After spending a night in the strange place with its strange surroundings Ridgecrest, we now continued towards Death Valley. Once again, I had completely underestimated the distance – in the end, there were still a few hundred kilometers to go. So we drove north out of Ridgecrest through a nearby strange desert town and finally just through the desert in the parallel valley to Death Valley. On the way there were also two ghost towns to visit, but they were not really ghost towns. We ended the day finally in the campground directly in the center of Death Valley.
In this video, I take a drive from Ridgecrest, California, toward Death Valley National Park, a journey that crosses wide stretches of desert, mountain passes, and landscapes that grow more dramatic the closer you get to the heart of the park. Driving into Death Valley is as much a part of the experience as visiting its famous viewpoints and trails. The changing scenery, the open roads, and the sense of moving deeper into one of the most extreme environments in North America make the drive itself memorable.
Leaving Ridgecrest, the road quickly leaves behind the small desert town and enters the wide, open spaces of the Mojave Desert. The horizon stretches endlessly, broken by ranges of dry mountains and ridges. The air is clear, and the light is sharp, giving the land an intensity that makes even the simplest views stand out. Mile by mile, the road moves farther away from signs of civilization and into a landscape shaped by sun, wind, and time.
The approach to Death Valley often involves long, straight stretches of highway, where the desert seems to go on forever. But the scenery is never monotonous—mountains rise and fall in the distance, the colours of the rocks shift between browns, reds, and greys, and occasional plants dot the otherwise stark landscape. Driving here creates a sense of quiet and space that feels different from almost anywhere else.
As the road climbs over passes and then descends into basins, the land reveals its variety. Dry washes, jagged ridges, and vast plains appear one after another. The closer you get to Death Valley, the more dramatic the terrain becomes. The mountains grow taller, the canyons deeper, and the sense of scale increases with every mile.
Reaching the boundary of Death Valley National Park is a moment in itself. The land feels both harsh and inviting, with wide open valleys framed by rugged mountains. The heat, even in cooler seasons, can be felt as you descend into lower elevations, a reminder of why this place holds records as one of the hottest and driest on Earth. Yet at the same time, the views are beautiful—open horizons, layered mountains, and skies that seem to stretch forever.
The drive into the park is not only about the destination but also about the rhythm of the journey. Few cars, endless roads, and the play of light on the land create a feeling of immersion in the desert. Every stop along the way—whether at a viewpoint, a rest area, or just a pullout on the side of the road—adds another perspective to the experience.
This video captures the impressions of that drive: the open highways leaving Ridgecrest, the desert landscapes that unfold along the way, and the sense of anticipation as Death Valley comes into view. It is not a step-by-step guide but rather a look at what it feels like to travel this route, to see the scenery shift, and to arrive at one of the most iconic national parks in the United States.
For travelers, the drive from Ridgecrest into Death Valley is an essential part of the adventure. It is a reminder that in the desert, the journey is often as rewarding as the destination. The contrast between the small town at the start and the vast wilderness at the end highlights just how unique Death Valley is and why the approach to it is worth experiencing in its own right.