Dante’s View
in Death Valley National Park
Dante’s View is the primary overlook in Death Valley National Park because it offers premier panoramic views. Below Dante’s View is Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America. Across the valley rises Telescope Peak, the highest in the park. Under the morning light, the views are breathtaking in every direction. It feels like cheating to be able to drive right up to such amazing views.
Perched atop the Black Mountains at 5,475 feet, Dante’s view is tall and wide. Both of Death Valley’s elevation extremes, 282 feet below sea level and 11,049 feet above, can be seen in a single glance.
Those who have already walked out on Badwater Basin and looked up at the Black Mountains, can now look down on the little dark specks moving across the salt flat. Understanding that those little specks are people provides a real perspective on the vastness of Death Valley.
From the parking lot, trails extend along the ridges to the north and south allowing visitors to look farther up and down the valley. Neither path is more than a mile long and each is worthy of exploring if time permits.
Wardrobe note: Pack a sweatshirt or a windbreaker. The elevation and wind make Dante’s View noticeably chillier than the valley below.
To get to Dante’s View: From Furnace Creek, drive southeast for 11 miles (passing Zabriskie Point). Turn right on Dante’s View Road and drive 13 miles up to the road’s end at Dante’s View.
Dante’s View address: Dantes View Road, Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, CA 92328
Dante’s View coordinates: 36.2206, -116.7266 (36° 13′ 14.2″N 116° 43′ 35.8″W)
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Badwater Basin This is the lowest place in North America -- a required stop for first time visitors to Death Valley. | |
Zabriskie Point Zabriskie Point offers a stunning panorama of the badlands near Furnace Creek. | |
Twenty Mule Team Canyon This 2.8-mile one way road is just up the road from Zabriskie Point. The fine canyon that can be experienced right from the driver's seat. | |
Wildrose Peak This 8.4-mile hike summits a 9,064-foot peak in the Panamint Mountains north of Telescope Peak. | |
Death Valley Explore more destinations in Death Valley National Park. |
Death Valley Campgrounds Nine campgrounds are spread throughout this large park to facilitate your visit. |
[…] it be great to have a bird’s eye view of Death Valley? Dante’s View is the answer. A branch road off of highway 190 takes us up 5,500 feet for a spectacular view of […]
What is the significance of the can that is concreted in the ground at the peak?
Did you get an answer? I was just there and can’t find anything about it.
[…] first sight it said we should see was Dante’s View, which is on the spine of the Black Mountains. It was definitely an uphill drive to get there and […]
[…] dan bedenk je gewoon een plekje 1 ½ uur verderop om te gaan lunchen. Geen probleem. We rijden naar Dantes View. Het is heel rustig en dus heerlijk tussen deze prachtige steenformaties te […]
Did that hike yesterday, start was sketchy, right on edge of the mountain, narrow trail slanted down towards the valley. Coming back I took a slightly different route to avoid those long dropoffs adjacent to that part of the trail–right down the center rather than on that edge.