Death Valley National Park challenges first impressions. Spanning more than 3.4 million acres across California and Nevada, it is the largest national park in the contiguous United States. Across this vast expanse, salt flats, volcanic hills, sweeping sand dunes, and distant snowcapped peaks create a landscape shaped by time and extremes. From the soaring heights of Telescope Peak, which rises over 11,000 feet above the desert floor, to the depths of Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level, the park is a study in contrasts.
