Mahogany Flat Campground — Death Valley National Park

Mahogany Flat is the high camp that serious Panamint Range objectives depart from. At 8,133 feet you’re above the desert heat, surrounded by mahogany and pinyon pine, and you’ve got a direct shot to the Wildrose Peak and Telescope Peak trails from the parking area adjacent to camp. Ten sites, pit toilets, no water, no fee. Nights are cold even in summer — plan accordingly. Views from the ridge above camp are ridiculous: Panamint Valley on one side, Death Valley floor on the other.

Getting here requires a high-clearance vehicle at minimum — the upper section of Wildrose Canyon Road above the kilns is rough dirt and rocky, and it can be impassable after snow or heavy rain. Four-wheel drive strongly recommended. The road is not suitable for trailers. No cell signal up here. Spring and fall are the sweet spots; summer at this elevation is surprisingly comfortable while the valley bakes.

Death Valley's highest camp — gateway to Telescope Peak.