Date:         Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:17:44 -0800
Reply-To:     Michael Hart <mjhart853@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Hart <mjhart853@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Death Valley Trip
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For those of you heading for Death Valley at Xmas / New Year. Firstly, I'm jealous - DV is our favorite place to camp (one year maybe I'll be able to join you, not this year as we're getting ready for a 7 month trip to S America and SE Asia). Based on three trips there (in two 2WD Westies), I can make a few recommendations for you. I know there are others on the list with a lot more knowledge of DV, but thought this may be useful to some of you.
Texas Springs is our favorite valley floor site (half a mile from the Furnace Creek visitor center and 'village', in a quiet side canyon). Small campground, no advance reservations possible and typically filled up by 9am each time we have been there, but turnover every day, so go early if you can. There are two loops, the upper loop is officially for RVs but no generators allowed, so very few monster vehicles (they all stay in the 1000 site RV/parking lot opposite the visitor center, which can serve for an 'emergency'  site, but the engines, generators, TVs etc are pretty disturbing there!). It can be windy enough to make us lower our poptop and watch tents bowling across the campground. The lower loop is more sheltered, but officially a 'tent only' loop. The rangers enforce the tents rule, but if you take a small pup tent & put that up next to your Westy, that seems to satisfy them (our first trip we made a trip to the WMart in Parump to buy the
 required $20 tent...). Our neighbours did not mind in the least (they were glad to next to 'quiet' people too). Nearby is the Furnace Creek lodge, store & restaurant. Also there is a beautiful swimming pool, spring fed with hot water. You can get day passes at the lodge check-in desk. Very nice on a cold day in DV (coldest we have seen at New Year was Dec 1990, 17F at night - that time we were camping in a tiny tent....).
Off road camping is allowed outside the valley floor, you have to go 2 miles off the paved roads. The easiest route is perhaps the Greenwater Valley (turn off the road to Dante's View) takes you into the wild (Ghost towns etc.) and we've camped >15 miles from the nearest other people, even at peak Easter season. 2WD OK for most destinations, 4WD needed to get up to the furthest side valleys. Roads clearly marked on a map that you can get from the visitor center (ask for the offroad camping map). No permits required. Be sure to have good spares for the washboard roads.
Have Fun!
Mike
'87 Westy