The Road to Dante's View Offers Death Valley's Best Views
Dante's View is a viewpoint at an elevation of 1.672m (5,485ft) above sea level, located in Inyo County, in the US state of California. It’s one of the hardest and most epic climbs you can ride on two wheels.
Why is it called Dante's View?
Located along the crest of the Black Mountains, Dante's View is named from Dante Alighieri, who wrote the Divina Commedia (Divine Comedy).
Can you drive to Dante's View?
Located within the Death Valley National Park, the road to the overlook, also known as Dantes Views, is called Dantes View Road. It’s fully paved and very steep, hitting a 13% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Beginning at -85.5m at the dry, salt-covered Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, the first 25km of the ride up to Dante’s View is virtually flat and the next 30km of asphalt rises steadily at around four percent. But the sting in the tail is the increasing gradient the higher it gets. The final kilometre reaches the challenging 13 percent, before the road ends in a small car park overlooking the valley. Hopefully you'll be more alive than dead to enjoy the view.
Is the road to Dante's View open?
A trip to Dante's View is all pavement and not difficult. The total distance is 37.81km (23.5 miles) and it is a subtle climb until the last 5.5 miles. At this point, the road is marked "limited access" and vehicles or vehicle-trailer combinations longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) are not allowed. This last section is very steep with sharp, hairpin corners. There is, however, an "escape" for vehicles with trailers since there is no backing up or turning around once you’re on Dante's View Road. The drive up is narrow and steep for a bit and gets very curvy as you approach the summit. Do not enter mine tunnels or shafts. Mines may be unstable, have hidden shafts, pockets of bad air and poisonous gas.
Is Dante's View worth it?
Located in the eastern central part of California, the journey is very scenic. The 360 degree views at the summit are worth the drive. The drive is worth making because the view is out of this world. The view from the top of the Black Mountains is considered to be one of the great photographic spots in Death Valley. Just below you is Badwater, the lowest point, at -282 feet and across the valley, barely visible in the distance is Mt. Whitney, the highest point, at 14,496 feet. America’s Death Valley is not generally known as a great place to ride. With summer temperatures routinely hitting 49°C and landmarks with names like Funeral Mountains, Devil’s Golf Course and Coffin Peak, you can see why. But where in the world could you ride from below sea level to almost 1,700m above in one hit? From the Dante's View parking lot, visitors can take several paths, one of which leads to the very brink of the edge, offering a dramatic panoramic view.
Where was Star Wars Episode IV filmed?
The best time to visit Dante's View is in the cooler morning hours, when the sun is in the east. Dante's View is a filming location in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
What’s the weather like in Dante's View?
Keep in mind that the elevation at Furnace Creek is sea level and Dante's View is 5,476 feet. As the sign says at the summit, there is usually a 25 degrees temperature change between the valley floor and the summit. It is quite cold and windy up there, so bring a jacket. The elevation and wind make Dante’s View noticeably chillier than the valley below.