Death Valley NP in Spring — RV camping guide
PickRV Editorial
The small team behind PickRV
spring warmth
53°–100°F
Highlights
5
RV advisories
4
Permits
1
Spring at Death Valley is peak season. Wildflowers can carpet the desert in wet years (super-bloom). Temperatures are comfortable (70s-80s in valley). By late April, heat builds rapidly. Furnace Creek Campground (the year-round main option) takes RVs of any length with $14-22/night sites.
Same park, other seasons
Pack for this
Typical weather, month by month
March
Wildflowers potential · pleasant
April
Last comfortable month · super-bloom possible
May
Heat building
What's special now
Highlights this season
Wildflower super-bloom (in wet years)
March-April. Desert gold covers valleys. Rare but spectacular.
Badwater Basin (lowest point)
-282 ft elevation. Salt flat boardwalk. Hottest spot in NA.
Zabriskie Point
Sunrise from this overlook is iconic.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Walkable dunes. Best at sunrise/sunset.
Artist's Palette
Multi-colored mineral hills. Drive the loop.
Time it right
When to go
Best window to plan
March for wildflower potential + comfort. Early April still pleasant.
Before you tow in
RV-specific considerations
Furnace Creek Campground
Open year-round, $14-22/night, any length RV, some hookups.
Sunset Campground
October-April, $14/night, dry.
Stovepipe Wells Campground
October-April, $14/night.
No fuel in remote areas
Top off in Pahrump, Lone Pine, or Furnace Creek.
Reserve ahead
Permits + reservations
Stay safe out there
Safety considerations
- Heat illness even in spring afternoons.
- Flash floods in canyons.
- Snakes emerging.
- Cell service essentially absent.
- Heat exhaustion easy.
No surprises
Honest pricing reality
What it actually costs
In-park: $14-22/night. Outside RV parks: $40-80 spring.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
When is the Death Valley super-bloom?
March-April in years with high winter rainfall. Not every year.
Can I camp at Death Valley?
Furnace Creek (year-round), Sunset (Oct-April), Stovepipe Wells (Oct-April). All RV-friendly.
How hot is Death Valley in spring?
March-April daytime in 70s-80s. By May, heat builds rapidly.
What's the lowest point in North America?
Badwater Basin at -282 ft below sea level.
What the NPS site won't tell you
The NPS rarely advertises this: the Telescope Peak trailhead (Mahogany Flat area, 8,000+ ft elevation) gives you a cooler basecamp option in spring. Drive to the trailhead; camp at Wildrose Campground. 10-degree temperature difference from valley floor.
Sources we checked
Keep planning