Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: California Death Valley Hiking
Day 1 Enjoy Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge & Arrive at Death Valley
3-hour private van transfer
1.5 mile/1.5 hour scenic walk
Your trip begins this morning in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a quick round of introductions, hop into the van for a scenic drive towards Death Valley National Park. On the way, stretch your legs along the boardwalks of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, a rare desert oasis ecosystem. After arriving at your hotel, you'll have free time to settle into your room before meeting up with your group and guides for dinner, where you'll discuss the week's itinerary. On spring (February and March) departures, you'll enjoy a short walk to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes for a sunset picnic dinner.
Accommodation: Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel
(D)
Day 2 Hike the Funeral Mountains to Colorful Badlands
1.5-hour private van transfer
10 miles/6 hours hiking with 300' elevation gain and 1,900' loss
After breakfast, hike across the stark foothills of the Funeral Mountains to the red, ocher, and golden brown hues of the badlands at Twenty Mule Team Canyon (for Star Wars fans, part of Return of the Jedi was filmed here) and Golden Canyon. Start your hike at 1,800 feet and descend below sea level through a maze of canyons to a viewpoint overlooking the shimmering white Badwater Basin saltpan. At 200 miles, it's one of the largest protected salt flats in the world. Your expert MT Sobek guides will point out the landscape's fascinating geological features and enlighten you about the natural history of this unique ecosystem. This evening, you may want to do some stargazing—Death Valley National Park is a designated International Dark Sky Park.
Accommodation: Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Follow Prospecting Trails at the Keane Wonder Mine
1-hour private van transfer
4 miles/5 hours hiking with 1,000' elevation gain and 1,000' loss
Today, you explore one of Death Valley's most iconic and storied mining sites—the Keane Wonder Mine. Hike a rugged trail that winds through the remnants of this historic gold mine, once one of the most successful operations in the region. As you climb, take in sweeping views of Furnace Creek and the vast desert floor below. You'll pass rusted mining equipment, remnants of old tram towers, and ore carts that offer a glimpse into the hardships of early 20th-century prospectors. The trail is moderately strenuous with steady elevation gain, but the panoramic vistas and rich history make every step worth it.
(B, L, D)
Day 4 Climb to Dantes View for Badwater and Telescope Peak Vistas
2-hour private van transfer
5 miles/ 4 hours hiking with 1,000' elevation gain and loss
This morning, enjoy the drive to Dantes View at 5,500' and strike off cross-country along the spine of the Black Mountains, with amazing views on both sides. To the west, look down a vertical mile to Badwater Basin and the saltpans, the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level. Directly across the valley, the snow-covered summit of Telescope Peak soars to 11,049 feet, the highest point in the state. To the east, look out over range after range of mountains spilling across the California-Nevada border. On a very clear day you can see all the way to the highest point in the lower 48—Mount Whitney. After soaking up all the spectacular scenery, return to your comfortable accommodations to relax and perhaps take a plunge in the pool.
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Explore Marble Narrows & Hike the Canyon Rim
0.5-hour private van transfer
5 miles/5 hours hiking with 1,200' elevation gain and loss
Descend into a deep, narrow canyon carved into polished marble and colorful mosaics of dolomite by flash flooding. Hike through several sections of narrows, where smooth walls rise high on either side, before scrambling out of the canyon to a rim trail that takes you around a sheer 25-foot dry waterfall. The rim trail is the gateway to a deep, twisted gorge and another tall, dry fall and grotto. As you trace the canyon rim back toward the trailhead, the landscape opens to sweeping views of Mesquite Flat and the vast, sunbaked expanse of Death Valley beyond. The hike is a geological adventure into some of Death Valley's most surreal and striking landscapes.
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Visit Badwater Basin & the Devil’s Golf Course & Depart
3-hour private van transfer
0.5 miles/0.5 hours scenic walking
Round out your Death Valley adventure with a visit to two of its most otherworldly landmarks: Badwater Basin and the Devil's Golf Course. Take a short stroll along the boardwalk and onto a vast salt flat that stretches toward the horizon in geometric patterns of white at Badwater Basin, quite possibly the hottest spot on Earth. Nearby is the Devil's Golf Course, where jagged salt spires rise in clustered formations across a cracked and chaotic landscape. Listen closely—you may hear the salt crystals popping and pinging in the heat. Then it's time to say your goodbyes to this awe-inspiring national park and return to Las Vegas.
(B, L)
