One Perfect Day at The Oasis at Death Valley

You can have a perfect day filled with history and adventure without ever straying from The Oasis at Death Valley.The largest national park outside Alaska, Death Valley National Park in California spreads over 5,000 square miles of desert and mountains. That’s a lot of ground to cover. But during a stay at The Oasis at Death Valley — with its AAA Four Diamond The Inn at Death Valley and family-friendly The Ranch at Death Valley — you can have a perfect day filled with history and adventure without ever straying from the Furnace Creek area.

Morning

Learn About the Valley

Many people rush to the park’s Furnace Creek Visitor Center, grab information, and never take the time to examine its exhibits. But the center offers an incomparable introduction to Death Valley’s natural and human history, especially after a major remodel in 2012 that added new interactive displays. You’ll find all sorts of souvenirs and books about the area in the store operated by the Death Valley Natural History Association. And don’t miss the spectacular 20-minute film narrated by actor Donald Sutherland. Open 8 a.m-5 p.m. Information: 760-786-3200

Go Low

Even though the 18-hole The Furnace Creek Golf Course at Death Valley earned a place on Golf Digest’s list of “America’s 50 Toughest Courses,” you’ll never play a lower round anywhere else. That’s because the par-70 circuit, redesigned by Perry Dye, sits 214 feet below sea level, making it the world’s lowest-elevation golf course. After recent revitalization work, the course is better than ever. If you’re more into birds than birdies, the course’s environmental stewardship efforts earned it certification as a sanctuary from Audubon International.

Explore Mustard Canyon

A graded gravel road leads through the low, rounded hills of Mustard Canyon, just north of the park visitor center. In many years, the spring wildflower display is spectacular on the canyon’s slopes. The route also leads to the ruins and displays at the Harmony Borax Works, which dates to the 1880s, when borax was processed here. Instead of driving the road, try a modest, roughly 6-mile round-trip bike ride from The Ranch.

Lunch

Munch a Mulligan

Golfers swear by the big, juicy mulligan burgers at the 19th Hole, the golf course’s veranda-style bar and grill. Not only are the burgers delicious but from the veranda, you’ll get views of the Panamint Range beyond the oasis-like course. Open mid-October through mid-May. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends. Information: 760-786-2345

Afternoon

See the Valley by Horseback

Explore the valley the old-fashioned way on guided trail rides with Furnace Creek Stables. The one-hour ride heads out onto the vast valley floor, while two-hour adventures climb into the foothills of the Funeral Mountains for even more panoramic views. Two nights each month, you can also experience Death Valley by moonlight during full-moon rides. The stables operate from October into May. Information: 760-614-1018

Discover Death Valley Mining History

Inside a wooden 1883 building (the oldest in the park), the Borax Museum at The Ranch tells the story of Death Valley’s “white gold,” first discovered here in the 1870s. The museum displays beautiful mineral samples, as well as arrowheads, baskets, and assorted Native American artifacts. Behind the museum, you can see stagecoaches, historic wagons that hauled borax, and a locomotive from the Death Valley Narrow-Gauge Railroad. Open 10-6 daily. Information: 760-786-2345

Take a Dip

Even on cooler winter days (and Death Valley does get them) the spacious, spring-fed swimming pools at the Ranch at Furnace Creek and the Inn at Furnace Creek stay a steady 82 degrees. Built in 1929, the historic swimming pool at the inn (open to guests only) is especially impressive, with its stone walls and two wood-burning fireplaces on the deck.

Evening

Keep It Classy

Elegant yet relaxed, The Inn Dining Room is the place for a memorable dinner in Death Valley. The experienced wait staff will guide you through an extensive wine list and a diverse menu that comes as a surprise in such a remote, rugged location. Dinner served 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Information: 760-786-3385

Listen to the Experts

Park rangers lead both outdoor and indoor evening programs, including stargazing sessions held at Harmony Borax Works and presentations on national park history and Death Valley’s night-time world in the Furnace Creek Visitor Center auditorium. Information: 760-786-3200; nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit F

or information and reservations at Furnace Creek Resort, visit oasisatdeathvalley.com or call 800-236-7916.

For travel experiences available from Xanterra Travel Collection® and its affiliated properties, visit xanterra.com/stories/.