How To...Make A Packlist for Backpacking in Death Valley

Backpacking in the desert can be a little intimidating if you're new to it. There is very little water, you are often in areas with no or few fellow hikers, and the weather can be everything from scorching heat to freezing blizzard. 

Preparedness is key, and we have been out there many times, so we can try to help you with that. 

A Quick Word About Water

Get GOOD information about springs and they current status. There are seasonal springs, there are springs that only run in wet years, and there can be springs that are contaminated with heavy metals due to their natural occurrence or historic mines. 

Information sources can include visitor centers, gear stores, current blog posts, or hiking forums such as All Trails or even Reddit.

Lastly, rather carry a bit too much than not enough. Rule of thumb in the desert is to bring 1 gallon per person and per day in temperate weather conditions. Bring more if you expect heat, although we highly discourage from any activity in hot weather. Death Valley's backpacking season typically runs between late fall and early spring.

A good way to recognize a spring in the desert is the unusually green vegetation. Once you reach that, you might have to search around and listen carefully to trickling noises. Many desert springs are not gushing streams, but rather a few drops running over the ground before disappearing in the gravel.

What to Pack

• Backpack
• Tent or tarp or bivy sack, whatever you prefer. We do not recommend using hammocks in Death Valley, since most locations lack anything that would support a hammock. Trees are few and far between here, even in the "forests" at the highest elevations of the national park. Never camp in the groves around springs, since shy wildlife needs to access the water as well.
• Ground sheet for the tent. Depending on your hike - such as for example on the Cottonwood Marble Loop - you can leave it at home if the ground is going to be sandy. Other regions might be pretty rocky, so it's a good thing to bring a ground sheet there.
  
• Sleeping Bag
• Sleeping bag liner: keeps the bag clean and dust-free for longer
• Sleeping Pad
• Inflatable Pillow
• Water filter
• A 3 liter (100oz) hydration reservoir each and a 1 liter bottle each. One of these is the dirt-water bottle that screws onto the filter
• Stove, gas, pot, spork or spoon
• Pocket knife
• Food and snacks for all days, plus a little extra in case of emergencies
• Poles. We recommend using them, since even "trails" feature a lot of trail less and unstable terrain.
• Shoes. We love trail runners for hiking, but depending on your objective, boots or approach shoes might work better.
• 2x Socks & underwear for each day
  
• 2x Shirts or a shirt and a sunhoodie. Pro tip: wear one shirt only in camp, and use that time to hang the other one (or the sunhoodie) over a bush to air it out.
• Long pants: because you don’t want rough desert vegetation to scratch your legs (we’ve tried shorts in the past and would not recommend - we've learned the hard way)
• Rain jacket or at least a windproof jacket
• Insulation layer, depending on the expected temperatures. This can be anything from a lightweight base layer, a fleece jacket, a thick down puffy or any combination of these layers. Be cautious though, nights in the desert can get colder than expected - day-night temperature changes are frequently 40 degrees or more. Check your weather forecast and get a spot forecast for the area you'll be traveling in.
• SUNSCREEN! Seriously, do yourself a favor and bring lots of high-SPF stuff.
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Gloves for those cold mornings
• Several neck gaiters
• Small first aid kit, toothbrush and paste. We also recommend carrying a roll of athletic tape. You can use it to prevent blisters, tape injuries and even fix gear.
  
• Hand sanitizer
• Any medication you might need.
• Emergency satellite messaging device just in case
• Map of Death Valley National Park, or an even more detailed print map of the area you're planning to hike in, such as a printed off version of a digital map, or a good ol' 7.5' sheet by the USGS. We recommend not to rely exclusively on digital maps, since electronic gadgets are not always functional.
• Phone for pictures and as GPS tool
• Downloaded maps on the phone
• Headlamp
• Extra batteries or a power bank for your phone and - on extended trips - the headlamp
• Trowel, toilet paper & small plastic bag for the TP
• A book, the one luxury item we allow ourselves
• Wilderness Permit. Check beforehand whether you need a permit for the area you will be backpacking in. As of March 2025, the National Park Service requires backpackers to carry a permit for the Cottonwood-Marble Loop.

We wrote this guide according to our best knowledge, and it is merely a suggestion. There is no guarantee that the information here is complete nor that it is correct! It's always up to everyone to make the right decisions for themselves and their groups. Your safety is your responsibility.