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Death Valley National Park: reservations, fees, camping and weather
Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada: what you need to book, what it costs, and when the weather is mildest. Checked November 2026.
Do you need a reservation to enter?
No entry reservation is mentioned on the park's fees page.
Fees and passes
$30 per private vehicle; $15 per person on foot or bike.
Non-US residents can buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250).
An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance at every national park. US citizens and residents get free entry on national park fee-free days.
Camping: how to book
Camping and permits differ by area; reservable sites and permits are booked on Recreation.gov. Many Recreation.gov campgrounds open on a rolling window months ahead and sell out within minutes; if yours is full, set up a cancellation alert.
Campgrounds on Recreation.gov (2)
| Campground | Sites | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furnace Creek Campground | 130 | Campground | Book ↗ |
| Death Valley Backcountry Roadside Camping | 49 | Campground | Book ↗ |
From Recreation.gov's official data (RIDB), November 2026. Campgrounds run by park concessioners and some first-come sites aren't on Recreation.gov, so check the park's camping page too. When can I book?
Official planning pages
The park's own pages for the things that change: conditions, closures, camping and permits.
Key dates
- Wed 11 Nov 2026 National parks fee-free day: Veterans Day Confirmed
- December 2026 · exact dates not announced 2027 national park fee-free days announced Expected
Weather by month
| Month | Camping weather | Avg high | Avg low | Precip. | Snow | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Great · 100 | 67°F | 42°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in | 9 h 53 m |
| February | Great · 100 | 74°F | 49°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in | 10 h 46 m |
| March | Great · 98 | 83°F | 57°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in | 11 h 50 m |
| April | Good · 64 | 91°F | 65°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 03 m |
| May | Poor · 25 | 101°F | 75°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in | 14 h 03 m |
| June | Poor · 0 | 111°F | 84°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in | 14 h 36 m |
| July | Poor · 0 | 117°F | 91°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in | 14 h 22 m |
| August | Poor · 0 | 116°F | 89°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in | 13 h 30 m |
| September | Poor · 0 | 108°F | 79°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in | 12 h 20 m |
| October | Fair · 55 | 93°F | 64°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in | 11 h 09 m |
| November | Great · 100 | 77°F | 50°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in | 10 h 08 m |
| December | Great · 100 | 66°F | 41°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in | 9 h 38 m |
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at the Death Valley NP, CA weather station (-194 ft). Higher trails are colder; temperatures usually drop about 3–5°F per 1,000 ft. "Camping weather" is our simple score: best with highs of 62–82°F, nights above freezing and under 3 in of precipitation. It rates weather only, not road closures, snow on trails or crowds. Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th. About NOAA normals ↗
Questions
Do I need a reservation to enter Death Valley National Park?
No entry reservation is mentioned on the park's fees page.
How much does it cost to enter Death Valley?
$30 per private vehicle; $15 per person on foot or bike. Non-US residents can buy the America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass ($250).
When is the weather mildest at Death Valley?
Using NOAA averages at the park's weather station, average highs are between 60°F and 85°F in January to March, November to December. July is warmest (about 117°F) and December has the coldest nights (about 41°F).
Sources: Death Valley fees and passes (nps.gov), NOAA station data. Rules change; always check the official park site before you go.
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