Complete Guide to Artist’s Palette Death Valley
Death Valley National Park is a land full of surprises and surreal landscapes. Artist’s Palette is perhaps one of the biggest surprises, and is certainly one of the most curious places I’ve ever visited!
This vibrant landscape, so named because of its likeness to a painter’s palette, is one activity you can’t miss from your Death Valley itinerary! Even though you know it will be colourful and you’ve probably seen highly-edited images online, seeing it in real life is astounding!
Continue reading this guide to check out all the details you need for your visit, including what to expect, when to go, and tips for hiking Artist’s Palette Death Valley!
About Artist’s Palette
Artist’s Palette in Death Valley National Park is a remarkable formation renowned for its vibrant and diverse colours. The area belongs to the ironically named Black Mountains, which formed as a result of tectonic and volcanic activity millions of years ago. Now it’s a popular spot for visitors to marvel at the natural beauty and take photographs.
What makes the colours in Artist’s Palette Death Valley?
The varied colours of Artist’s Palette were created by different mineral deposits, including iron, manganese, and other metallic elements. Over time, these minerals oxidised and weathered, producing a striking array of hues that range from reds and oranges to purples and greens. Some of the coloured minerals include red hematite and green chlorite!
The geological processes and the interplay of light contribute to the ever-changing palette of colours that make this photographer’s paradise.
Artist’s Drive
Artist’s Drive is the picturesque scenic route leading towards Artist’s Palette. It’s a nine-mile (14.5km) road that winds through the Black Mountains. The drive offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape, including Artist’s Palette as well as stopping points at Artist’s Drive Hill.
The drive is accessible via Badwater Road; one of the main roads in Death Valley National Park. This makes Artist’s Palette ideal for pairing with visits to Badwater Basin or Zabriskie Point.
Artist’s Drive is a popular route for bikers and cyclists as it provides shelter from the wind and a small amount of shade. Plus, who wouldn’t choose a more interesting and undulating route over the straight, exposed main road?
NOTE: Vehicles over 25 feet are not allowed on the road.
Where is Artist’s Palette?
Artist’s Palette is located in Death Valley National Park, California, approximately 15 miles southeast of the visitor centre.
To get there, drive along Badwater Road until you reach the turnoff for Artist’s Drive. Follow Artist’s Drive for approximately 4.3 miles until you see the small and (most importantly) FREE car park!
- Furnace Creek Visitor Centre to Artist’s Palette: 25 minutes (15 miles)
- Las Vegas to Artist’s Palette: 2.5 hours (150 miles)
- Los Angeles to Artist’s Palette: 5 hours (300 miles)
- San Francisco to Artist’s Palette: 8.5 hours (522 miles)
What to Expect at Artist’s Palette Death Valley
If, like me, you were attracted by the crazy shots of Artist’s Palette on Instagram, then there are a few things to know before you go!
Firstly, the bright blues, pinks and other hues in these shots aren’t always true to life. While Artist’s Palette comprises many colours, it is easy for photographers to exaggerate them through editing. (More on that later…)
In person, the colours will likely look washed out. You will still see the different colours, but it may not look like something out of a fantasy as you expected. In my opinion, this doesn’t make Artist’s Palette any less impressive, I just ended up enjoying it differently!
Part of the fun was taking a closer look at the rocks and making out their different tones! This is why I highly recommend hiking around Artist’s Palette.
Secondly, no two shots of Artist’s Palette will ever be the same! With differing light (caused by clouds, rain, or time of day) and the ever-changing colouration of the rocks, the intensity of the colours changes, meaning that the landscape looks slightly different each time you visit.
When to visit Artist’s Palette Death Valley?
Best time of day to visit Artist’s Palette
You’re probably fed up with bloggers saying this, but I’m going to say it anyway…
The best time to visit Artist’s Palette is at sunrise or sunset. This is because the colours of the rocks are more vibrant when the sun’s angle enhances the contrast. It’s also a massive bonus that it’s much cooler than the midday sun!
Sunrise is better than sunset as you won’t have to compete with as many people for photos!
Check out sunrise and sunset times here.
Best time of year to visit Artist’s Palette
Visiting Death Valley National Park in the summer months (May-September) is borderline unbearable because of the heat. The last ten summers have consistently reached over 50°C in the area, so I highly recommend avoiding it unless you can handle the heat!
This means winter is the best time to visit. Because of this, it’s also more popular, so I recommend avoiding the holiday seasons as they will come with even more crowds.
That being said, if you follow my advice and visit Artist’s Palette during the cooler hours of the day, it shouldn’t matter as much what time of year you visit.
Photography at Artist’s Palette Death Valley
The brilliant colours at Artist’s Palette can be difficult to capture. There’s plenty to consider with framing and lighting, as well as physical factors like people and wind!
Here are some tips to take some great photos at Artist’s Palette Death Valley:
- Timing: Visit during the late afternoon or early evening when the sunlight is softer and warmer, enhancing the colours of the rocks. The golden hour before sunset provides particularly beautiful lighting.
- Use a Tripod: To ensure sharp images, especially in low light conditions, use a tripod to stabilise your camera. This allows for longer exposures without the risk of camera shake.
- Polarising Filter: Consider using a polarising filter to reduce glare and increase saturation. This can help make the colours of the rocks at Artist’s Palette appear even more vibrant.
- Composition: Look for interesting compositions that incorporate the colourful rocks of the Artist’s Palette with the surrounding landscape. Experiment with different angles and perspectives until you find a shot you like. Zoom lenses give you more versatility to try different compositions.
- Respect the Environment: Remember to tread lightly and respect the fragile desert environment of Death Valley. Stay on designated trails and be mindful of any regulations or guidelines set by the National Park Service.
- Editing: Whether you’re editing to make the image true to what you saw or simply for aesthetics and wow-factor, post-production is a major factor in shots of Artist’s Palette. Depending on the conditions, saturation or vibrancy is often the main thing that needs to be increased to bring out the colours of Artist’s Palette. Contrast is another important aspect that many photographers play with.
Hiking Artist’s Palette Death Valley
Hiking at Artist’s Palette isn’t the most popular option as the trails aren’t very long. You’ll struggle to walk further than a kilometre before you end up retracing your steps!
Like most attractions around Death Valley, it is possible to admire from your car (particularly along Artist’s Drive). However, to reach the best views at Artist’s Palette, you need to walk a short distance.
On leaving the car park, there’s a choice of gulleys to follow. Most of these lead to dead ends, but some link up meaning you can create a loop.
It doesn’t matter which direction you walk, however, I recommend following the left-most path so you can stay on the outside. This outer loop leads to slightly higher elevations, giving you a better view of Artist’s Palette. Follow the channel clockwise before taking the gulley back towards the car park. This whole loop will end up being 500-600m.
If you opt for any of the middle channels, you will follow a slightly shorter route.
The area is not well-signposted so most people explore independently. However, it’s important to have a good sense of direction, so you can tell which way is the right way back. Look for reference points to guide yourself around.
Where to stay in Death Valley National Park?
Death Valley is the largest National Park in mainland USA (i.e. excluding Alaska). This makes it time-consuming to stay outside the National Park and drive to visit Artist’s Palette and all the other amazing sights!
Campgrounds in Death Valley
Thankfully there are several campgrounds within the National Park. Some of which you can book in advance, but most where you arrive on the day to find a pitch, and then pay via an automated machine.
Most campgrounds are seasonal, meaning they only open during peak season (winter season), running from 15th October until 15th April.
| Campground | Open | Reservation | Sites | RV Hook-up? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furnace Creek Campground | All year | Yes (Winter) FCFS (Summer) | 136 | Available | $22 Standard $36 Hook-up |
| Texas Springs Campground | Seasonal | First come first serve | 92 | No | $16 |
| Sunset Campground | Seasonal | First come first serve | 230 | No | $14 Standard $7 Senior/Access |
| Stovepipe Wells Campground | Seasonal | First come first serve | 190 | No | $14 Standard $7 Senior/Access |
| Emigrant Campground (tent only) | All year | First come first serve | 10 | No | Free |
| Wildrose Campground | All year | First come first serve | 23 | No | Free |
| Mesquite Spring Campground | All year | First come first serve | 40 | No | $14 Standard $7 Senior/Access |
Besides these National Park Service campgrounds, there are also privately operated campgrounds that accept reservations, primitive campgrounds that are quieter but may need 4x4s to access, as well as backcountry camping options along appropriate dirt roads (permits may be required).
NOTE: Wherever you end up in Death Valley, be prepared for hard ground!
Non-camping Options in Death Valley
If you’re not a camper or RV-er, you can stay in Furnace Creek where there’s a handful of accommodation options offering more facilities. As you may expect, these options are more expensive.
- Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel
- The In at Death Valley
- The Ranch at Death Valley
- Panamint Springs Resort
Before you go
Thank you for reading my travel guide on Artist’s Palette Death Valley. If guides, itineraries, and travel content like this interest you, head over to my blog page to find out more.
If you are new to Matt’s Next Steps, check out the About Me page to find out more about who I am, my travel adventures, and why I wanted to become a travel writer.
Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and experiences, or if there is anything else you want information on.
Happy exploring!
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