gfpresley Loc: Florida

Travelling to Death Valley in January (2022) for my first time. This is a five-day photo workshop. I plan to stay an extra couple days. What should I make sure I don't miss? Thanks in advance

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

What has your own research come up with?

Hip Coyote

A master photographer from my photo club, Pete Scifris, has a YouTube discussion on photographing DV. I have attended a lecture the did on the topic as well. He has deep knowledge of the area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urgMYukXO7k

There is also a book on Amazon that discusses the topic.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Why don't you ask the workshop leader?

TerryVS

As usual you ask a reasonable question and get one decent response and several "others". The YouTube video seems to have some good info at a quick glance. I plan on watching when I have a free hour. Death Valley is on my short lst of places to visit. I would appreciate any info you care to post after your trip. I wish I could be of help but I wish you the best!

Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona

The place is magical. You won’t need a lot of gear but a decent body with sufficient MP so if you get a classic shot you may want to make large prints. I used a 24-105 on a full frame camera exclusively. A good polarizing filter will help at times and a good tripod. All of my stuff was done on a tripod. It can be cold this time of the year, especially in the am. So warm clothes is a must, but layers so as the temps increase you can shed as needed. Depending on your guide, there will be a lot of walking, so good shoes are mandatory. Be prepared to walk and carry your gear. Light is good. AND, an alarm clock. You should be on the road well before sunrise to get the best light. After your workshop there are some wonderful places to visit as well. Check out Alabama Hills at the portal to Mt. Whitney and traveling along the eastern slop of the Sierra Nevadas will provide some great opportunities as well. A problem, go once and you will want to go back and explore more.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Terry with all due respect to you and to the OP I just read the entire post so far. Unless I am missing something I count only three replies. I did not see any replies that were out of line, rude or less than informative at the basic level. Perhaps I missed a page somewhere but I just don't see it anywhere.

The OP says he is going to Death Valley with a workshop. Now I have never been on any kind of a photo workshop, can't afford to do that. But my understanding of photo workshops is whoever is leading the workshop takes the group to different places with perhaps some free time for the group to go off on their own somewhat to take photos.

One reply asks what does the OP already know of Death Valley. Another suggests the YouTube video and the third suggests asking the workshop leader. All seem sort of reasonable to me.

For the OP, may I suggest going online and Googling Death Valley. There should be lots of information, photographs, places to see and photograph. Checking the Help section of UHH and typing in Death Valley should also give some information. I have never been to Death Valley either but pass the road to Death Valley fairly often, a few times per year at least. When I do get ready to actually make the trek there I will do as I suggested. I wish you a great trip. Please share the photos with members here when you get back.

Dennis

Wanderer2 Loc: Colorado Rocky Mountains

Do you have a 4WD vehicle? Makes a huge difference in where you can and cannot go in DV.

Arca

gfpresley,

I have been to DVNP about five times, only once in the heat of summer. January is the month with the lowest temperatures and fewest visitors. This is a good time for a photo workshop. As stated above, the workshop leader should take you to all of the 'highlights' of which there are quite a few. It is the largest national park in the lower 48 states and therefore you will be doing a lot of driving. There are only three gas stations located within the park, with per gallon prices ranging from $4.32 to $5.99 as of two weeks ago. These are located within DVNP and are pretty far away from gas stations outside the park. It is impractical time-wise to venture outside of the park just to get gas at a possibly cheaper price. But if you choose to venture outside of the park, in Beatty, Nevada, there is reputed to be the world's most beautiful gas station. I was there once, and I think it was a 'Chevron' station and it was understandable why this particular filling station would be so named. The high temps in the park in January will be in the 70's and the lows will be in the 40's.

If you are a senior citizen, I suggest you obtain a National Parks pass for senior citizens. The last I checked, it was $80 once and good forever, for free entrance at all national parks and monuments including Puerto Rico, which is roughly in your 'neighborhood'. I used it at 'El Morro Castle' in San Juan in 2016.

Outside of DVNP I would recommend the ghost town of 'Rhyolite' and especially the 'Bottle House' and the ruins of the three story bank. A train station was there and quite picturesque. Also outside of the park is 'Amargosa Opera House' in the small town of Amargosa which I believe is in Nevada, in the Amargosa Valley.

For highlights inside the park, consult with NP.gov I believe that is the national parks website. This is where you can purchase the forever pass and get information on all of the parks. Navigate to Death Valley and look at what interests you.

For me, I have a few favorites in Death Valley National Park. 'Wildrose Kilns' at an elevation of about 9,000 feet. Yes it is thin air so be careful if you have any pulmonary problems. In January, it will be cold up there, and I remember there being some pretty good winds, about 30 mph but in the cold, that becomes very brisk, so dress warmly. These kilns consist of about ten, 25-foot-high stone buildings in the shape of a hornet's nest, where charcoal was made for the miners about 120 years ago. They are built in a line, almost like soldiers at attention. They are pitch black inside due to the smoke and charcoal etc. You will need a powerful flash to illuminate the interiors of these. You can walk into all of them and around them. On a clear day you will have plenty of nice opportunities for mountainous vistas.

Another of my favorite stops is 'Darwin Falls'. This is a 1/2 mile or more hike on rough terrain, crossing a small stream several times. It is somewhat precarious and the footing may be slippery, but it is not dangerous, you will not be at any type of high elevation, don't worry about that. I have visited this a few times and never got wet, there is no fording of streams up to your waist or anything like that. You will probably be on dry land during the entire hike. The trail ends at the only waterfall I know of in Death Valley. It is about fifteen feet in height and in January, there should be a sufficient stream of water to make 'falls'.

Another of my personal favorites is 'Zabriskie Point', looking west toward 'Manley Beacon'. If you get there about 05:30 you can see the sun rise from behind you onto the 'Panamint Mountains' which are pink at first (possibly just before sunrise) and then purple as the sun rises. These are just beautiful in my mind.

You should not miss 'Badwater' where there is a sign indicating it is the lowest elevation in the U.S. at 282 feet below sea level. There may be a reflection pool there depending on whether a wooden sidewalk is still there or not. Ansel Adams took a black and white photo of that reflection and 'Panamint Mountains' in the background from that location, being pretty close to the ground. I took a color 4 by 5 of that same photograph/location with my 90 mm Rodenstock lens (which is roughly equivalent to a 28 mm on a 35 mm camera.) I was able to get the identical reflection before the National Park Service put a wooden sidewalk there to allow visitors to avoid stepping into mud. So in a way, this was a good and bad change. If you wanted the reflection, you had to step into mud, if you wanted the wooden sidewalk, say goodbye to the reflection.

There is another mountain which offers you a grand vista, 'Dante's Peak' or similar name. It provides a wonderful panorama of the entire 'Death Valley'.

Another one of my favorites is 'Racetrack' which is about 30 miles on a gravel road to see a very flat lake bed. When it rains and if the wind blows wildly, ten and twenty pound rocks are moved by wind in the mud and you can see the trails behind them. I don't know of any other place on earth which has that phenomenon. But it is also possibly quite windy there and you have to walk quite a way to get to the place where the rocks are.

There was a company called 'Photograph America' and it had an eight-page folder on DVNP, which would highlight these places and more. If they are still in business, try to get that brochure as it is helpful and you have time to get it and read it.

Two pieces of advice. Because it is going to be January and cold, especially at high elevation, always keep a spare battery in a warm place. I recall the batteries for my Nikon N80 becoming cold and non-functional. I had to keep alternating them every five or ten minutes. In January, the sun is always low in the horizon, bring a polarizing filter, and you will get warm light and considerable shadows all day long, except if it is cloudy which of course if always a possibility. Always bring water with you, more than you think you will drink. Florida is humid and Death Valley has extremely low humidity, even in the winter.

There are a couple of good restaurants at 'Furnace Creek' and 'Stovepipe Wells'. This is where two of the gas stations are. The third is on the way to 'Wildrose Kilns'.

DVNP has some truly nasty storms which take out roads and as a result, it is my understanding you cannot visit 'Scotty's Castle'. This is at the far north end of the park.

Other photogenic places are 'Artists' Palette' because of the multitude of colorful rock formations and 'Golden Canyon'. I am sure you will get some other suggestions from Hoggers.

Everywhere you go in the park, there is likely to be a lot of walking and the terrain is rough, especially in 'The Devil's Golf Course' the Stovepipe sand dunes, 'Race Track' and 'Wildrose Kilns', so bring sturdy shoes or hiking boots. Sandals, sneakers and simple gym shoes are not going to be good or safe. Outside of the heavily accessed and visited places like 'Zabriskie Point', 'Badwater' restaurants and gas stations, you are not likely to find too many sidewalks or level places. It is a safe place if you are careful.

I will be there in January from Wednesday the 19th to Sunday the 23rd. I drive a white Acura MDX with Arizona plates. Say hi if you are there then.

Enjoy,

Arca

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

If you spend all your time running around looking for what you should not miss you will probably not be quiet enough to see what is in front of your nose. For me, Mesquite dunes is the place to be at sunrise and sunset. Add to that Dante's overlook and Zabriskie Point at sunrise. If you go to the Racetrack you want to go early before the sun hits the playa. From that point on it is very difficult to photograph the tracks. If you do go to the Racetrack weak soft sole shoes sho you don't leave marks in the fragile playa surface.

If you are really adventuresome and are traveling in two cars you could consider Eureka Dunes at the far north end of the park. Don't go here in a single car; carry at least two spare tires; carry extra water. This is easiest to access from Big Pine, CA. These are some of the biggest and least trampled dunes in the USA.

Here are some of my Death Valley images from past trips. The second to the last is from the Panamint Valley portion of Death Valley. The first three are from Eureka Dunes.

Drip Dry McFleye

Everything Arca said in his post is right in line with my experience at DVNP in 2019. He took a lot of time to write a very good basic guide. Something I would add is to consider hiking the canyon trails listed in visitor guides. We did about 5 of them and had no regrets. We didn't visit the Race Track area because we lacked a suitable vehicle and the guided 4x4 tours were pretty expensive for our budget. One last thing: Be mindful that there is a lot of driving distance between the standout attractions that will eat up a lot of your time. Keep your gas tank full! Gas stations are
really scarce in Death Valley.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Beautiful photographs. Thanks for posting them.

Dennis

gasstro Loc: Indiana

If you go to Rhyolite, (worth the trip) you should check out the Titus Canyon trail. About a mile south of Rhyolite on the north side of highway 374 is a turn off for the trail. A high clearance vehicle or 4 x 4 is recommended. Awesome ride, with another small ghost town, pteroglyphs, and amazing views and high canyon walls near the end.

photogeneralist Loc: Lopez Island Washington State

I was in Death Valley for two days in April 21. For me the photographic hot spot of the whole place was Zabriskie Point. I was not able to be there at golden or blue hours but, during that time, the possibilities should be fantastic.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

As an addition to Drip Dry McFleye, historically gas prices at Stovepipe Wells have averages $1.00/gallon less than at the village. The Village is a privately owned operation that leases tribal land and they can charge whatever they want. Stovepipe Wells is on Park Land and the government regulates gas prices.