Hottest. Driest. Lowest. Death Valley's claims to fame are so well-known that most visitors never look past them—which is too bad. After all, this park is 3.4 million acres, the largest in the contiguous U.S. And while the superheated salt pans of Badwater Basin and the rollicking dunes of Stovepipe Wells are bona fide wonders, they are far from the only ones. Take, for instance, the Panamint and Amargosa Ranges. Here Death Valley comes alive with bighorn sheep, cottonwood groves, tight-walled canyons, and even spring-fed waterfalls. If the valley floor is where you find the park's geographic oddities, it's in the mountains that you find Death Valley's soul.
Photo Gallery: View stunning photos of Death Valley National Park in National Geographic's Parks Guide here.
GAME PLAN: Death Valley is so big and its terrain so challenging that the only way to do it right is to set up a base camp and fan out. And that's where Cottonwood Canyon comes in. About 18 miles west of Stovepipe Wells, Cottonwood is blessed with a perennial stream and a cluster of grand old cottonwood trees for shade. Camping is permitted anywhere after mile eight on the 17.7-mile canyon road, which, by the way, requires a high-clearance vehicle. Once you're established, plan to explore nearby Marble Canyon. You can drive or mountain bike about three miles, then proceed on foot. In the narrows, if you look closely, you'll find Native American petroglyphs. Three miles farther, look for an old miner's sign indicating the way to Goldbelt—a worthy five-mile detour if you're feeling ambitious. In the following days, mountain bike the Panamints' network of abandoned mining roads and make the three-mile scramble out of Cottonwood Canyon. Looking south from the rim, you'll see the Panamint Sand Dunes down on the valley floor. As you poke around, you might come upon ruins, wild horses, or hidden springs. Death Valley, you'll find, is all about exploration.
Vitals: Free permits are required for backcountry camping; register at any ranger station (nps.gov/deva).
The Must-Do: Death Valley is mysterious enough by day. By night, it's otherworldly. Two hours after sundown, walk 30 minutes into the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes outside Stovepipe Wells. If there's a moon, it's a klieg light. If not, the stars alone are enough to walk by. Get up as high as you can. Then just sit and admire the silver sea.
Base Camp: Plunk down a Spanish-style hacienda in the heart of Death Valley and you've got the Furnace Creek Inn. The 66-room indulgence butts up against a palm oasis and boasts, among other delights, a huge swimming pool perpetually refreshed with springwater (doubles from $305; furnacecreekresort.com).