Discover Dantes View in Death Valley, California
Dante’s View is a viewpoint terrace at 5,575 ft up, along the Black Mountains, overlooking Death Valley. The view gives you a bird’s eye view of the valley and the adjacent mountain range. This location is very popular among locals and tourists alike. It’s one of the more quiet, inspiring and stunningly beautiful locations in the park.
Dante’s View sits 5,575 ft (1,699 m) above Badwater Basin, on the ridge of the Black Mountains. Popular for its incredible views, it’s a hotspot spot for photographers and serenity seekers. Be sure to have a full tank of gas when entering the park. There have been multiple fatalities from those that ran out of gas and decided to walk in the heat. And yes, the gas station in the park is very expensive.
From the Dante’s View parking lot, visitors can explore multiple directions. That path we took was Dante’s View Trail. This 1-mile roundtrip hike is an easy 30-minute adventure that will burn some calories, offer stunning photos ops and take your cake-eating breath away. Although we didn’t stick around long enough, sunrise and sunset are incredibly popular at Dante’s View. It’s a magnificent spot for those looking for solitude or the tranquility of the outdoors.
In addition to dusk and dawn, Dante’s view is an underrated spot for stargazers. Death Valley National Park is far enough away from the city that the scene above the desert is an immaculate night sky. Come for the sunset and stay for the stars.
We had an enjoyable experience at Dante’s View. The view’s make this spot a must-do on any trip to Death Valley. If you want a more adventurous hike, you can continue along the ridge to Mt. Perry, an 8 mile round-trip journey.
Fun fact:
Dante’s View was used as a filming location for the 1977 film Star Wars as the characters overlook the fictional Tatooine spaceport of Mos Eisley (which was added into the scene as a matte painting).
Cost of Adventure
- Per vehicle: $30 (for 7 days)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total distance: 1 mile
- Calories burned: 100 – 150
- Time suggested: 1 hour
- Family friendly: YES
- Park size: 3,422,024 acres
Challenge Yourself
Sometimes timing is everything. Your challenge at Dante’s View is to catch an amazing view of the Milky Way and capture it with your camera. Stargaze into the night sky and, for a moment, get lost in the stars and find your favorite constellations.
Find Great Photo Ops
As soon as you reach Dante’s View you are automatically in prime photo-op territory. Of course you can change the scene depending on sunrise, sunset or night sky, but the photo ops at Dante’s View are plentiful and exceptional depending on time of day. Enjoy.
