For Kids

 

There are lots of great things for Kids to do in Death Valley!

Be a Junior Ranger

Want to have fun while exploring Death Valley? You can become a Junior Ranger! Pick up a FREE Junior Ranger Booklet at any Death Valley National Park Visitor Center.

Walk with a Park Ranger

Rangers know a lot about the desert and will help you see things that are hidden. Sometimes they take you to places you have never been to. Besides, your parents might enjoy it too.

Walk in the Moonlight

Not ready to go to bed? Nighttime is when the desert wakes up. Go for a moonlight walk in the sand dunes where you might see kangaroo rats and kit fox. Even in the moon light you can see the color of the rocks in Golden Canyon. Bring a flashlight, just in case, but see if you can hike without it. Animals do it, so can you!

Watch Wildlife

Have you ever seen a lizard run on its hind legs like a dinosaur? Did you know roadrunners don’t say beep-beep? If you keep your eyes peeled, you just might see wild animals in Death Valley. Don’t forget to look for their tracks and dens, too.

Explore the Park

Artist's Palette
There are so many colors here, the people who named it thought it looked like spots of paint mixed by an artist. How many different colors you can find?

Badwater
Have your photo taken by the sign at Badwater so you can show your friends you were at the lowest place in all of North America! While there, look up high on the mountain to find the sign showing where sea level is. You will be almost 282 feet below the level of the ocean! And you don't have to hold your breath!

Golden Canyon
If you like to explore, you'll like Golden Canyon. Lots of little side canyons are just waiting for you to see what's up them.

Mosaic Canyon
This is a kid-sized canyon! You don't have to walk very far before you get into the narrow section. You and your family will have to walk in a line just to squeeze through it. The smooth rock walls were carved by flash floods, so don't go in if it is raining on the mountain above.

Salt Creek
Tiny little fish live here. If you visit in the springtime you might see hundreds of pupfish, named because they chase each other around like puppies playing! Remember to stay on the boardwalk so you don't hurt the little guys.

Sand Dunes
It's fun to play on the sand dunes by Stovepipe Wells. Run up a dune and roll down the other side. Dig a hole in the sand and see if it's damp inside. Watch for tracks of wildlife and try to figure out what kind of animals made them. Be careful if you go barefoot, the mesquite trees on the edge of the dune field have big thorns and the sand can get hot.

 

Fourth grade students explore the salt flats of Death Valley National Park with their families for free with the Every Kid in a Park Pass.

NPS/Kurt Moses

Every Kid Outdoors Program

Did you know that the National Park Service has a special program for fourth graders, granting free access to Park Service sites for students and their families? More information on this national initiative can be found on the Every Kid Outdoors website.