News Release

Start Planning Your 2025 Trip to Death Valley National Park

Fee free days and night sky viewing

Hundreds of stars dot the sky, forming what looks like a white haze of distant stars  horizontally across the skyline. The foreground is slightly reddish with small shrubs.
View of the night sky from Mars Hill in Death Valley National Park.

NPS/Patrick Taylor

Subscribe RSS Icon | What is RSS
News Release Date: January 7, 2025

Contact: DEVA News

Contact: Abby Wines, 760-786-3221

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – As 2025 begins, consider planning a visit to Death Valley National Park. Fee free days and good star-gazing periods can all be ideal times to plan a visit to the 5,000-square-mile desert park.  

Death Valley National Park is recognized internationally as a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park. The park is far enough away from cities to have little light pollution. The extremely dry climate means clouds are unlikely to block your view of the sky. With a little advance planning, scheduling a visit during a crescent or new moon phase will maximize how many stars are visible. Park rangers do Night Sky Talks most Friday and Saturdays through March. Ranger programs are posted at nps.gov/deva about two weeks in advance.  

Death Valley can provide a relatively warm winter destination. In December and January, the bottom of Death Valley has an average daily high in the mid-sixties, with overnight lows dipping to 40°F on average. Typical weather in spring and fall ranges from 50 to 90°F. October through April are ideal for camping and hiking at lower elevations.  

Below sea level at Furnace Creek, 113 is an average high temperature during summer. Death Valley has reached an extreme of 130°F twice in recent years. Overnight lows occasional stay above 100 degrees. The park’s three hotels stay open year-round, but most low-elevation campgrounds close due to heat. Park rangers only recommend hiking in the park’s mountains during the summer heat. 

The 2025 free entrance days are:  

  • January 9 – Remembrance for President Jimmy Carter 

  • January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day  

  • April 19 – First Day of National Park Week  

  • June 19 – Juneteenth National Independence Day  

  • August 4 – Great American Outdoors Act Signing Day  

  • September 27 – National Public Lands Day  

  • November 11 – Veterans Day  

 



Last updated: January 7, 2025

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328

Phone:

760 786-3200

Contact Us