Hiking : Mesquite Dunes

Fees: 30$ per vehicule or Free with America The Beautiful Pass Parking: Yes Facilities: No

Before you plan to got to Death Valley look at the park’s website to see what is open. Temperature in the summer can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheits and some areas will just be closed to public.

This is a very short hike located in the Death Valley National Park, California. It’s located 36km away west from the Furnace Creek visitor center.

It is a moderate trail of 3.2km with only 56m of elevation gain. If you’re not use to sand or snow hikes you might find it more difficult as every step sinks in the sand. But even if it’s short the views are spectacular. I have to admit that before researching hiking in Death Valley I didn’t expect to have such changes in scenery in the different areas of the park.

There were quite a few people in the dune areas but very few went tried to reach the tallest one. I met with 2 other hikers at the top but most people will just wonder not very far from the parking lot. The sign say it takes roughly 1h30 if you want to reach the highest dune, but I was able to do it in 45 minutes. It really felt like I was in another world been in the middle of the dunes. No wonder some Hollywood films have used the dunes in the past for filming.

I would recommend good shoes, a good hat to protect you from the sun and suntan lotion. It’s also without saying that you should always have enough water when hitting the trails.

Follow me on Instagram for more hike ideas and pictures @sebblog.