Death Valley National Park - Artist's Drive

Our February 2015 visit to Death Valley National Park continued with a drive along the nine-mile one-way paved Artist's Drive. To reach the drive from the Furnace Creek area, drive 8.6 miles south on Badwater Road from CA 190 and turn east as directed by the signs. Vehicles over 25 feet are prohibited from using the road due to some sharp dips and tight turns in the road. This is a beautiful drive along the base of the Black Mountains, but it can be crowded. Among other locations, the park service mentions Artist's Palette as one of the best places for sunset.

The multi-hued Black Mountains in late afternoon light

Another view of the Black Mountains showing their sedimentary origins

An alluvial fan and multi-colored hills in the Black Mountains

Alluvial hills and metamorphic mountains

An other-worldly landscape

Erosion reveals new layers of rock

Afternoon light highlights the contrasting colors of the rocks

The road follows the base of the mountains on a series of alluvial fans

One of the reasons oversize vehicles are not permitted on Artist Drive

A small canyon leads to an alluvial deposit with numerous plants

Colorful rock formations

Artists Palette is a claystone formation originally deposited as volcanic ash

A closer view of Artists Palette

Very steep gravel and dirt hillsides

The pickup camper shows the vast scale of the alluvial fans

Late afternoon sunlight on the hills above Artists Palette

The late afternoon sunlight casts a golden glow on the Black Mountains

Sun setting behind the Panamint Mountains and Badwater Basin

An entrance fee of $20 admits all the passengers of a single vehicle for seven days. Other options include an annual Death Valley National Park Pass for $40, an Interagency Annual Pass providing access to most national park, national forest and BLM fee areas for $80 and a lifetime Interagency Senior Pass for those age 62 and older for $10.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm.