Parking
Park in the paved Dantes View lot and begin at its north end. Vehicles longer than 25 ft (8 m) are not permitted. The closest restroom is a vault toilet in the pullout just before the lot; there are no restrooms along the route.
Overview
About Dante's Ridge to Mount Perry
Dantes Ridge to Mount Perry is a difficult, unofficial out-and-back along the Black Mountains from the north end of the Dantes View parking lot to the 5,738-foot (1,749 m) summit area of Mount Perry. The full visitor distance is about 9 miles round trip, with the mapped physical corridor stored once at about 4.35 miles each way. The exposed ridge delivers wide views over Badwater Basin and the Panamint Range.
Why go
- Sweeping views over Badwater Basin and the Panamint Range
- Direct ridge route to the 5,738-foot Mount Perry summit area
- Quiet, open terrain after leaving the Dantes View overlook
Heads up
- No shade or water, with strong sun and wind exposure
- Frequent climbs and descents make the return as demanding as the approach
- Unofficial, rocky route can be narrow and briefly indistinct near jumbled terrain
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Death Valley map
Full mapElevation4,941–5,659 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
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 Dante's Ridge to Mount Perry, 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 trailhead
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 as you drive up to this trailhead 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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Dante's Ridge to Mount Perry
Route NotesBegin at the north end of the paved Dantes View parking lot and follow the user path north…
Begin at the north end of the paved Dantes View parking lot and follow the user path north along the ridgeline to Mount Perry, then return by the same route. The line follows a continuous ridge corridor with repeated small climbs and descents; the official route describes about 2,090 feet of elevation gain over the round trip. The path is generally easy to follow, but it can disappear briefly among jumbled rocks. This is an unofficial route, not a maintained or signed trail.
Conditions & DifficultyThe ridge is completely exposed, with no shade and no water.
The ridge is completely exposed, with no shade and no water. Expect wind, sun, uneven rocky ground, narrow sections, and steep drop-offs. Carry at least 2–3 liters of water per person, sun protection, warm or wind-resistant layers, and a downloaded map or track. Pets are not allowed on trails in Death Valley National Park.
Access & ParkingPark in the paved Dantes View lot and start from its north end.
Park in the paved Dantes View lot and start from its north end. Vehicles longer than 25 feet (8 m) are not permitted in the lot. A vault toilet is in the pullout just before the Dantes View parking lot; there are no restrooms along the route. Do not leave toilet paper in the backcountry.
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.
