Death Valley National Park - Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

The paved parking area for Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is two miles east of Stovepipe Wells Village on California 190 in Death Valley National Park. The dune field covers over 10 square miles of the valley between Stovepipe Wells Village and the Historic Stovepipe Well off of Scotty's Castle Road. The highest dune is only about 100 feet high and is located about one mile from the parking area. Like most dune fields, there are no trails. Since we had already hiked a much larger dune at Mojave National Preserve we chose to enjoy these dunes from a distance. The late afternoon light creates dramatic shadows and colors that pictures just can't replicate. Below are some examples from two late afternoons during our February 2015 visit to Death Valley National Park.

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.