Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Death Valley → Eureka Dunes

♦ Intrepid Top Pick!

Location: East of Big Pine, Northern Death Valley

Time Required: half a day

Distance: ~3 miles round trip

Elevation Gain/Loss: ~700 feet

Red Tape/Notes: Access to Death Valley is $25/vehicle for a 7 day pass.  The dunes can be approached from either Big Pine or Beatty Junction; the drive is shorter/easier from Big Pine, but both ways require a rather lengthy drive along a rough road, whose condition varies over the year. It took us about 2 hours to drive from from Beatty Junction to Eureka Dunes when we went. There are a handful of “established” campsites around the dunes with picnic tables and fire rings and numerous “primitive” camps where you can easily pull off and pitch a tent (all are first come, first served).

What’s Nearby?: Not much…it’s a pretty remote area, which is part of the appeal!

If you’re like us, and looking to ditch some crowds, the Eureka Dunes are a great place to do it. Due to the arduous drive (and the tendency of the road to wash out and destroy tires), many people can’t be bothered coming out here. Their loss is our gain! These dunes are much more impressive than the ones at Mesquite, rising 700 feet high with beautifully undulating, sheer walls and providing endless opportunities for beautiful photography. Another bonus is that the base is at 3500 feet, so you get some relief from the relentless heat down at Furnace Creek. But the biggest bonus is the singing (or booming) of the dunes. Not all dunes will do it (don’t bother hoping for it at Mesquite), but Eureka most definitely will. The sound is caused by grains of sand moving on the steepest slopes, so you can hike up to the top, and find the steepest face to bomb down, and cause the dunes to sing on your descent (note that this is contingent on other environmental conditions that have to be met, like practically zero moisture/humidity). You can actually feel the dunes vibrating underneath you as they hum. It’s pretty fantastic. But even if you don’t get singing, the site is beautiful and the views from the top of the dunes are well worth the effort.

Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Death Valley → Eureka Dunes