Best time to visit
Aim for early morning to beat heat and nab parking, or late afternoon for that warm, glowing light on the walls. Weekends and mid‑mornings are busiest. Unless it’s winter, avoid midday—this place bakes.
Overview
About Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon is the park’s crowd-pleasing sampler: towering golden walls that light up a few hours after sunrise and again late in the day, tight bends in a winding wash, and a detour to the red fluted cliffs of Red Cathedral. It’s also a bit of pop culture—scenes from a certain galaxy far, far away were filmed here—so expect company on cooler days.
Why stop
- Glowing golden walls and colorful badlands with Red Cathedral
- Choose-your-own-distance routes, from a short stroll to a classic loop via Zabriskie Point
Heads up
- Very popular; parking and trails can feel crowded
- Exposed and hot with little to no shade
Map
Where it is
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Full mapLocal know-how
Tips for visiting Golden Canyon
Start at sunrise to beat crowds, heat, and parking pressure.
Bring at least 2 liters of water per person; there’s no water at the trailhead.
For photos, aim for late afternoon or a few hours after sunrise.
Follow the park’s classic direction: up Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral, across to Zabriskie Point, then down Gower Gulch.
If the lot is full, use the roadside overflow near the trailhead, and check conditions after rain.
Plan your stop
Before you go
Best time to visit
Logistics & Amenities
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 Golden Canyon, 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 place
Golden Canyon's Famous Hike and Loop TrailListen
“Up ahead is the parking area for Golden Canyon, one of the park’s most popular hikes. The trail winds up through a narrow canyon with towering golden walls on both sides.”
Plays as you drive up to Golden Canyon in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Gower Gulch: The Famous Loop's Finale
- Desolation Canyon: A Quieter Badlands Hike
- Zabriskie Point: A Famous View and a Trail into the Badlands
- The Historic Inn at Death Valley
- 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 Golden Canyon
Route OptionsQuick taste: Hike up-canyon for an about 2–3 mile round trip to the base of Red Cathedral, with…
- Quick taste: Hike up-canyon for an about 2–3 mile round trip to the base of Red Cathedral, with a short scramble for closer views.
- Classic loop: Follow Golden Canyon → Red Cathedral → weave the colorful badlands to Zabriskie Point → descend Gower Gulch back to the valley floor. It’s generally moderate, with the return down Gower Gulch all downhill, and is roughly 6.4 miles.
- Shorter loop: A Golden Canyon–Gower Gulch circuit is about 4 miles if you skip Zabriskie Point.
What You'll SeeExpect golden, yellow, and red walls, sculpted gullies, and the dramatic face of Red Cathedral.
Expect golden, yellow, and red walls, sculpted gullies, and the dramatic face of Red Cathedral. The badlands between Golden Canyon and Zabriskie Point feel like a maze, with constantly changing textures and color.
Difficulty & SafetyMost of the main corridor is straightforward walking, but the side trip to Red Cathedral…
Most of the main corridor is straightforward walking, but the side trip to Red Cathedral involves some scrambling. This is a hot, exposed hike with little shade—bring more water than you think you’ll need and full sun protection. After rare rains, check for washouts or flash‑flood damage before committing to longer loops.
WildlifeWildlife isn’t a highlight here; sources focus on scenery and hiking.
Wildlife isn’t a highlight here; sources focus on scenery and hiking. Think of this stop as a geology-and-views outing rather than a wildlife watch.
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.
