Death Valley Furnace Creek Campground

We stayed at Furnace Creek Campground within Death Valley National Park, California. (Campground Reviews listing.)

The first time we’ve ever stayed inside a national park in our coach.

Dates:

Check in: 2023-03-20
Check out: 2023-03-23
3 nights

Weather:

Partly sunny, a couple days of drizzle
High temps ranging between 61-73°F, lows around 43-50°F
Wind gusts to 37 MPH

Noise:

No road or train noise
Some neighbor kid noise, not too bad

Site:

#69, pull-through, asphalt
Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked behind and in front of coach
Level
Large site: about 95 feet long by about 50 feet wide
Picnic table, fire pit, gravel

Utilities:

50 amp power, conveniently located
55 PSI water, conveniently located
Good sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

Starlink: 43-148 Mbps down, 11-23 Mbps up, 29-40 ms ping
T-Mobile: no service
AT&T: no service
Verizon: no service
Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

Garbage dumpsters
National Park!
Visitor center
General store
Restaurant

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Great campground in the heart of Death Valley NP

There are two things I wish about this place: 1) That they had more full hookup sites, and 2) that we’d gotten to stay longer. We originally booked a dry camping spot but were lucky enough to snag a cancellation for a full hookup and I’m so glad we did. I would have stayed here either way, as it’s truly the best place to stay in or near the park. The pull-through sites are incredibly long and every site is large so you’re not cramped against your neighbor, which is appropriate when staying in the largest National Park in the contiguous 48 states. It’s also very convenient to all the “must-see” places in the park. If you need internet while staying here, you must have Starlink. Cellular data was non-existent for any carrier. There is WiFi at the Furnace Creek Ranch. We camped at Furnace Creek in a Motorhome.

Tip for Other Campers: Gas in Stovepipe Wells was quite a bit cheaper than at Furnace Creek and the food was better at the restaurant there, too.

Interactive map:

The campground map:

Map

Death Valley National Park is interesting in that it is mostly below sea level. The campground has an elevation of -190 feet:

-190 feet elevation

Our site:

Our site

Death Valley is the hottest and driest national park… so of course it was cool and rainy:

Rain and mud

Entrance:

Entrance

Dishwashing station:

Dishwashing station

Other sites:

Other sites

Video

Video: Las Vegas, Nevada to Death Valley, California motorhome travel timelapse

A timelapse of driving our RV, a Tiffin Allegro Bus motorhome, 121 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada to Death Valley, California.

Travel from Las Vegas, Nevada to Death Valley, California

We drove our coach 121 miles, about three hours of driving, from Las Vegas, Nevada to Death Valley, California.

Here’s the map route, heading west:

Death Valley route

An interactive map, with our stops marked:

Horses artwork:

Horses artwork

Driving past the buildings of the Vegas strip:

Vegas

Overpass artwork:

Overpass artwork

Snowy mountains:

Mountains

A snack while driving:

Snack

Paladin in his safe space:

Paladin

Mountain:

Mountain

We stopped for lunch at the Area 51 Alien Center:

Area 51 Alien Center

It’s Nevada, so there’s also the Alien Cathouse Brothel:

Alien Cathouse Brothel

The Area 51 Alien Center:

Area 51 Alien Center

Our coach

They have a cafe, but it was closed, so we grabbed packaged sandwiches for lunch:

Lunch

Cow artwork:

Cow artwork

Leaving Nevada, entering California (no welcome sign, just “click it or ticket”; real friendly there, California):

Nevada to California

Bumpy road:

Bumpy road

Enering Death Valley National Park:

Enering Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park

Most of the park is below sea level; passing sea level elevation, heading down:

Sea level elevation

-5 elevation:

-5 elevation

The Ranch at Death Valley, at -190 feet elevation:

The Ranch at Death Valley

US Virgin Islands power boat circle of St. John

Our second boating excursion in the USVI was on a power boat, circumnavigating the island of Saint John, including a couple of snorkeling stops, and lunch at Lime Out, a floating taco bar.

Jenn’s Tripadvisor review:

Fantastic day in the USVI

This was a fantastic way to see St John, including snorkeling in the national park (sea turtles & stingrays!) and a unique lunch experience at Lime Out (shrimp tacos!). Our crew of Captain Brandon & Mate Lacey took great care of us and made it a highlight of our trip to the USVI. They were so accommodating and even had ways for non-snorkelers to enjoy the warm water, such as a floating mat attached to the boat, allowing everyone to get in on the fun.

The boat (first on the right) in the marina:

Marina

Lacey made sure our beverages remained full:

Open bar

Captain Brandon:

Captain

The first snorkeling stop:

Snorkeling

An interesting rock:

Interesting rock

Spray:

Spray

Rocks

Flag

We stopped for lunch at Lime Out. a floating taco bar. Jenn’s Tripadvisor review:

It’s the experience

This was one of the most unique and memorable dining experiences I’ve ever had. We took a day cruise around St. John specifically because it had a stop here for lunch. It’s expensive, but how many times are you going to be able to eat a taco on a floating pad while fish swim around your feet, eating any scraps you might drop? The drinks are strong and the tacos are pretty good, but it’s all about the experience.

Lime Out

Our boat:

Boat

Swag for purchase:

Lime Out

We sat on a floating circular seating, with a floating table ferried between the restaurant and seating to deliver the menus, drinks, food, and swag:

Floating table

The menu:

Nobody was allowed on board; our server called out across the water:

Server

Selfie:

Selfie

Tacos:

Tacos

Taco

There were lots of fish swimming below us, waiting for dropped crumbs:

Fish

A glimpse of the bar along the edge of the floating restaurant, and more floating seating:

Swag

Lacey in a fish taco costume:

Taco costume

On the way to the next spot:

Spray

An interesting house; something simple and isolated like that would suit us nicely:

Interesting house

The second snorkeling spot:

Snorkeling

I wasn’t into snorkeling, so Lacey kindly put out a tethered float for me:

Float

An underwater video I recorded of the fish under me:

Jenn:

Jenn

She took my phone and captured some great shots, including this stingray:

Stingray

Fish:

Fish

Cool looking thing

Fish

A turtle:

Turtle

Fish

Continuing on, past the Annaberg sugar plantation (where we visited the previous day):

Annaberg sugar plantation

A nice catamaran:

Catamaran

Customs office ruins:

Customs office ruins

Yacht:

Yacht

Nice houses:

Nice houses

National park mooring pay station:

Mooring pay station

A very enjoyable excursion.

US Virgin Islands National Park

As previously mentioned, the US Virgin Islands consists of three main islands, and a bunch of minor ones. We were staying on Saint Thomas, but another highlight of this trip was to cross off another national park, in our goal to visit all of them. The nearby island of Saint John mostly consists of the Virgin Islands National Park.

It is possible to take a passenger ferry over to the island, and walk to the park visitor center, and explore the town of Cruz Bay (where the ferry docks), but we wanted to explore more of the park, which is best done by car. So we headed to the car ferry dock.

Here’s a car ferry loading; the cars all back on, to make it easier to drive off at the other side:

Car ferry

The departing ferry, and another arriving:

Car ferries

Car ferry

We made it onto this ferry, the Big Red Barge:

Car ferry

The cars are packed rather tightly:

Car ferry

Arriving at Saint John:

Car ferry

Driving off:

Car ferry

Why did the chicken cross the road? They’re all over the place:

Chickens

Jenn got her National Park passport stamps:

National Park passport stamp

Info in the visitor center:

Info

Visitor center gift store:

Visitor center

Selfie:

Jenn and David

The visitor center was undergoing some renovations:

Visitor center

Virgin Islands National Park sign:

Virgin Islands National Park sign

Trunk Bay is one of the most popular parts of the park; we hoped to be able to stop here, but they have very limited parking, so we skipped it:

Trunk Bay

Maho Bay is another (too) popular beach:

Maho Bay

But we were able to find parking at Francis Bay, a less popular but still very nice beach:

Francis Bay

We had a picnic lunch on the beach:

Picnic lunch

Parts of the beach were a little rocky, but the sand was very soft:

A little rocky

Underwater photos:

Underwater

Jenn swimming:

Jenn swimming

Video of fish:

Fish

Jenn

Looking like a merman:

David looking like a merman

Fish

Continuing on, we visited the historic windmill of the Annaberg sugar plantation:

Annaberg Sugar Mill

A turtle:

Turtle

Nice view

Annaberg Sugar Mill

Goat:

Goat

Donkeys:

Donkeys

Nice view

Lots of steep roads:

Steep road

Back to the car ferry:

Car ferry

A nice swim, fascinating history, and great to visit one of the more difficult to reach national parks.

Big Bend National Park

We spent a day visiting Big Bend National Park in Texas, our last national park for the year, and our last new one until we visit Death Valley in March.

An interactive map of our route:

Entrance sign:

Sign

Persimmon Gap Visitor Center near the northern entrance:

Persimmon Gap Visitor Center

We asked the ranger about picnic spots; he told us about a secret picnic spot that isn’t normally mentioned, since they don’t maintain it; a couple of shelters, but just one table. So we had a picnic lunch there:

Secret picnic spot

Hazy mountains and views:

Mountains

Panther Junction Visitor Center, which includes a post office:

Panther Junction Visitor Center

You know I enjoy relief maps:

Relief map

Gift store:

Gift store

Mountains

There’s even a gas station, very unusual for a national park:

Gas station

Mountains

Chisos Basin Visitor Center:

Chisos Basin Visitor Center

Window View Trail:

Window view trail

The Window:

Window view trail

Mountains

Hole in a rock:

Mountains

Castolon Visitor Center area:

Castolon Visitor Center

Old barracks from 1919, that burned in 2019:

Castolon Visitor Center

Mountains

Moon over mountains:

Mountains

A scenic drive.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park again

We visited Carlsbad Caverns a second time, this time to do the Natural Entrance and Big Room trails.

On the way, passing the Apache Canyon Trading Post:

Apache Canyon Trading Post

And White’s City:

White's City

The Carlsbad Caverns sign:

Carlsbad Caverns sign

Entrance road:

Entrance road

Again we had a picnic lunch by the visitor center:

Picnic lunch

The visitor center sign:

Visitor center sign

The path to the natural entrance:

Path to natural entrance

We were stopped for the pre-entrance instructions from the ranger:

Path to natural entrance

The bat amphitheater, where people can watch the bats leaving the cave in the evenings:

Bat amphitheater

Heading down into the natural entrance:

Path to natural entrance

An info sign; 1.25 miles, 750 feet of elevation change:

Info sign

The natural entrance:

Natural entrance

Reaching the junction with the Rest Stop and Big Room:

Natural entrance

Rest stop sign

The Big Room trail:

Big Room

Back to the Underground Rest Stop:

Underground rest area

We bought a snack at the shop; the attendant was very chatty with info about the cave, visitors, bats, etc:

Underground rest area

Back up the elevator:

Elevator

The gift shop:

Gift shop

Jenn bought a bunch of postcards; she collects the WPA-style postcards, and this gift shop had an excellent collection, so she was able to get some missing and future ones:

Postcards

A selfie by the sign, with a stuffed toy bat from the gift shop:

Selfie

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Just south of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, across the border in Texas, is Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Passing through the town of Carlsbad again on the way there:

Carlsbad

Cave people art:

Cave people art

We stopped for lunch at a tiny separate section of Carlsbad Caverns NP, Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area:

Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area

They have a very nice picnic area in an oasis of trees, which we had pretty much to ourselves (only one other group in the distance):

Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area

Rattlesnake Springs sign:

Rattlesnake Springs sign

This area has a spring that is the source of the water for the caverns:

Spring

Spring pool:

Spring pool

With fish:

Fish

Continuing on, we entered Texas:

Entering Texas

Mountains:

Mountains

A brief stop at the small McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center of Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

McKittrick Canyon Visitor Center;

Then on to the main part of the park:

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Pine Springs Visitor Center:

Pine Springs Visitor Center

You know I enjoy 3D relief maps:

Relief map

Inside the visitor center:

Pine Springs Visitor Center

We walked along the Pinery Trail, about a mile of nature trail:

Pinery Trail

Pine Springs Visitor Center

Pinery Trail

We took a look at the “campground”, little more than a parking lot (and too small for our coach):

Campground

We were impressed by El Capitan mountain:

El Capitan mountain

A rest area and view:

Rest area

El Capitan mountain again:

El Capitan mountain

A quick spin along Frijole Ranch road:

Frijole Ranch

Then back north into New Mexico, a much-needed carwash, and back home to our coach.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

We visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico:

Carlsbad Caverns sign

The road to the visitor center:

Road

We had a reservation for a ranger-led tour, so after checking in, we had a picnic lunch:

Picnic

Back to the visitor center:

Visitor center

Bat artwork in the foyer:

Bat artwork

The ticketing area:

Tickets

There are two ways down to the caverns: elevators, or the natural entrance. This time, we took the elevators. They lead to the underground rest stop, with food, swag, and bathrooms:

Underground rest area

We joined the ranger for our guided tour:

Ranger guide

He was a bit of a character, with multiple philosophy degrees. That definitely showed in his talks, with discussions of paradoxes and raising questions about the caverns.

The tour we went on was the King’s Palace tour (the only one offered currently). It gives access to caverns not open to the general public, via this gate:

Gate

Heading down:

Heading down

Stalactites:

Stalactites

The King’s Palace room:

Kings Palace

The ranger passed around an old photo showing the room (sorry, not a great shot of it):

Old photo

Through a tunnel to the next room:

Tunnel

The Papoose Room:

Papoose Room

Tunnel

The Queen’s Chamber:

Queen's Chamber

An actively dripping column; the ranger turned out the lights and we sat by this in total darkness for a few minutes, just listening to the dripping of the water:

Column

A fossilized bat:

Fossilized bat

Queen's Chamber

Telephone:

Telephone

Queen's Chamber

Tunnel

Back to King’s Palace, on the other side:

Kings Palace

Tunnel

Green Lake

Green Lake (a small pool):

Green Lake

Heading up some stairs:

Stairs

Column

The end of the tour at the exit gate:

Gate

Looking down:

Looking down

Old stairs:

Old stairs

Looking down

Swiss cheese:

Swiss cheese

New York Skyline:

New York

Info sign:

Info sign

Back at the underground rest stop:

Rest stop

Rest stop shop:

Rest stop shop

Restrooms:

Restrooms

Another map:

Map

Exit to elevators:

Exit to elevators

Elevators:

Elevators

Heading up from 750 feet underground:

750 feet underground

The elevators debouch into the gift store, of course:

Gift store

An impressive 3D map of the caverns:

Relief map

Jenn just hanging around:

Jenn

Another gift shop and restaurant:

Gift shop and restaurant

Gift shop

Gotta have her pressed penny:

Pressed penny

Back outside the visitor center:

Visitor center

White Sands National Park

While in Las Cruces, we visited the nearby White Sands National Park.

This park features the world’s largest gypsum dunefield. Until December 2019 it was a National Monument, and many of the signs have yet to be updated:

White Sands sign