Best time to visit
Aim for morning or late afternoon for softer light, cooler temps, and better photography. The ridge is exposed, so avoid the heat of midday.
Overview
About Coffin Peak
Coffin Peak is a high, windswept summit in the Black Mountains just southeast of Dante’s View, topping out around 5,490 feet. It’s the quiet counterpart to the famous overlook next door—same epic panoramas, a fraction of the people. If you like a little off-trail adventure for outsized views, this one delivers.
Why stop
- Wide-open 360° views over Badwater Basin and Telescope Peak
- Likely solitude despite being near busy Dante’s View
- Short off-trail ridge hike with big payoff
Heads up
- Mostly unmarked route with loose scree
- Can be extremely windy on the ridge and summit
Map
Where it is
Loading the Death Valley map
Full mapLocal know-how
Tips for visiting Coffin Peak
Start from the Dante’s View parking area and follow the ridge.
Bring a GPS or map—the route is mostly unmarked.
Expect strong winds; pack a windproof layer even on mild days.
Wear sturdy boots for loose scree and sharp rock.
Carry all the water you need; there’s zero shade or sources.
Plan your stop
Before you go
Best time to visit
3 active Death Valley alerts
- ClosurePark roads closed or hazardousPlan around multiple closed roads and use extra caution on damaged routes. - Paved roads: North Highway and Beatty Cut-off are closed due to flooding and debris from the October 22 storm.Official details
- ClosureSaline Valley Lower Springs closed after wildfireLower Springs at Saline Valley Warm Springs remains closed after the September 15 wildfire; stay out because the fire left safety hazards, including potential hazardous chemicals.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Death Valley Tour Guide
Your drive to Coffin Peak, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Death Valley National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Death Valley audio tourRecorded for this area
Dante's View: The Best Panorama in the ParkListen
“The road you're on climbs to Dante's View, perched in the Black Mountains over a mile above the valley floor. It's famous for having one of the best panoramic viewpoints in the park.”
Plays on the road 1.2 mi from Coffin Peak in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Badwater's Salt Polygons
- Walking on Salt at Badwater Basin
- Greenwater’s Vanished Copper Boom
- 130 audio storiesacross Death Valley’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Desert Tortoise, Coyote, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 36 trails, 114 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Coffin Peak
What You’ll SeeFrom the ridge and summit you get commanding 360° vistas: Badwater Basin far below, Telescope…
From the ridge and summit you get commanding 360° vistas: Badwater Basin far below, Telescope Peak towering across the valley, and the Funeral and Panamint ranges marching off in layers. On clear days, even distant Nevada summits can pop into view. It’s all big sky and bigger scale.
The HikeMost hikers start from the Dante’s View parking area and follow the ridge toward the summit.
Most hikers start from the Dante’s View parking area and follow the ridge toward the summit. Expect about 2.4 miles roundtrip with roughly 800+ feet of gain. The route is largely unmaintained—Class 2 in spots with loose scree—though a faint path appears near the top. The eastern ridge is the friendliest line.
Vibe and DifficultyYou’ll likely have the summit to yourself even when Dante’s View is bustling.
You’ll likely have the summit to yourself even when Dante’s View is bustling. The tradeoff: it’s exposed and can be very windy. Confident hikers with decent footing will be fine; total beginners may find the scree and lack of signage unnerving.
WildlifeSightings aren’t commonly reported here, likely due to the exposure and arid setting.
Sightings aren’t commonly reported here, likely due to the exposure and arid setting. Don’t count on much animal activity along the ridge.
Know Before You GoThis is an off-trail outing: bring navigation, sturdy footwear, and all your water.
This is an off-trail outing: bring navigation, sturdy footwear, and all your water. There’s no shade, no water, and no services at the summit. Windproof layers are smart year-round.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Death Valley
71 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
101 sightingsDesert TortoiseMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
458 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
28 sightingsFeral BurroMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
30 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
62 sightingsKit FoxMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Death Valley. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
