Sight · Death Valley National Park
Classic photo-op thermometer for extreme heat bragging rights
Overview
This is the park’s classic “hotter than anywhere” photo spot: a big outdoor thermometer right in front of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. It’s simple, bold, and popular—the place people go to document triple-digit heat and kick off their Death Valley day.
The exhibit leans into Death Valley’s identity as one of the hottest places on Earth. It ties the moment’s reading to the park’s heat history and nudges you to think smart about your route: lower equals hotter, higher equals cooler. The thermometer was upgraded in 2021 to add Celsius and clearer safety/education content.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy It MattersMap
Local know-how
For the most impressive numbers, drop by during the hottest part of the day.
Pair this stop with the Visitor Center film and a ranger chat to plan cooler, higher-elevation escapes.
Bring extra water and strong sun protection; there’s no shade at the display.
If you want a quieter moment, go early—then circle back later for the big readout photo.
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Death Valley Tour Guide
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 place
Furnace Creek Visitor Center Area“Up ahead is the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, the most important stop for getting your bearings.”
Plays as you drive up to Furnace Creek Thermometer in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“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
A prominent digital display shows the current temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. An interpretive tile mosaic explains how temperatures shift with elevation across the park—handy context for planning a cooler afternoon up high. Expect a steady trickle of people snapping photos, especially when the numbers soar.
It sits steps from the Visitor Center’s entrance, making it an easy add-on before or after the film, museum displays, bookstore browsing, or a ranger chat. All the real services are inside; the outdoor thermometer itself is just the exhibit and photo-op.
There’s no dedicated shade or seating at the display, and in summer the heat is brutally real. The reading can run a bit hotter than the official air temperature thanks to radiant heat off nearby surfaces, but it’s a fair snapshot of what your body feels on that pavement.
Use the exhibit’s heat-safety guidance as a planning cue: carry plenty of water, wear sun protection, and consider higher-elevation stops when the valley floor bakes.
Fun, fast, and undeniably on-brand for Death Valley. Swing by for the photo and the heat/elevation lesson, then head inside to plan the rest of your day.
Wildlife
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.
Keep exploring
EasyMustard Canyon Loop1.3 mi · 30 min · 1.3 mi awayOne-way drive through mustard-colored badlands from Harmony Borax Works to CA-190
EasyHarmony Borax Works Interpretive Trail0.4 mi · 30 min · 1.4 mi awayA short paved loop through the ruins and stories of Death Valley’s Harmony Borax Works.
ModerateGolden Canyon to Red Cathedral3 mi · 1.8 hr · 3 mi awayA 3-mile Golden Canyon out-and-back to the red walls of Red Cathedral.
ModerateGolden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop4.3 mi · 2.5 hr · 3 mi awayModerate badlands loop linking Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch
ChallengingZabriskie Point to Golden Canyon7.8 mi · 4.5 hr · 4.2 mi awayStrenuous 7.8-mile loop from Zabriskie Point through Gower Gulch and Golden Canyon
ModerateBadlands Loop (Zabriskie Point)2.7 mi · 1.8 hr · 4.2 mi awayA 2.7-mile moderate loop through colorful badlands below Zabriskie Point.
EasyZabriskie Point Overlook Trail0.3 mi · 8 min · 4.2 mi awayA short paved out-and-back from the Zabriskie Point parking area to Death Valley's iconic badlands overlook.
ModerateDesolation Canyon Trail3.6 mi · 2.5 hr · 4.8 mi awayColor-drenched badlands and a quiet canyon with easy scrambles
Sight · At the trailheadFurnace Creek Visitor Center SignQuick photo stop with the famous giant thermometer out front
Visitor center · At the trailheadDeath Valley National Park Visitor CenterHub for rangers, exhibits, AC, and the giant thermometer
Store · At the trailheadDeath Valley Natural History Association Park StoreOfficial shop for DEVA books and souvenirs that fund the park
Store · 0.1 mi awayFarrabee's Jeep RentalsJeep rentals and tours to reach the park’s remote backroads
Gas station · 0.1 mi awayFurnace Creek Fuel and Auto ServiceThe park’s central lifeline for fuel, at a steep premium
Campground · 0.2 mi awayFurnace Creek CampgroundCentral, reservable base camp with hookups at -196 feet
Campground · 0.2 mi awaySunset CampgroundMassive, no-frills basecamp near Furnace Creek with big skies
Sight · 0.3 mi awayThe Furnace Creek Golf Course at Death ValleyAn oasis round at the world’s lowest-elevation golf courseParkwolf’s Death Valley ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
