Although the highest dune rises only about 100 feet, the dunes actually cover a vast area. Located in central Death Valley near Stovepipe Wells, access is from Hwy. These dunes are the best known and easiest to visit in the national park. Please stay on paved or unpaved roads to help protect this fragile desert. Sand boarding is permitted at Mesquite and Saline Sand Dunes.ĭriving off designated roads is illegal, including on the sand dunes. All of the dunes in Death Valley National Park are protected as wilderness, off-road vehicle travel is not permitted anywhere in the park.Įureka, Hidden, Panamint Valley, and Ibex Sand Dune Systems are closed to sledding, sand boarding and sand skiing to protect the federally listed plant species and other sensitive endemic flora and fauna. The sand dunes of Death Valley National Park are excellent places for nature study and recreation. The eroded canyons and washes provide plenty of sand, the wind seems to always blow (especially in the springtime), but there are only a few areas in the park where the sand is "trapped" by geographic features such as mountains. Less than one percent of the desert is covered with dunes, yet the shadowed ripples and stark, graceful curves define "desert" in our imaginations.įor dunes to exist there must be a source of sand, prevailing winds to move the sand, and a place for the sand to collect. Many first time visitors to Death Valley are surprised it is not covered with a sea of sand.
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