Death Valley National Park sits two hours west of the Strip across the California state line and contains the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level. The valley regularly records the hottest air temperatures ever measured on Earth — 134°F in 1913 — and the colour palette of salt flats, eroded badlands, and rust-streaked mountains has drawn film crews since the silent era. It is also, despite the name, startlingly alive: spring wildflower blooms can carpet the valley floor in good rain years.
It is doable as a long day from Las Vegas if you start early, but the park rewards an overnight. The classic single-day circuit takes in Zabriskie Point at sunrise for the rumpled badlands view, the salt flats at Badwater Basin, Artists Drive (a one-way scenic loop through coloured volcanic rocks), and the sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells. With more time, add the Ubehebe Crater in the north or the high overlook at Dante's View, where the whole valley falls away beneath you.
The park is enormous — over three million acres — and distances between sights are deceptive, so keep an eye on your fuel and your water. Summer afternoons can be lethal: bring far more water than you think you need, carry it into the car as well as onto the trail, and never hike low-elevation routes between June and September. Spring and autumn are the sensible seasons, and even winter days are mild on the valley floor while the surrounding peaks hold snow.
There is an entrance fee, payable at automated kiosks or online, and a handful of lodges and campgrounds inside the park if you choose to stay. Cell service is patchy to nonexistent, so download maps before you leave the highway.