Between Fresno And Las Vegas Is A Vibrant Community Inside A National Park With Mountain Views And Camping

Tucked between Fresno and Las Vegas, there is an unexpected community full of life in Death Valley. With its extreme temperatures, the area is known for its barren nature, so visitors might not expect the oasis town of Furnace Creek, California. It's one of a handful of communities in the United States that are located inside national parks. The small Inyo County town has just 126 residents but has become the hub for Death Valley National Park. 

The town actually sits below sea level, making the towering mountain ranges surrounding the little community stand out even more. To the west is the Panamint Range, which is home to Telescope Peak, the tallest point in Death Valley at more than 11,000 feet. To the east is the Amargosa Range, which has viewpoints such as Zabriskie Point. While you can see several mountains right from town, the popular stop is about a 15-minute drive from town and provides breathtaking views of the Badlands. 

The hottest temperature ever recorded in the world was in Furnace Creek at Furnace Creek Ranch in 1913. This shows just how hot it gets in this area. Thanks to its reputation for high temperatures, one popular stop for visitors is a digital thermometer that lets them see how hot it is while they're visiting. However, the town of Furnace Creek is an oasis with campgrounds, a resort, and even a golf course in the middle of the desert. 

The town has many of the amenities residents and visitors need, including a gas station, post office, airport, and general store. This area is full of history, which you can learn more about at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and the Borax Museum, a late 19th-century building with exhibits about borax mining. And less than five minutes away is Harmony Borax Works. The abandoned frontier location now serves as an outdoor museum for visitors to learn about the impact that borax production had on the area. When it's not too hot, you can stroll past some old borax wagons on a short paved loop that features information panels — as well as spectacular views of the desert and nearby mountains. 

Even in the small town of Furnace Creek, there are a few campgrounds to choose from. Since the whole town is within the national park, so are these three campgrounds. They are all run by the National Park Service, but only Furnace Creek Campground is reservable on recreation.gov. It accepts reservations from October 15 to April 15, and the NPS recommends reserving a campsite during this window in advance of your trip. The campground website also advises tent campers arriving without reservations to bring camp chairs and a propane stove with them in case their campsite at another park campground doesn't have a picnic table and fire ring. The other two options, Sunset Campground and Texas Springs Campground, are first-come, first-served. 

Due to the extreme heat, demand is much lower in warmer months, so the campground season in Death Valley is the opposite of many campgrounds in other parts of the country. Instead of closing for the winter months, the campgrounds open for the season and typically remain open until mid-to-late April. If you aren't able to get a campsite or would rather enjoy the amenities of a hotel, The Oasis at Death Valley has several accommodation options to choose from, including a luxury resort, a casual, family-friendly hotel, and cozy cottages. So, whether you want to camp or be pampered, you can find the ideal lodging for the experience you want.

Imagine golfing on a green fairway in the middle of the desert in Death Valley, enjoying mountain views while you play. The Furnace Creek Golf Course is not only known for being an oasis of green in the extremely harsh environment, but it is also the lowest elevation course in the world. Visitors like to come check out the course, mainly for its location. If you do want to try and book a tee time while in the area, make sure to pack appropriate golf attire for a nicer golf course, because the course enforces a strict dress code. Green fees vary by season, so check the course's website for current rates before booking a tee time.

While Furnace Creek does have a vibrant golf course, just 15 minutes away is another "golf course" with a misleading name because no golf is happening at this spot. The one-of-a-kind Devil's Golf Course is a point of interest in the national park and is known for its jagged salt formations and harsh nature.