Death Valley needs to be #1 on your National Park bucket list! Full of unique landscapes, world records (hottest point in North America!), and plenty of photo-opps. 🙂
If you are planning a trip to this amazing park, the biggest hurdle is finding out the best place to stay in Death Valley. Even though there are places to stay within the park, these options are surprisingly expensive! So, in this guide I will go over ALL of the options plus my top recommendation. Regardless of your budget, there will be something perfect for you!
Since you are planning a trip to Death Valley, be sure to check out my guide on the best sites to see and other Day Trips from Las Vegas ideas! Enjoy 🙂
There is a chance this post contains affiliate links. This means I may make a small commission, at no extra cost to you, that goes directly towards little Rosie’s dog treats!Â
Camping in Death Valley National Park
Obviously the most budget friendly option would be to camp, but this is not recommended most of the year. Death Valley is known for being the hottest and driest point in North America, so most campsites are only open during the cooler months (October – April)! There are a 9 campsites throughout Death Valley National Park, all are first come first serve except the main once, Furnace Creek. Here is the total list:
- ** Furnace Creek Camp Ground: $22.00 – $36.00 per night
- Sunset at Furnace Creek: $14.00 per night
- Texas Springs at Furnace Creek: $16.00 per night
- Stovepipe Wells: $14.00 per night
- Mesquite Spring: $14.00 per night
- Emigrant: FREE
- Wildrose: FREE
- Thorndike: FREE
- Mahogany Flat: FREE
For more details on the campsites, click here to read more!
Hotels in Death Valley National Park
There are a few hotels within the park, but beware… they are pricey! When I traveled to Death Valley in 2020, I was shocked at how expensive the hotels and restaurants were inside the park. Even though they are expensive, I would still recommend booking these instead of a hotel in a nearby city because the park is extremely spread out. If you want time to see all the highlights, you will want to save time by staying in the center of the park. Here are all the hotels within the park:
The Oasis at Death Valley / The Inn at Death Valley
The Oasis and The Inn are the essentially the same hotel, just different sides of the property. This is easily the most expensive option in Death Valley, but also the nicest. As soon as you pull up, you will see hundreds of palm trees lining the property and a beautiful pool. While the rooms are a little bit nicer than the other hotels, I don’t think it is worth the significant price difference. All of the Furnace Creek Hotels (Oasis, Inn and The Ranch) are under the same ownership (same restaurant options) and are within walking distance of each other. Click here to view their pricing and availability!
The Ranch is also apart of the Furnace Creek area, with all the restaurant options connected to The Inn and The Oasis. What I loved about this property is how you felt like you were in a small village! They had parks, ice cream shops, general stores, golf, restaurants, and a few bars. If you want to avoid camping and stay in an actual hotel, I would recommend this property! Click here to view current pricing and availability.Â
**This is my top choice on the best places to stay in Death Valley!
Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel
Stovepipe Wells is located about 30 minutes from the main Furnace Creek area (where all the other hotels are located). Even though you will still have some amenities, you will be quite the drive from all the restaurants and bars in the village of Furnace Creek. This hotel will be farther from sites like Badwater Basin, Artist’s Palette and Zabriskie Point, but it will be closer to sites like Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and Mosaic Canyon.
It will honestly depend on what you want to see, which if you haven’t done that yet, be sure to check out my guide on spending One Day in Death Valley!
Hotels in Pahrump, NV
One of the closest cities to Death Valley National Park is Pahrump, which is only 1 hour from Furnace Creek. This city has many restaurant and amenity options, making it far more budget friendly. The only downside is that you would have to drive an hour to the center of the park plus additional driving time to all the sites. If you plan on splitting your time between Las Vegas and Death Valley, this is the perfect middle ground!
Accommodations in Pahrump will range from motel / RV parks to Best Westerns. You will have a hard time finding luxury accommodation in this small, desert town! If you want a luxurious stay with plenty to do, I would recommend staying in Las Vegas and then driving 2 hours for a day trip to Death Valley.
Click here to view all Pahrump Hotels!
TIP: If you like wine, Pahrump is home to two wineries that let you taste for FREE! Like this idea? Be sure to check out my guides on FREE things to do in Las Vegas and Best Day Trips from Las Vegas!
Hotels in Las Vegas, NV
If you want a luxurious stay with plenty of things to see and do, I would recommend Las Vegas as your hub! Being only two hours from Death Valley, you can easily see majority of the sights in just a day trip. If you don’t feel like driving all the way there / back PLUS driving to all the sights, there are tons of tours that will pick you up from your hotel in Las Vegas and take you to all the famous sights. Here is a great tour that includes pick up, drop off, lunch and all the popular sights!Â
As for hotels, you are going to love any hotel that is located either on the Las Vegas “Strip” or in downtown near Fremont Street. In these areas, you will be near all the fun activities in the city as well as close to the freeway for Death Valley. Here are my top recommendations by budget:
This photo was taken at the Excalibur Hotel and is one of my favorite Instgrammable Spots in Las Vegas!
That’s a wrap! These are majority of your options for best places to stay in Death Valley National Park. Out of all the places, I would recommend staying inside the park so you can maximize your time visiting the popular sites! If the price is too expensive, my second choice would be staying in Las Vegas so you have plenty to do and just making a day trip to Death Valley.
Death Valley is one of the most unique places you will ever get to see because of the incredibly diverse landscapes. You could easily spend an entire weekend exploring the park! I hope you have a wonderful time in the park and be sure to check out the following guides that I think you would find super helpful! 🙂
- One Day in Death Valley
- Visiting the Salt Flats in Death Valley
- FREE things to do in Las Vegas
- Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
- What to Pack for Las Vegas – A Local’s Guide!
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