Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is in eastern California, about two hours from Las Vegas. It is the hottest, driest, and lowest place in North America: Badwater Basin sits 282 feet below sea level, a vast white salt flat, and Furnace Creek holds the world heat record of 134 degrees. Above the valley floor, the Mesquite Flat sand dunes, Zabriskie Point's eroded badlands, and Racetrack Playa, where rocks mysteriously slide across the dry lakebed by themselves, leaving long trails, pack extreme desert variety into one vast desert park. Best season is winter: daytime temperatures are mild from November through March, and after wet winters spring brings rare wildflower superblooms.