creek, turn south on the paved road to Dante’s View, 13 miles up to a viewpoint 5,475 feet above Badwater Basin. The last steep stretch is not suitable for vehicles over 25 feet; park them at the lower lot.
Back on SR-190, turn south on Badwater Road. Artists Drive is a nine-mile one-way loop past Artists Palette, where the hills are streaked with green and pink minerals; it is closed to vehicles over 25 feet. Golden Canyon trailhead is just south of Furnace Creek, with a walk into golden badlands. Walk only in the early morning from May to September.
Furnace Creek has fuel, a visitor center and campgrounds. Drive north past the Mesquite Flat dunes to Stovepipe Wells, where a two-mile gravel road leads to Mosaic Canyon and its polished marble narrows. Ubehebe Crater is about an hour further north, a half-mile-wide explosion crater with a rim trail. Carry plenty of water and fuel up whenever you can, as distances are long.
From Stovepipe Wells, SR-190 climbs over Towne Pass and drops to Panamint Springs. Just beyond, Father Crowley Vista Point overlooks Rainbow Canyon and the Panamint Valley. The road continues over the Argus Range to Owens Valley and Lone Pine. The park has an entrance fee; summer temperatures often exceed 115°F, so the best months are October to April.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Las Vegas
NV - 2171 km
Dante’s View
ViewsDeath Valley National Park, CAA viewpoint 5,475 feet above Badwater Basin with Telescope Peak across the valley. The paved road climbs 13 miles from SR-190; the last steep stretch is not suitable for vehicles over 25 feet. Cooler than the valley floor.
- 321 km
Artists Palette
NatureDeath Valley National Park, CAHillsides streaked green, pink and purple by oxidised minerals, on the one-way Artists Drive loop off Badwater Road. The drive is closed to vehicles over 25 feet; colours are best in late afternoon.
- 49 km
Golden Canyon
NatureDeath Valley National Park, CAA gully of golden mudstone leading toward Red Cathedral and Zabriskie Point, starting just south of Furnace Creek. Walk it in the early morning or in winter; there is no shade and summer heat is dangerous.
- 538 km
Mosaic Canyon
NatureDeath Valley National Park, CAA narrow canyon of polished marble and breccia near Stovepipe Wells. A two-mile gravel road leads to the trailhead, and the best narrows are in the first half-mile of walking.
- 667 km
Ubehebe Crater
NatureDeath Valley National Park, CAA volcanic explosion crater about half a mile wide and 600 feet deep in the north of the park. The rim trail is short but the loose cinders make the walk back out of the crater hard work.
- 788 km
Father Crowley Vista Point
ViewsPanamint Springs, CAA viewpoint on SR-190 above Rainbow Canyon and the Panamint Valley, where military jets sometimes train low through the canyon. A short gravel spur leads to the rim; lava flows line the canyon walls.
- 863 km
Lone Pine
CA
FAQs
How long is Death Valley in depth: Dante’s View to Ubehebe Crater?
3-day road trip of about 457 km (284 mi) with 8 stops, from Las Vegas to Lone Pine. About 5 h 04 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Death Valley in depth: Dante’s View to Ubehebe Crater?
We suggest 3 days: about 5 h 04 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Death Valley in depth: Dante’s View to Ubehebe Crater start and end?
It starts in Las Vegas and ends in Lone Pine.
Which states does Death Valley in depth: Dante’s View to Ubehebe Crater pass through?
Nevada and California.
