Mesquite Flat Dunes
The most popular and accessible sand dunes in Death Valley National Park.
Guide Sections
Use Mesquite Flat Dunes's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
Mesquite Flat Dunes Details
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
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Rising up to 100 feet and stretching for miles over the floor of Death Valley, these dunes are close to Stovepipe Wells and easily reached by road, and are a fun place to explore with children. Expect big crowds most times of the year at the Mesquite Flat Dunes, the most popular and accessible sand dunes in Death Valley National Park. Park your car at the end of Sand Dune Road and you can join the countless others who come here to climb up and around the crescent, linear, and star-shaped dunes. **Important**: Despite its popularity, Mesquite Flats is not a playground. As the Park Service points out, three of the 18 heat-related deaths in Death Valley recorded since 2000 occurred here. Sandhills quickly block views of the parking area and it's easy to become disoriented: keep your car in your line of sight. Although the tallest dunes appear to be close, they are actually over a mile away: do not try walking to the high dunes in the summer heat.