Death Valley is one of the strangest places I’ve ever photographed. It’s truly one of a kind.

Most people think of it as barren, dry, and inhospitable. That’s all true. But I drove through during a storm and saw something else entirely. Water sitting in Lake Manly. 50 mph winds. A super bloom. Light breaking through clouds over salt flats and dunes. Sand dancing in the wind. A place that felt brutal one minute and completely alive the next.

We were there twice in February: the 16th through the 18th and again on the 27th. The first trip started with a full storm. It actually rained, which almost never happens, and both the 16th and 17th had sustained 50 mph winds. The wind is relentless out there, but it does something beautiful to the dunes. It clears every footprint and sculpts the sand into these clean, flowing ridges that are almost impossible to find any other way. When we passed back through on the 27th, we caught sunrise and it was already heating up fast. Ninety degrees by mid-morning, no wind, and the dunes had a week’s worth of footprints on them. Same park. Completely different world.

Death Valley is less forgiving than Yosemite and a lot harder to photograph well. The light gets harsh fast, the scale is difficult, and some of the best moments are almost impossible to translate with a camera. There were so many times where Sage and I just looked at each other and said, “This one is for your eyes only.” So go with that expectation. Shoot what you can, but also just let yourself be there.

When it does line up, storm light on the salt flats, clean dune ridges at sunrise, color in the hills after rain, it is extraordinary. And I have not even scratched the surface. Death Valley has some of the darkest skies in the country and I never got my night shoot. The clouds had other plans. That alone is reason enough to go back.

This guide covers how I’d approach Death Valley as a photographer, what I’d prioritize, and what I already want to go back for.

Before we get into it, here’s what it looked like.

Quick Reference | The Full Story below

Quick Reference

Time of Year

• Winter. December through February.

• Mid-February is potentially the sweet spot if conditions line up. I caught a storm, the super bloom, 50 mph winds, and water in Lake Manly. It was extraordinary.

• Summer is brutally hot, 120 degrees plus. It’s the hottest place on earth. Only go in summer if you are specifically there for night sky photography and you have a solid plan for the heat.

Timing: Best Light

• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: sunrise

• Golden Canyon: just after sunrise

• Zabriskie Point: golden hour / sunset

• Badwater Basin / Lake Manly: cloud drama and afterglow

• Artist’s Drive / Artist’s Palette: late afternoon. Next level right after rain.

Light Reality

• You are in the desert. The light is harsh and it moves fast.

• About half an hour after sunrise it is already getting punishing.

• Post-sunset afterglow is your other window.

• Unless there are clouds. Clouds extend everything and turn the whole place dramatic and alive.

Gear to Bring

• Wide angle (16 to 35mm): dunes, salt flats, big scenes

• 24–105mm: versatile workhorse for almost everything. This did most of the work.

• Longer lens: worth bringing for dune compression and abstract layers

• Tripod: I really didn’t use one. I’d skip it unless you are doing night photography.

• Having a human in frames helps viewers actually understand the scale

What to Wear / Pack

• Merino wool neck gaiter. We bought them on the trip and they were a game changer for wind and sun.

• Hat, sunglasses, and a lot of sunscreen.

• More water than you think you need.

Timing: Avoid Crowds

• Dunes: go at sunrise. Golden hour is packed even on weekdays.

• Golden Canyon: go early. I went at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday and it was crowded with harsh light.

• Zabriskie Point: it will always have people. Be patient.

• Artist’s Drive: a 9-mile scenic drive. Hike away from the main pullout at Artist’s Palette and find your own spot.

• Badwater Basin / Lake Manly: The parking lot gets busy during the day. Early morning and evening you will have it mostly to yourself. You can also skip the lot entirely and pull off along the side of the road to walk further down the salt flats.

The Full Story

When to Go

Winter is the time. December through February. Late February gives you the best shot at cooler temperatures, storm clouds, and potential rain, which changes everything out there. You are in the desert, so the light is harsh and it moves fast. About half an hour after sunrise it is already getting really harsh. Your real windows are that first half hour at sunrise and the afterglow after sunset. Unless there are clouds, and then the light can extend and the whole scene turns dramatic and alive. Clouds in Death Valley are everything.

Summer is dangerous. 120 degrees plus dangerous. Cars breakdown and so do people. Only go in summer if you are specifically there for night sky photography and you have a solid plan for the heat.

One thing worth knowing before you go: the park is enormous. From one end to the other is close to an hour of driving. At 3.4 million acres, it is the largest national park in the U.S. outside Alaska. Factor that into your planning.

A few practical things before you head in:

• Gas: Fill up before you enter the park. Gas is available inside at Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek but it is expensive.

• EV: I did not see any public EV chargers in the park. Some of the hotels apparently have Level 2 options, but I would not count on availability.

• Cell service: Essentially nonexistent inside the park. Download your offline maps before you leave.

What to Wear

This might sound minor, but bring a merino wool neck gaiter. We bought them on the trip after dealing with 50 mph winds and relentless sun, and they were a game changer. Great for wind protection, great for sun coverage, and merino does not make you feel like you are suffocating in the heat. Bring a hat, sunglasses, and a lot of sunscreen. There is nowhere to hide out there.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Best time: Sunrise

Sunrise is the move here.

If you go at golden hour or sunset, the number of people on those dunes is insane, even during the week. Sunrise gives you softer light, far fewer people, and you are not fighting footprints everywhere. Wind is actually your friend on the dunes. It clears every footprint and sculpts the sand into these clean, flowing ridges that are really hard to replicate any other way. A few clouds in the sky makes it even better.

I shot this with my 24-105mm and it looked great. Next time I am bringing a longer lens for compression shots and abstract dune layers. It also helps to put a person in some frames so viewers actually understand the scale of what they are looking at.

Gear

• Wide (16–35mm) for the full dune scene

• 24-105mm for variety shots

• Longer lens for compression and abstract layer

  

  

  

  

The dunes at night are on my list for Part 2. Under a full moon or a clear sky with no light pollution, this place has to be something else. I did not get it on this trip, but I am already thinking about it.

Golden Canyon

Best time: Just after sunrise

You meander through these epic canyon formations and wonder what planet you’re on. I went at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday and it was crowded with harsh, flat light. If I had another day I would go just after sunrise. The formations need soft directional light to show their depth and texture. Mid-morning is not it.

Gear

• 24–105mm for flexibility through the canyon

• Wide for sections that open up

Watch Golden Canyon on Instagram:

Zabriskie Point

Best time: Golden hour / sunset

Short walk up a hill and you have this wild overlook of the badlands and the surrounding mountain formations. It’s one of the more dramatic viewpoints in the park. Located right near Furnace Creek, so it is easy to work into your day without a lot of extra driving. There will always be people. Photographers especially tend to walk right past the main overlook straight into your frame. Plan for it and be patient. There are a lot of shot options here and a lot of textures.

Gear

• Wide (16–35mm) for the full badlands view

• 24-105, 70-200 to isolate ridges and shadow detail

• Tripod optional

Badwater Basin and Lake Manly

Best time: Cloud drama and afterglow

This is a must. The salt flats and rock formations are incredible. You can park along the road and walk out to the flats, or there is a small parking lot with a short walk to the basin/Lake Manly.

When I was there on the first day, Lake Manly had water in it. Lake Manly is a temporary lake that appears after significant rain. It is not always there, but it had just refilled and it was wild to see open water sitting out on the salt flats. The whole scene felt alive in a way that is hard to describe.

Keep in mind you are in a valley, so you are not going to watch the sun drop from here. But with clouds you can get real afterglow color. The storm clouds on my first day gave me some of the moodiest shots of the entire trip.

I’d also recommend doing some night photography here, especially if there is water. I’ll hopefully be back to capture this.

Gear

• Wide (16–35mm) for the salt flat expanse

• 24–105mm for details in the formations

• Fast wide primes for night photography

• Tripod for afterglow and long exposures

Artist’s Drive and Artists Palette

Best time: Late afternoon. Next level right after rain.

This is one of my favorite things in Death Valley and honestly one of the coolest drives I have done anywhere. It feels like driving through Cars Land at California Adventure. Except, you know, it’s real. You are moving through these mountain formations with wild colors and shapes, and you can stop and get out and explore on foot.

Artist’s Palette is where the colors really concentrate. That is where I spent the most time exploring and shooting. The colors are something else. There’s a small pullout at Artist’s Palette.

The most ideal time to be here is right after rain because the colors in the hills get much brighter. We missed rain by a day, and while it was still incredible, I know it would have been next level with some moisture and fresh light on it. When the hills are in full shade the color looks muted. You want some direct light on it, or clouds diffusing the sun just enough.

The main color section gets busy. Sage and I ended up hiking away from the main pullout to find our own spot.

The rest of the drive is also where we saw some of the best of the super bloom.

Gear

• I mainly used 24–105mm for the hillside colors

• Wide for the full drive and mountain formations

Mosaic Canyon

On my list for next time. From everything I have seen it looks similar to Golden Canyon, those sculpted walls and narrow passages, but with its own character. We had to choose and Golden Canyon won on this trip simply because of time. That’s the thing with Death Valley. There are endless side quests. Other dune systems off the beaten path, trails branching off trails, drives that pull you farther in than you planned. It reminds me of Yosemite in that way. The adventure feels unlimited. Every trip reveals something new.

Super Bloom

The super bloom could be found all across the valley floor. Some of the best variety we saw was near Beatty Junction and along Artist’s Drive.

Watch the Super Bloom on Instagram:

All locations are pinned. View the full map here.

Gear

My go-to for most of this trip was a 24-105. I also leaned on the 16-35. I shoot with a Canon R3, which I love for its low light performance. That matters for night photography and for early morning in challenging conditions. The megapixels are not high but there are always trade-offs. Coming back, I’ll probably play more with my 70-200, especially around the Dunes, and use some wider, fast primes for night photography.

Dogs

Dogs are allowed in developed areas, campgrounds, parking areas, and along roads, but not on trails. If you are planning to hike at all, I would recommend leaving your dog at home.

Death Valley is a place where you want the freedom to get out and explore, and dogs make that a lot more limiting here.

That said, Louie came with us in February and had a great time riding around in the car while we explored. On our first visit, February 16 through 18, temperatures were in the 50s to high 60s, totally manageable for short stops. When we passed back through on the 27th, it was 90 degrees by mid-morning. Just 11 days later.

So I’d recommend winter only. Check the weather. Bring more water than you think you need. And only bring your dog if they will not be left in the car for any meaningful stretch of time. It’s just too hot.

Watch Louie in Death Valley on Instagram:

Food / Recovery Stop

If you shoot sunrise at the dunes, the breakfast buffet at Toll Road Restaurant in Stovepipe Wells was surprisingly amazing.

Great food and exactly what you want after an early morning out in the wind and sand.

Right next door, the Badwater Saloon is also a great place to cool off, regroup, or wait out the heat. Same kitchen. Whatever is happening back there is working.

Where to Stay

Hotels inside the park are expensive, but the access is hard to beat.

The Inn at Death Valley is the higher-end option. Beautiful, but pricey.
The Ranch at Death Valley is the more casual sister property.
Stovepipe Wells Village is often one of the more affordable places to stay inside the park and puts you close to several key spots.

We stayed in Pahrump, Nevada at a dog friendly Holiday Inn Express because it was about four times cheaper. That worked, but if you want to shoot sunrise, you are adding about an hour and a half of driving before first light.

Next time, I’d probably splurge on at least one night inside the park.

If temperatures are reasonable, camping is also worth considering. Furnace Creek Campground takes reservations and is one of the more popular options.

More Death Valley to come. This place deserves a return trip and I will post a part 2. I never got my night shoot out here. The clouds had other plans on both visits, and Death Valley has some of the darkest skies in the country. That alone is worth going back for. Part 2 will cover Mosaic Canyon, night photography, and everything else I did not get to on this trip. Leave a comment for anything else you’d like me to cover.

I’ve been here more than 50 times over the last 14 years, and every trip still feels unique. New light. New weather. New stories. Some of the most iconic images in photography history were made in this valley, and somehow it still manages to surprise you. No photo seems to truly capture this place.

For photographers, Yosemite is basically an unlimited playground. Granite walls, waterfalls, reflections, storms, fall color, snow, and some of the best light anywhere in the world.

This guide covers how I’d spend 48 hours in the valley.

Before we get into it, I made this video. Nearly 10,000 still images from multiple November visits in 2024 and 2025. Everything I'm about to describe, this is what it looks like.

Quick Reference | The Full Story below

Quick Reference

Time of Year

• Skip summer. The valley loop is only about 12 miles long and traffic can turn it into a multi-hour crawl.

• October through May is the sweet spot.

• November is my favorite. Fall colors, moody weather, potential storms and snow.

• April and May: snowmelt kicks in and every waterfall in the valley is running.

• December through February: winter wonderland. Firefall happens in February, weather and water dependent.

Time of Day

• You’re in a valley. You never actually see the sun rise or set.

• Tunnel View: arrive 30 minutes before sunrise. Non-negotiable.

• Swinging Bridge: pre-sunrise for color and reflections on the Merced River.

• Sentinel Bridge: 1 to 2 hours after sunrise.

• Bridalveil Fall: late afternoon light is ideal.

• Half Dome last light: Cook’s Meadow or Curry Village (Stoneman) Meadow at sunset.

• Valley View: just after sunrise on your way out.

Gear to Bring

• Wide angle (16 to 35mm): Tunnel View, Swinging Bridge, Valley View

• 24 to 105mm: versatile workhorse for falls and meadows

• 70 to 200mm: last light on Half Dome, closeups on waterfalls, Tunnel view

• Tripod: everywhere

Access

• Timed entry reservations required in peak season. Check nps.gov before you go.

• Glacier Point road closes in winter, typically November through April.

• Most valley locations are walkable once you’re parked.

• Free EV charging in the park

Crowd Strategy

• Off-season is the whole strategy. Summers are a circus.

• Weekdays over weekends, always.

• Pre-sunrise arrivals solve most crowd problems at the iconic spots.

The Full Story

Read more

Every article is one location. Fully scouted. Honest ratings, real access notes, the best times to shoot, what to shoot, what gear actually matters, where to eat, where to stay, and whether the whole thing is worth your time. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

No fluff. No sponsored content. Just the field guide I wish I had when I started.

This first post is free and open to everyone. Starting with the next issue, the full story and field notes will be for paid subscribers. The quick reference and ratings at the top of every post will always be free. If you want the whole picture, the details that actually make or break a trip, that’s what the paid guide is for.

Let’s get into it.

Crowley Lake Columns. Mostly harmless. Mostly.

DON’T PANIC. But maybe don’t drive either.

Quick Reference | The Full Story below

Quick Reference

Time of Year

• Great year-round, including winter

• The columns look incredible with snow and ice around them

• The summers are usually hot, dry, and keep in mind you’re at 7,000 ft elevation

Time of Day

• Golden hour / sunset is ideal. The sun drops perfectly to the left of the columns.

• Early morning if you want fewer people but you won’t be able to shoot the columns with the sun

• Plan to arrive mid-afternoon. You need time to hike in and set up before golden hour. Heat can exceed 100 degrees in summer.

• There is no shade on this trail. Bring more water than you think.

Gear to Bring

• A wider angle lens like a 16-35mm. That is really all you need here.

• Crowley Lake is often very clear and the wide lets you capture the columns and the water together

• Tripod and an ND filter if you want smooth water shots

Access

• Free, no permit required

• No bathrooms on the trail or at the trailhead

• Plan to hike it. Seriously. The road has massive holes. If you try it in anything less than a serious 4x4 with high clearance and real off-road tires, you will get stuck.

• Plan for no cell reception

• Near the end: steep drop down toward the columns. Slippery in ice, slippery in sand.

• Dog friendly. No shade or water on trail, bring enough for both of you.

Crowd Strategy

• Weekdays are significantly less busy. Monday or Tuesday if you can swing it.

• Sunrise if you want it mostly to yourself

• Sunset brings the best light and more people

The Full Story

You're driving down Highway 395 and you think, "I'll stop and check out those crazy columns I've heard so much about." What you don't know is there's no cell service, the road will swallow your rental car whole, and it's a 4-mile round trip hike at 7,000 ft elevation with zero shade. Oxygen is at a premium up here. Here’s everything I’ve learned.

Crowley Lake Columns is one of the coolest things you can see in the Mammoth and Mono area. I say that as someone who has spent the last decade exploring this region. I also say it knowing I’ve still never made it to Devil’s Postpile, which has unfortunately been closed for years.

These columns look like something that should not exist. Like a set from another planet sitting on the edge of a lake. The first time I saw it I had no idea what I was looking at. The columns are part of the region’s volcanic history, tied to the Long Valley Caldera eruption about 760,000 years ago. Heat, steam, and minerals. Erosion did the rest. Nature doing what nature does, just in the most dramatic way possible.

The hike was closed for a couple years due to LA Department of Water and Power shutting the road down, but open as of this writing, March 2026. Always confirm current conditions and check both Apple and Google Maps before you go. Mono County posts seasonal road updates and closures can happen again.

Getting There

Follow Highway 395 about 30 minutes southeast of Mammoth Lakes.

Location

The trailhead is located off Owens Gorge Road, accessed via Benton Crossing Road. Or search “Trailhead for Crowley Lake Stone Columns” on Google Maps.

Beginning of trailhead coordinates: (37.5897354, -118.7043055)

Park along the side of the road.

Parking for low-clearance vehicles: (37.5902763, -118.7014359)

The Road

Watch the video I am linking here before you decide to drive this. For real.

We had a Jeep Wrangler in 4-wheel drive and there were moments where I was genuinely not sure we were going to make it. The road has massive holes and vertical hills that will swallow a normal vehicle whole. If you try it in anything less than a serious 4x4 with high clearance and real off-road tires, you will get stuck. There is no phone service out there. Nobody is coming to help you. Do not risk it. Just hike. I watched several foreigners in rental cars attempt and fail this drive.

After the end of the road there is a steep drop down toward the columns. Last time I was there it was solid ice and we basically slid our way down. In summer it can still be slippery with sand. Either way, take it slow. You have to hike this whether you have a vehicle or not.

The Hike

Park at the trailhead or just past it along the road if your vehicle can handle it.

If you park and hike the full route, it is 4 miles round trip. Pretty straightforward, but you are at elevation, around 7,000 feet. The elevation adds effort even when the terrain is not demanding. Bring more water than you think you need. There is no shade on this trail. Plan to arrive at the trailhead mid-afternoon at the latest. You want to be down at the columns and set up before golden hour, not still hiking in. If you are going in summer, be prepared for 100-degree heat with zero shade and no water on the trail.

What You’ll Find

Once you are down at the columns, you will immediately understand why people make the trip. They are massive, geometric, and completely wild looking. They look like they were carved by hand but they absolutely were not. The lake is typically extremely clear, which makes the whole scene even more photogenic. It is one of those places where you just kind of stand there for a minute and let it land.

If you do not want to deal with the road or the hike, you can apparently kayak over from the other side of the lake depending on water levels. I have not done it, but worth knowing.

Photography

Bring a wider angle lens. That is really all you need here. The scale of the columns combined with the clarity of the lake makes wide the obvious choice. Bring a tripod and an ND filter if you want the smooth water shots. You’ll appreciate less gear during that hike, I promise. When there was ice (very rare) during our last trip in February 2026, it was nice to have a bit of longer lens for compression. I had my 24-105 with me.

For timing, golden hour into sunset is your best bet. The sun sets perfectly to the left of the columns and gives you beautiful side-light with a lot of texture and depth. The light does a lot of the work for you if you are there at the right time. You can even shoot the sun through the columns. Early morning is probably less busy, but the sun is coming from the wrong direction.

Dogs

Yes, you can bring your dog. Remember there is no shade on this trail and no water source. Whatever you are carrying for yourself, bring extra for them.

The steep drop down to the columns is awkward with a dog on leash. Take it slow.

We brought our 12-pound dog on the last trip when we drove to the end. He did the drop down to the columns and climbed back up on his own, which honestly impressed me with his tiny legs. He prefers to be carried though.

Where to Stay/Eat

Mammoth Lakes is your base and has no shortage of hotels. I don’t have a strong loyalty to one spot so book what works for your budget.

For food and happy hour, Bar Sierra is my go-to. We’ve tried pretty much all the food in Mammoth over the years and this is by far the greatest and decently priced. Photos taken summer 2025.

The best adventures are the ones at the edge of something — a lake, a trail, a universe. Subscribe for Death Valley, Yosemite, and Valley of Fire. See you out there.