Furnace Creek Visitor Center — Attraction in Beatty

An outpost for federal employees specializing in national park infrastucture, native indian and explorer history, and desert ecology. Tourists who travel to this critical national park junction station in the wintertime will find mild air temperatures of 60-65-68 deg F. Arriving from Beatty, Nevada on state route # 374 offers a first time vistor the true "oh my" feeling once you make it to the first pay station. I had my lifetime pass, but it was useless at that solar powered pay kiosk. I paid the entrance fee, got a paper receipt (paper receipts will always have a purpose, in my opinion), and then checked off my exploration checklist while "taking in " the viewpoint. When i finally made it to the Furnace Creek station, i saw no "furnace" structure but went inside anyhow ....I presented my credentials and got an e-refund back on my admission fee. Warning: Be prepared, have a high-quality vehicle, a full tank of fuel, safe bottled water sources, snacks, a mini-mag style flashlight, and a backup paper map. GPS on Verizon worked well on the hard top roads in the park and even on the southern less used dirtball roads. Pure black darkness at night and... no EV stations anywhere that i saw. I did see one small white Tesla EV plugging along, heading west on state route 190 driven by people who looked like they were scared or .....looking for a charging station! It's not a place for an EV car or an EV truck, for that matter. Anyhow, the vistor center is a must stop for any first-timer. From there, I drove south and saw the sun set over the Devil's Golf Course and then the Badwater Basin with its salt flat boardwalk areas to "no where!"!. EENT was upon me, so I exited out of the area, via the Zabriskie Point drive-by route. Most likely, I did not miss anything by NOT stopping at the Z point lookout. I was already at the salt bed golf course and basin walkout pad areas which are part of what you see from the long walk trail of Z-point. You do what you "feel" is best, but i know it is best to enter and exit in the daylight, if you are a first-time visitor. It is easy to get misoriented under blackout road conditions if you drive state route 127 south to make it back to Sin City. Good luck!!! I had more fun getting to this desert national landmark park via I-95, then going back to Vegas via state routes # 160 and 127. See the photo slides in reverse to match the above...

Your only shelter from the weather. Stop here for water and restrooms.

The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Death Valley National Park, California. Located in the heart of the park, the visitor center is the perfect place to learn about the park's natural and cultural history, as well as to get information about the park's many attractions and activities.

The visitor center features a variety of exhibits and displays, including interactive exhibits about the park's geology, flora, and fauna. There is also a theater where visitors can watch films about the park and its history. The visitor center is a great place to get a sense of the park's diverse landscape and the challenges that humans have faced in this harsh desert environment.

In addition to its educational exhibits, the visitor center also has a gift shop, where visitors can purchase souvenirs and park-related merchandise. The visitor center also has a cafe, offering a selection of light meals and snacks.

Overall, the Furnace Creek Visitor Center is a fantastic resource for anyone visiting Death Valley National Park. The center's educational exhibits and amenities make it a great place to start any visit to the park, and its convenient location makes it easy to access from many points...

The Furnace Creek Visitor Centre is located along Highway 190 in the middle of Death Valley National Park. Opening hours are 8am to 5pm daily.

There is a fair amount of parking some of which is shaded. You'll find toilet facilities as well. Park entry fees can be paid here and you'll find a small gift and souvenir shop section as well.

Importantly, this is where you find park rangers and staff able to provide information regarding trail and road conditions. There are park maps you can pick up. Rangers lead walks and talks around the centre between November and May. See schedule near the ranger desk.

There is a 20 minute film you can watch about the history of Death Valley. You will also find a small area in the centre setup for displays related to mining history, wildlife and the geography of the area. These are both informative and provide something for visitors to do when the weather is too hot outside.

In the end, we found the Furnace Creek Visitor Centre to be a good resource top to make in Death Valley and a good representation of the National Park Services visitor centres which are found in all of the national parks around...