The Eureka Dunes in Death Valley National Park are the tallest sand dunes in California. They are located in Eureka Valley and are about 3 miles long. Climbing up the dunes can be a tough walk (two steps forward, one step back), but it feels like an outer world experience! We typically visit the dunes in January and February which makes for great winter camping with perfect daytime weather, crisp nights, and beautiful sunsets.
Trip Overview:
Dates: January 26 – January 27, 2019
Permits and Fees: No permits needed! You’ll need a Standard Entrance Pass for Death Valley National Park, which is $30 per vehicle, or an Interagency Pass.
Campsite: Eureka Dunes Dry Camp (first-come, first-serve primitive sites)
Dogs: Allowed only where vehicles are allowed
Getting There:
The most direct way is coming from the south on the 395 and passing through Big Pine. At the end of Big Pine turn right on CA-168 E and continue for 35 miles, then follow Eureka Valley Road to S. Eureka Road for another 32 miles. You will reach Eureka Dunes Dry Camp. An alternative would be to enter the park through the south. We camped overnight our first night at Trona Pinnacles and the next morning continued up to Panamint Valley Road. This route takes you through Stovepipe Wells and past Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. We also stopped off at Ubehebe Crater to check it out, then headed west over to Nevada to re-enter the park through the north side.
Eureka Dunes/ Death Valley Trip Details:
Day 1
We left Friday night to drive from LA to Trona Pinnacles (about 5 hours). The Trona Pinnacles consist of geological features called tufa spires, which are made of calcium carbonate and that formed underwater thousands of years ago. They are located on BLM Land, land designated for public use, so dispersed camping is allowed for up to 14 days.
There is no potable water or camping facilities in this area so make sure to bring enough water and pack out all your trash!
Day 2
We drove from Trona Pinnacles to Death Valley via Stovepipe Wells. We also stopped at Ubehebe Crater on the way to Eureka Dunes. This volcanic crater is 600 feet deep and there is a trail down to the bottom of the crater, but we opted not to do this and save our energy for walking the dunes.
Ubehebe Crater is a Maar volcano, which forms when hot magma rises deep from the earth and reaches ground water. Steam is formed, pressure builds up and is eventually released as a huge explosion!
After detouring to Ubehebe Crater, we drove to Eureka Dunes Dry Camp and chose a campsite. There are 7 total sites with fire rings and picnic tables. Luckily there were only a few other cars there so we picked a site and set up camp. Then it was beer time so we packed up a backpack with snacks and beers and headed up the dunes!
Day 3
On our last day before heading home, we visited Titus Canyon – the most popular backcountry road in Death Valley National Park. This drive takes you between tall limestone cliffs and ends with the narrowest part of the canyon 20 feet wide. Many visitors who don’t want to drive the canyon park at the end of Titus Canyon and walk through the road to take photos.
That wraps up a jam packed weekend exploring a new area of Death Valley!
Need to Know:
- Eureka Dunes Campground is accessible to high-clearance vehicles. 4WD is recommended.
- Sand boarding is not allowed at the dunes. If you’re looking to sand board, try it out at Mesquite Flats!
- Only drive on existing roads; even though it looks like there are no plants/species around, the environment is fragile and you don’t want to disrupt it.
- There is no cell phone reception out near the dunes.
- Vault toilets are accessible at the campground.
- The campground has 7 total sites.
- Practice Leave No Trace!
When to Go:
Anytime from November to April would be a good time to visit Death Valley National Park and the Eureka Dunes. Anytime outside of those months would be extremely hot and uncomfortable.
What to Pack for Car Camping:
- Tent: We use our Marmot Tungsten 2-Person Tent.
- Sleeping pads
- Sleeping bags/bedding: We use these sleeping bags but when we’re feeling bougie we pack a ton of soft blankets and nice pillows 🙂
- Camp chairs
- Lighting
- Camp stove and fuel: We sometimes bring our charcoal grill if we have enough space in the car, but mostly love cooking with our Blackstone Grill.
- Cooler: Yeti, always! unless we bring our Dometic
- Water jug
Leave No Trace
Always remember to practice the principals of Leave No Trace! These 7 principals include:
- Plan Ahead & Prepare
- Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Others
Check out the Leave No Trace program for more information.
