Best Photo spots in death valley

Death Valley National Park is one of those rare places on this planet that does not cease to amaze every time you visit it. Thanks to its unusually dry weather conditions, cold winters and extremely hot summers, the park goes through a number of transformations throughout the year. And such changes can be observed in many of its rich and diverse landscapes, especially if you pay a visit at the right time of the year. 

Zabriskie Point

If you enter the park from its southeastern entrance (Death Valley Junction, state road 190), the first spot you can stop by is the legendary Zabriskie Point. Without a doubt, Zabriskie Point is one of the most popular spots in Death Valley, thanks to the unusual beauty and the glorious views it offers. You can park your car right by the observation area – the walk is very short and you don’t need to plan in advance to find a good spot. That is, if you are planning to photograph from the common area that everyone else will be visiting. However, I must warn you that this is a very treacherous hike and you should only try doing this if you are not afraid of heights and you have the right hiking shoes, along with a solid health condition. The ground is very slippery and if it rains or snows, you should never even attempt to go there. I would not recommend to hike this trail alone, especially if you visit the park during off-season times, as you might not get any help for a while!

Still, if you are a brave soul and you know what you are doing, it is worth checking out Zabriskie Point from a completely different angle.

Artists Drive

A really cool place to check out on your way to Badwater Basin is the Artists Drive. With so many beautiful colors on display, you will quickly realize why it carries such a name. While this spot might not be ideal for photographing sunrises and sunsets, you might want to check it out during storms, early mornings and late afternoons. Lots of opportunities here, especially if you equip yourself with a telephoto lens. Something like the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G or the smaller and lighter 70-200mm f/4G VR would be ideal here.

Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin is another spot that you cannot miss, especially in the winter and early spring when the basin gets flooded with some water. In the winter months, you might be lucky to see small ponds filled with water. Combined with the heavy deposits of salt, you might witness stunning formations that will give you practically limitless photographic opportunities. Summertime and late fall are not the best times of the year to visit Badwater, since the water dries up and the salt formations are not nearly as beautiful. If the winter season is dry, you might need to walk for miles to find something interesting and worth photographing. Make sure to take lots of water with you, as it gets incredibly dry and hot. If it gets sunny, make sure to apply sunscreen, or you will burn very quickly!

Towards Salt Creek

As you drive from the Furnace Creek area towards Salt Creek, pay a close attention to your surroundings – you might find some great opportunities on the way. Thanks to all the rain that flooded much of the Badwater Basin area, there were plenty of opportunities to photograph small ponds and reflections this year.

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Mesquite Sand Dunes is another prime spot for photography and for a good reason – the beautiful sand formations, along with the surreal mountain rangers surrounding the dunes give a lot of different photographic opportunities. You can literally photograph there from every angle! Another reason why people love Mesquite Sand Dunes, is because it is an excellent place to put your composition skills in practice. Since the dunes change shape and form each year, there is a high chance that you will end up with unique, self-inspired photographs. 

Wildlife

Wildlife in the desert? Heck yeah! If you think Death Valley is only good for your wide angle lenses, you are totally wrong. Aside from snakes and lizards, Death Valley has an abundance of all kinds of wildlife – from different bird species to foxes and coyotes. If you have one of those nice super telephoto lenses, don’t forget it at home – you might be surprised by what you might see just driving along the main roads.

TRAVEL SAFE, HAPPY JOURNEY ❤