Camping update, Dec 13
We didn’t get enough people registered for the minimum required for the group campsite at Furnace Creek, so we’ll be camping at Texas Spring. When we get close to the date, we’ll confirm how many cars are coming and who’s arriving first so we can scoop up as many sites at Texas Spring as needed (there are no reservations at Texas Spring).
Itinerary
This year we’re extending our trip to five days of hiking. You can find more details at our expanded itinerary page.
Photos from our previous trips
How long are the hikes?
Most days we have two hikes, with car drives between them. Hikes are usually in the 3-5 mile range, and participants can join all or take a morning/afternoon off if they want to explore something on their own. Our target pace is somewhere between a leisurely ‘nature hike’ and a ‘we’re going to do these miles as fast as possible’ death march. All our hikes are “no one left behind.”
Many of the hikes are ‘out and back,’ but we occasionally have loops.
Overnight
This year we have booked the group campsite in the Furnace Creek Campground. This is just north of the hotel at The Ranch at Death Valley, so those who opt for hotels can easily move between the campsite and the hotel (everyone is invited to join us at the campfire!).
The group campsite holds up to 40 people, but you must be in a tent (i.e. you can’t sleep in your van, car, truck, or RV). Katie and Lee have reserved a nearby site for our van (we’ll spend evenings with the group, then head to our van to sleep), so we can share it with one other vehicle. Ask if you’re planning on sleeping in your vehicle.
Costs
You can purchase “tickets” for any activities you want to participate in:
- The basic donation includes all hikes and social events.
- Food is not included; everyone is responsible for their own food.
- Campground tickets are per person, and are good for any or all of the nights from Friday, December 27th (first check in) through the night of Wednesday, January 1st (departing the morning of Thursday, January 2nd).
- Hotels require you to make and pay for your own reservation. We will try to help people room-share if they desire, but we cannot guarantee a match). Rooms are fairly pricey in the area near the campground, but there are other options in Nevada (about an hour’s drive each way). For more details on hotels, see our Hotels section here.
- Some days people carpool to get to hikes; remember to offer to help pay for gas if you are riding in another person’s vehicle. We have a carpool cost estimator here.
Payments
We can take just about any form of payment that works for you. On the registration page, you’ll find options for PayPal, Venmo, Cash, Zelle, and even sending us a check. If you’re worried about online payments, we’ll work with you.
The registration form will not ask you to pay. Once you register we’ll reach out to you to work out the best payment method for you.
Pages with more details:
