A couple stands hand in hand in the distant, mountainous landscape at their Death Valley National Park elopement

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What better way to kick off a brand new part of your life than in a place named after. . . well, death? Despite its somewhat morbid name, Death Valley National Park is one of the most beautiful, striking parks in the country, filled with an abundance of opportunities for sightseeing and exploration. Hence why I believe it’s one of the most incredible and unique places for couples to elope who are craving a little adventure, a little mystery, and a whole lot of otherworldly beauty! This guide is filled with my best tips and advice for planning a Death Valley National Park elopement, from my personal favorite hikes in the park, to permit information, and more. Let’s turn up the heat and dive right in—or, rather, turn the heat down, since this is already the hottest place on Earth? 

What & Where is Death Valley?

You heard me right: Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth, holding the record for the highest air temperature ever with a high of 134 degrees Fahrenheit all the way back in 1913. Wild, right? Not only is it the hottest place and the hottest national park, it’s also the driest and lowest national park in terms of elevation, with the below-sea-level Badwater Basin being North America’s lowest point. 

Death Valley is located on the border of eastern California and Nevada, east of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s about 2 hours northwest of Las Vegas and an hour southeast of Lone Pine, CA, making it a popular day trip for folks visiting Vegas—which is also where I’d recommend flying into! The Harry Reid Airport (LAS) is the closest major airport to the park, about a 2 hour drive away whereas LAX is about 4.5 hours.

Getting to Death Valley National Park isn’t always as simple as entering an address into your Google Maps, since navigation to the park’s remote locations aren’t always completely accurate, and cell service isn’t great once you get close to the park! You can follow the map coordinates for Furnace Creek Visitor Center (N 36°27.70, W 116°52.00), or follow Badwater Road for access to many of the park’s popular locations such as Artists Drive, Badwater Basin, and Devils Golfcourse.

Why Elope in Death Valley?

Other than the insane views and the unparalleled beauty? Honestly, that’s probably the only convincing you’ll need, because the landscapes of Death Valley truly feel like they belong on some other planet. Death Valley is a desert wonderland full of mysteries and fascinating history, which I’ll tell you a little more about next, as well as what may be the most wild, jaw-dropping scenery you’ll ever witness. The name may be a bit foreboding, sure, but the park is actually alive with SO much color; so many patterns, textures, and shapes across the dunes, the canyons, the valleys, the rocks. . . it’s the definition of out of this world. With a wealth of both remarkable geologic and human history, this valley boasts a variety of breathtaking landscapes including rolling sand dunes, dramatic canyons, technicolor rocks, and majestic mountain peaks that all come together to provide the adventure of a lifetime for anyone who visits. 

Whether you and your partner want to find a strenuous hike through the canyons for your elopement day or you’d rather take a leisurely walk through the neverending desert terrain, Death Valley has something to offer to everyone. In addition to the wildly beautiful landscapes, you can also go stargazing under the night skies, find a scenic place to camp, search for wildflowers in the spring, and if you’re lucky, you might even see some desert bighorn sheep!

Oh, and for my sci-fi fans out there: did I mention that Death Valley was featured in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi? Here’s a list of the specific Star Wars filming locations if you wanna get nerdy with it 😉

Important Things to Know About Eloping in Death Valley

Next, I wanted to share a few important things to know about visiting Death Valley that will help you have the safest, smoothest, and most meaningful elopement experience possible.

1. There’s significance behind the name

I always love learning about the history behind national parks before I visit, because I believe it’s important to be mindful of what has turned the park into what it is today; this way, we can make sure to protect and preserve it as best as possible. I believe it’s also important to share this education with my couples who choose to elope in national parks, so I wanted to include a quick fun fact about how the park’s name came to be! Way back in the winter of 1849-1850, a group of pioneers became lost while exploring the valley, and believed they would die there due to the extreme conditions. As far as we know now, only one member of the group died in the valley, but after being rescued by two of their men, they climbed out of the valley and one of them turned back to say “goodbye, Death Valley”—and so the name became what it is today! The history of the park is actually really fascinating to learn about, if you have some time and want to dig into the story of these “Lost ‘49ers;” you can read about it here.

2. This land is still called home by the Timbisha Shoshone tribe

In a similar vein, it’s important when visiting Death Valley to remember that the land is still called home by the Timbisha Shoshone tribe, who were pushed aside when Death Valley became a national monument back in the 1930s. After many tribal efforts to obtain federal recognition in 1983, they’re now active partners with the park in preserving their homeland, which is important for us to keep in mind as we explore and get to experience the beautiful place they’ve taken care of!

3. The dirt roads can’t be driven at high speeds

Now onto some more practical tips, starting out with the roads in this park. If you’ll be driving along any dirt roads, be aware that they were constructed quite a long time ago, and weren’t mean to be driven on at high speeds. They’re pretty narrow and windy, and a lot of the backcountry roads can only be driven on by vehicles with 4-wheel drive. Make sure you have a plan for safe driving during your time in the park if you’ll be in the backcountry at all, especially since there aren’t any services for manyyy miles in case anything were to happen. It’s smart to have some safety supplies and plenty of food/water stored in your car just to be safe!

4. It can get chilly at higher elevations

Being that Death Valley holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded, you might assume it’s ALWAYS hot and sunny, but it can get pretty chilly on winter evenings, as well as in the mountains at higher elevations. No matter what time of year you elope, I recommend packing layers just to make sure you’ll be ready for any weather conditions.

5. Cell reception in the park is minimal

There’s barely any cell service in the park (if any at all), so make sure to have any maps or routes downloaded in advance—and be prepared to not rely on your phone. If you’ll be hiking any trails, you can download them for offline use on apps like AllTrails, as well as download the NPS app and save Death Valley for offline use; this way, you can still see all the most popular locations you’d like to visit. Do the same with your Google or Apple Maps, too, ensuring you have a map of the area readily available at any time whether you have cell service or not. And if you wanna be extra safe, bring a paper map, too!

6. Dogs are allowed, but might not be worth bringing

While dogs are technically allowed in Death Valley National Park, it might not actually be worth bringing them, since they’re only allowed on roads or in developed areas. This means you can’t bring them on any hiking trails, and even if you are in an area where they’re allowed, you’ll have to keep them on a leash or confined. I know it can be so fun to have your pups with you while you adventure, but consider whether or not it’ll be worth the extra effort for you! If you do want to bring them, you may want to opt for exploring the backcountry roads, as dogs are allowed to be walked on those.

7. You should bring more water than you think you’ll need

Hopefully this is a given, being that Death Valley is the hottest and driest place on Earth (in case I haven’t pointed that out enough times yet), but you should bring more water than you think you’ll need! Be sure to have water both on hand with you as you hike as well as in your car in case of emergencies, even if you’re visiting during the winter, or even if conditions aren’t supposed to be super hot. You never know what Mother Nature will bring, and better to be safe than sorry in a place of such extremes like this!

Best Time of Year to Elope in Death Valley

The best time of year to elope in Death Valley is winter or spring, when the conditions in the park aren’t so extreme—especially if you want to do any sort of hiking or outdoor activities. Summer is NOT the way to go, as temperatures often reach up to 120 degrees in the shade, with lows rarely getting below 90! Add to that the super dry air, and you get a climate that just isn’t really pleasant to be in for any extended periods of time. Death Valley also sees occasional thunderstorms in the later summer months, which can cause flash floods and road/trail closures. Hiking honestly just isn’t safe in the summer due to the extreme heat, and it’s not really fun to be outside in that kind of weather.

That’s why winter is your best bet when it comes to eloping in Death Valley! Average winter highs are usually in the 60s-70s, which is perfect weather for hiking and staying outside without getting overheated super quickly. It can actually get pretty chilly in the winter at night, with temperatures in the high 30s and 40s, so make sure you bring those layers I talked about before—even if you think it’s going to be warm out while you’re hiking!

High spring temperatures in Death Valley typically range between 80-90 degrees in March & April, which can still be pretty warm for things like hiking and camping—so it’s up to you whether you think you can withstand that heat comfortably and safely for your elopement! The best part about spring in Death Valley is that you’ll usually be able to see wildflowers if there are rainy conditions, with flowers blooming in late March/early April at lower elevations, April/May at mid elevations, and June higher up in the mountains.

Another fun thing to keep in mind when choosing when to elope in Death Valley is stargazing! Death Valley is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, meaning it offers an amazing opportunity to see the night sky above the desert. Because the park is far enough away from major cities, you’ll often get incredibly clear skies over the rugged desert wilderness with barely any light pollution, classifying it at the “Gold Tier” for seeing star-filled skies. It’s pretty magical 🙂 So if you want to take advantage of that, I’d recommend trying to plan your elopement around a new moon to get the clearest skies! Death Valley National Park doesn’t actually have a closing time, so you’re free to enjoy the views as late as you’d like—you can learn more about night exploration in the park on the NPS website here.

Top 6 Best Places to Elope in Death Valley

You could spend weeks exploring Death Valley and still not even scratch the surface of everything that this vast desert wilderness has to offer—but unfortunately, you probably don’t have weeks to spend exploring the rugged backcountry for your elopement, as much as you may wish you did 😉 I’ve got a handful of favorite spots on my list of Death Valley elopement locations, but here are the top 6 to start you off.

1. Zabriskie Point

Zabriskie Point is my personal favorite spot in the park, but it’s also one of the busiest—and for good reason! The breathtaking views offered at Zabriskie Point are some of the most photographed in the entire park, featuring unique yellow and brown hills that have been carved over time. You get views of the salt flats that cover the floor of the valley, as well as the Panamint Mountains standing across the badlands. Getting to Zabriskie point is pretty easy if you’d rather not hike; simply drive from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center to the Zabriskie Point parking area, walk a quarter mile up a hill on a paved trail, and voilà—you’ll be at the viewpoint in no time! If you’d rather hike through the badlands, you can opt to check out the Badlands Loop Trail at the parking lot, instead. 10/10 recommend being at Zabriskie Point for either sunrise or sunset, as the colors and the scenery as the sun makes its way up & down the sky is absolutely spectacular.

2. Artists Palette

Speaking of spectacular places to watch the sunset, Artists Palette is probably one of the most unique and recognizable places in Death Valley National Park, and is a must-visit when the sun is setting over the valley. You may have seen photos of this spot on social media, famed for its wildly vibrant colors that cover the hills in what looks like the makings of an artist’s color palette (wonder where the name came from. . .)! Painted in striking shades of red, blue, pink, orange, yellow, and even green, these hills are given their “rainbow effect” by the compounds in the volcanic deposits. Fascinating, right? This is one of those places that truly doesn’t feel real! You can also admire the sweeping vistas of the Black Mountains and salt flats from the Artists Drive loop, which winds through these hills and has multiple pullouts you can stop at to further explore the area. 

3. Badwater Basin

Remember how I mentioned that Death Valley is home to the lowest point in North America? Yep, that’s Badwater Basin—a vast salt flat in the middle of the mountains that lies nearly 300 feet below sea level. It’s another place that has an interesting origin story; according to stories, Badwater Basin got its name when a mule refused to drink from the spring-fed pool way back when, due to the high salinity. Whether or not that’s true, the water here isn’t actually “bad;” it’s actually home to quite a lot of organisms who thrive in it! The hike to Badwater Basin is two miles round trip (to get to the edge of the salt flat), and is super easy thanks to the lack of elevation gain and wooden boardwalk to help you get there. There’s even a paved parking lot, as well as an ADA-accessible ramp that leads down to the boardwalk, so the salt flats are a really accessible place for you and any guests you may be bringing to your elopement. 

4. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are a series of beautiful large dune fields, named after the mesquite trees that grow in the area, and are the easiest dunes to visit in the park. This is an absolutely spectacular spot for an elopement due to the distant views of the jagged mountain peaks, and the way the dunes cast unique shadows at sunrise and sunset. Seeing the colors and the light of the skies as the sun rises or sets over the dune is a magical experience, with the soft glow creating such gentle, flattering light on both the dunes & the people exploring them! The Mesquuite Flat Sand Dunes Trail is 2.3 miles out and back, with very little elevation gain making it a pretty easy hike to complete. Keep in mind that you won’t find any shade out in the dunes, so be prepared for direct sun and heat once you make it out there! You’ll want to arrive at the parking lot early in the day, if possible, as the dunes are one of the most popular destinations in the park & attracts lots of visitors in the late morning and afternoon.

5. Dante’s View

Located on the ridge of the Black Mountains and overlooking Badwater Basin, Dante’s View is a marvelous viewpoint that photographers absolutely adore thanks to its spectacular sunrises, sunsets, and serene views of the salt flats and surrounding Valley. Which means it’s a fabulous place for an elopement ceremony, of course! You could visit Dante’s View any time of day and be simply stunned by its beauty, but it’s an especially amazing spot for sunrise elopements or for late-night stargazing. What could be more magical than ending your elopement day lying on the ground together, looking up at the Milky Way during a new moon? The salt flats even look breathtaking during a full moon, with a striking white glow cast by the moon. Dante’s View Trail starts at the parking lot, and takes you about a half mile to the picturesque overlook—or if you’d like a longer adventure, you can continue along the ridge to Mt. Perry.

6. Ubehebe Crater

Last but certainly not least is Ubehebe Crater, a.k.a. an insanely picturesque volcanic crater 600 feet deep and half a mile wide, located in the northern part of Death Valley National Park. It’s actually only one of many craters in the Ubehebe volcanic field, but it’s the largest and most visited of them all. There are a couple different ways to see the crater, either via an easy-moderate 1.5 mile trail along the rim, or from the parking area if you’d rather not trek around the crater itself. You can actually go even further into some of the other craters in the area, including Little Hebe Crater—just remember that the hike back up will be difficult in the heat and on the not-so-smooth terrain! Also keep in mind that this is an important cultural site for the Timbisha Shoshone people, so treat it with respect just as you would any other area of the park 🙂

Legalities of Eloping in Death Valley

1. Get your California marriage license

Before you do anything else, you’ll want to get familiar with California marriage laws and the process to get your marriage license. It’s fairly simple: you just need to be at least 18 years old, and apply for your license at any county clerk’s office in the state! You’ll need at least one witness (which I’m happy to act as), as well as a licensed officiant to perform your ceremony. I’m actually licensed myself, and while I don’t perform ceremonies, I’m more than happy to sign your papers if you need somebody! There’s no waiting period in California, meaning once you get your marriage license, you’re good to go and can have your ceremony any time—as long as it’s within a 90 day period, otherwise the license will expire. Easy peasy!

2. Get your Death Valley National Park wedding permit

In order to have your elopement or wedding ceremony inside of Death Valley National Park, you’ll also need to obtain a Special Use Permit. Your group size may be limited depending on the location you choose for your ceremony in order to protect park resources, and respect other visitors, which you can discuss with the park office once you begin the applicaiton process. You’ll need to apply at least 30 days in advance of your date, but I recommend applying earlier as permit requests are first-come, first-served—and there are a LOT of couples who want to elope in this incredible park just like you do! It costs $300 to apply for the permit, and your elopement may be subject to a park monitoring fee of approximately $50/hour, as well. 

Here’s how to apply for your Death Valley National Park wedding permit:

  1. Download and complete this application 
  2. Email your completed application to deva_permits@nps.gov 
  3. Follow the instructions given to you by the office, and pay your non-refundable $300 application fee online
  4. Wait for your permit request to be approved, and for a permit to be sent to you
  5. Sign and return the permit to the park for final approval

From there, all that’s left to do is pay any additional fees outlined by the park and you’ll be good to go!

3. Get your Death Valley National Park entrance pass

Lastly, you’ll need to pay for a Death Valley National Park entrance pass, as the standard fees aren’t waived by your Special Use Permit. A regular private vehicle entrance pass is $30 and will be valid for 7 consecutive days, or if you plan to visit the park more than once, you can opt for the $55 annual pass, instead. And if you’re an avid national park-goer, you might save quite a bit of money on your future visits by getting an $80 America the Beautiful Pass, which is valid at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country!

Where to Stay for Your Death Valley Elopement

Death Valley has no shortage of cozy places to stay during your time in the desert—-whether you’re craving a true outdoorsy adventure and want to find a campsite, or you’d rather stay in a luxurious, boho Airbnb. Below is a list of the campgrounds available in Death Valley National Park, as well as some of the top Airbnbs and hotels nearby that would be fab for your elopement!

Campgrounds

Airbnbs

HotelsThe Inn at Death Valley

10 Epic Activities for Your Death Valley Elopement

And finally, a few of the best things to do in Death Valley that would make such fun additions to your elopement timeline!

1. Go stargazing under the desert night skies

2. Enjoy scenic views of the valley via mountain bike

3. Catch the sunrise or sunset from Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

4. Go on a self-guided Star Wars driving tour

5. Make a stop at Devil’s Golf Course

6. Enjoy the views from Artist’s Drive

7. Hike Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop

8. Hike to Mosaic Canyon

9. Hike to Darwin Falls

10. Go sandboarding on the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

An eloping couple walks along a ridge at Death Valley National Park at sunset, silhouetted against a pink and blue sky

Death Valley Elopement Photographer

That’s me! If you’re just as blown away by the scenery of this park as I am and you’re ready to start planning, I’d love to be your Death Valley elopement photographer, and to help you plan a wedding day that feels true to you in this magnificent desert. Take a look at my Death Valley elopement packages to get more insight into what I offer, and reach out to me here when you’re ready to start chatting. I can’t wait!

If you know you want to elope in southern California but haven’t quite decided on a location, no problem—I just published a Full Southern California Elopement Guide: How to Elope in SoCal that would be a great resource for you to check out!

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