Sunset at Mesquite Sand Dunes

I’ve seen many west coast sunsets in my lifetime. But nothing could prepare me for outrageously gorgeous sunset that I saw at Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park. Little did I know that this piece of paradise is just west of the California-Nevada border. Yet again, my golden state astonishes me. Getting to the Mesquite Sands Dunes is really easy. You either have the option of driving there (a drive from San Francisco is about 8 hours), or flying into Las Vegas and drive 2.5 hours into Death Valley. Since I only had a weekend, I opted to fly into Las Vegas to save myself some travel time. From Las Vegas, take the CA-190 W and it is a straight shot from there.

Because Death Valley gets “deathly” hot in the summer, I knew Fall/Winter would be the best time to go. The weather during the daytime was perfect. It was sunny with a cool breeze. However, because it’s the desert, the weather will have drastic temperature changes from day to night. And during the winter, the evening can get pretty cold. Because we knew it was going to be cold, we to get an AirBnB over camping. We found plenty of listings in the neighboring town of Prahump. Prahump is a small town located 27 miles southeast of Death Valley. And when I say small, I mean SMALL. When I asked my sister to Yelp local spots to eat at, two spots popped up; a diner and a bar. We opted to eat at The Hubb, a dive bar with pool tables, casino slots, and live music. Their burgers and beer was perfect for curbing our appetites.

Aside from Prahump, there are a few high end accommodations inside the national park: Furnace Creek Ranch, The Inn at Death Valley, and The Ranch at Death Valley.

Once we got into Death Valley, getting to the sand dunes was easy. To get through the park, you have to take Highway 190. The parking lot for the sand dunes is right off the highway. From there, throw on a pair of comfy sneakers or flip flops and trek your way through the sand. As you can see by the pictures, the peaks of the sand dunes can get pretty high, so be prepared to hike uphill. Once you’ve found a nice peak to lounge at, throw down a blanket, enjoy your surroundings, and take in the sunset. It is so worth it.

xoxo Justina