Death Valley in late February

My son is start an amazing job in the first week of March but before he starts he taking a week off. I am going to take him for a few days in the sun and I have been searching for hours trying to come up with ideas that I can afford.

We in the Seattle area and I was thinking of flying to Vegas and then driving to Death Valley. Not a long drive.

So I turn to the internet's wellspring knowledge to see if any of you might have any thoughts about visiting Death Valley this time of year.

As always Thanks and junk:-)

Read about Carrol Shelby's incident in the turbo Cobra and reproduce it?

My father in law used to spend summers in death valley and winters in Canada across the border from International Falls doing testing for GM. That's the extent of my Death Valley knowledge.

Death Valley in a few weeks should actually be pretty nice. We're having a very warm and dry winter out so most places should be accessible (although not necessarily in a rental car) without you being flash cooked the second you leave the car like you would be in summer. In fact, the temperatures might be downright pleasant atm.

I like Death Valley, been there a few times when my wife still lived in Vegas. I would recommend staying the night at the Furnace Creek Ranch if you can swing it financially. It's not super cheap but the setting is pretty spectacular.

We did death valley in late October a couple years ago. I imagine it would be similar to February temperature wise. Really cool place, we preferred it over the grand canyon, more accessible by car.

Thanks everyone for the input! I made reservations at Stovepipe. It is about the same as the Ranch. I can't wait for this trip and for my son to start his new gig.

Ok my son will be working on THE biggest game title ever as an environmental artist! He just turned 21 and he is self taught! Can't tell you how proud I am and this is living proof that you should always marry up:-)

Oh here is where we will be staying, http://www.escapetodeathvalley.com/

I liked in Beatty as a kid. Next time I'm in the area I will be in a 4x4 to take the back road/trail that leaves the blacktop just southwest of Beatty (past Rhyolite, which is sort of neat too) and winds up through the hills and valleys to meet up with Scotty's castle road over near the craters. We used to do the trip in an afternoon in a 2wd S10 blazer, but I'm not sure how the trail is now.

We did that trip several times as a kid and 30 years later when I picture beautiful scenery in my head it is still usually things from that road.

Take the time and go out the east end back into NV to see Rhyolite. Neat abandoned/ghost town. it was used in the movie "The Island" and a few others. Its just a few miles out of DV so its not a big drive.

You can still walk out to the dunes. Its a neat trek but expect sand in your shoes.

Take the drive up through the Panamint pass. Right now it won't be spectacular, but its worth the drive to see some interestingly barren mountains.

Definitely do some touring through the Borate mining areas. There is some awesome history there.

DV has a dry lake that is the lowest elevation in the US. Its a couple hundred feet below sea level if I remember.

Its a bit far, but the south end of DV has a town on I-10 (Baker, CA) that is the hottest town in the US. and they have a 40-foot tall electric thermometer.

BoxheadTim wrote: Death Valley in a few weeks should actually be pretty nice. We're having a very warm and dry winter out so most places should be accessible (although not necessarily in a rental car)...

Everthing is accessible in a rental car.

curtis73 wrote: Its a bit far, but the south end of DV has a town on I-10 (Baker, CA) that is the hottest town in the US. and they have a 40-foot tall electric thermometer.

Been a while? The thermometer still stands, but it is no longer functional. Nobody wanted to pay the electric bill for it.