Hike Down Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley

Volcanoes and desert seem to go together well; both are hot things. Ubehebe Crater is one of the best known craters in Death Valley National Park. It is one of the several craters that can be found in the area including the nearby little ubehebe. The craters were created several hundreds years ago as a result of the explosion of the Maar Volcanoes.

overview

Where: Death Valley National Park, California

Trail: 1 1/2 mile around the rim of the crater with almost no elevation change

Difficulty: easy, but moderate if you walk down into the volcano

Trailhead GPS Coordinate: 37.010606,-117.455141

Nearby Attractions:

The crater is easily visited. You can drive right up to it and will be able to see it from the parking lot. It is about a 45 minutes drive from stovepipe wells visitor center near by the Mesquite Sand Dunes.

You will be able to take a quick stroll around the rim of the crater. The view is beautiful. The mountain range in Death Valley is spectacular. Even if you’re not planning on hiking, this place is an absolute must-do when you visit Death Valley.

If you feel a little more adventurous, I highly highly recommend that you take a quick hike down into the crater! How many people can say that they’ve been inside of a volcano? It is a serious hike back up so make sure that you will be able to do it. It’s not a long hike down and up, but the lose cinder and rocks that will basically make you slide down a foot every step you take.

This place is truly incredible and it is one of the best sites in the entire park accessible by car. If you happen to have spare time driving from Las Vegas to San Francisco or driving up north via the 395, make sure to take spend a day touring Death Valley and visit the crater. Come in the winter though, don’t die here in the summer. It’s usually over 100 degrees consistently all summer.