“Dave” wrote to ask some questions about Death Valley in February, and I thought it might be useful to share my replies with others who are thinking about a visit to that localation.

• Jeep Wrangler good idea for the area and to get into the Racetrack?

First, I’ve posted here a few times about the logistics of visiting and photographing at the Racetrack – you might want to take a look at this post.

A Jeep Wrangler should get you out to the Racetrack Playa just fine. The main difficulties with the road involve very badly washboarded surface, some very gravelly spots (especially near the start), and the fact that you’ll cover 27 miles of this stuff one way. It is not a particularly steep or twisty road. In normal conditions I would feel OK doing it in a two wheel drive vehicle as long as it had good ground clearance and good tires – and the Wrangler should qualify.

Unless you want to drive (too) fast and risk tire damage, you’ll want to give yourself perhaps a couple hours one way.

• We are thinking of camping at the Racetrack… your stories and images from there are amazing.

Thanks. It is an amazing place.

I am strongly of the opinion that if you are going to the trouble to drive all the way out there to do photography that you really should stay overnight! I like to start shooting at “the Grandstand” in the middle to late afternoon, then figure out my camping situation and eat, and then get out onto the Playa well before sunset to find my shots and start working. I shoot until after dark – and into the night if there is a full moon. I stop when I’m too tired to keep shooting and then sleep until before dawn, when I’m up early enough again to be on the playa before sunrise.

There is a “campground” a short distance beyond the playa. It is very primitive. As I recall there is a primitive pit toilet, no water, and just a few pullouts along the side of the road. The silence at night here is a powerful experience. Some people sleep in their cars back at the turnouts at the south end of the Playa.

• Stovepipe Wells – have you camped or stayed in the village? Need a reservation for camping?

I’ve camped there a few times and I’ve always been able to get a campsite without a reservation – but I don’t usually visit at the most busy times. I suspect that it shouldn’t be too overcrowded in February and that if you arrive on a weekday you should be fine. If it does fill there are lots of other options for camping. I have not stayed at the motel there, though I have eaten at the restaurant and borrowed their open wireless service. (At least through last year it was the Slowest Wireless in The World.) You can also pay to use their showers and pool if you stay at the campground, and there is a small grocery store there.

The campground isn’t exactly beautiful. It is very exposed, near the roadway, and full of RVs and other large vehicles. That said, I’d still stay there again.

There is also a larger campground at Furnace Creek – several campgrounds actually. There is the main campground right at Furnace Creek – often crowded but with some trees and close to the visitor center. Across the road there is a trailer/RV campground, and a short distance into the hills is a nice and rather smaller tent campground – I believe it is called the sunset campground. Of the three, I prefer that one.

• Know any especially good hikes, especially for midday times? I will be shooting early and late – he does have some interest in photography – but I want to make sure we spend considerable time on foot to counter what I figure will be a ton of miles driving.

You are right about the “ton” of driving. The distances in DV are often quite large and you may drive for several hours to get from one special place to another. I sometimes like to visit some of the narrow canyons a bit closer to the middle of the day – they can be photographed a bit later, too, since the light doesn’t penetrate them until closer to the middle of the day. Marble and Golden Canyon are both good hikes.

A great long day trip that I have done a few times starts by driving over to the ghost town of Rhyolite in Nevada just east of the park near Beatty. I like to be there to photograph before sunrise and then spend an hour or two shooting there. Afterward you can make the short drive to Beatty to get less expensive gas and a decent and less expensive breakfast. Once you are out this way you are in a good location to return to DV by way of the spectacular road through Titus Canyon. It is a long gravel road that in a few places is a bit steep and exposed, but views are tremendous. In the lower part of the canyon you pass between walls that are barely far enough apart for your car to pass.

If you enjoy such things, the tour of Scotty’s castle can be an interesting diversion from the more “outdoor” activities, too.

• He has shown some interest in a side trip to Lone Pine to see Mt Whitney and the Alabama Hills… good use of time or stay in DV?

If you start to feel that you are looking for a change of scenery this could be an interesting trip. It will probably take you the better part of a day to drive all the way over there and back and see stuff. If you can get up early enough the best light is dawn light on that side of the Sierra.

• Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Well, there are a lot of iconic sights to see in DV. These include:

• Zabriskie Point at dawn. I’d try to do this on a morning when there might be a few clouds, and do get there plenty early.
• 20 Mule Canyon is close by and you could visit it after going to Zabriskie.
• There are two wonderful overlooks of the valley. Dantes View on the east side is probably the better known and slightly more accessible by paved road. On the west side of DV there is a dirt road off of the route to Wildrose Canyon that goes out to Aguereberry Point. This is a stunning overlook, and I like to visit it in the late afternoon, staying until the sun sets over the Sierra.
• You’ll probably want to visit Badwater. If you want to photograph the famous salt formations, they are not easy to find right at Badwater. I drive a short distance south – round a turn to the right and another to the left, then stop and head down a gentle hill to the salt flats.
• I already mentioned the possibility of shooting canyons later in the morning or before hitting your sunset location.
• Mesquite Dunes (“Death Valley Dunes”) are a classic worth visiting. Many people drive to the point on the road that is closest to the tall dunes and start walking. I do not enjoy this walk very much. I prefer to start closer to Stovepipe Wells and head around the “left” side of the dunes and approach from the side/rear. If I could only shoot the dunes once it would probably be morning, though there can be some wonderful light right around and just after sunset.
• There is much more, but you can probably play it by ear.

For me, working alone on photography, a typical daily plan might be something like the following:

• Shoot a dawn subject.
• Shoot a morning subject.
• Either knock off and take in easy in the middle of the day or get in a long drive to my afternoon/evening location.
• Shoot a middle or late afternoon subject.
• Shoot a sunset subject.

Evolving some sort of plan – even if you do it on the spot – can help.

Have a great trip!