Parking
Park at Eureka Dunes Dry Camp at the base of the dunes along South Eureka Valley Road. The primitive campground has vault toilets but no potable water or other services; rough roads make high clearance advisable.
Overview
About Eureka Dunes
Eureka Dunes rise more than 680 feet above remote Eureka Valley and are California's tallest sand dunes. The isolated dune field sits below the Last Chance Mountains and may produce a low booming or singing sound when completely dry sand avalanches down a steep face.
Why go
- Immersive cross-country circuit through California’s tallest dunes
- Sweeping Last Chance Mountains views and a chance to hear booming sand in dry conditions
Heads up
- No formal trail or signage; route-finding is required
- Steep, loose sand and remote rough-road access make this physically demanding
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Death Valley map
Full mapElevation2,881–3,458 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Eureka Dunes, 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
Eureka Dunes and the Booming SandsListen
“The huge dunes rising up ahead are the Eureka Dunes. These are the tallest sand dunes in California, reaching almost 700 feet high. What's incredible here is a phenomenon known as 'booming sands.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Eureka's Lost World: Rare Plants and Night Singers
- 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 Eureka Dunes
Route and DifficultyThis is a 3.5-mile closed cross-country circuit from Eureka Dunes Dry Camp, not a marked trail.
This is a 3.5-mile closed cross-country circuit from Eureka Dunes Dry Camp, not a marked trail. From the camp, walk east with the dunes to the south, follow the dune edge southeast and south, then climb up and across the dune field toward the west before returning to camp. The circuit usually takes about 1.5–2 hours. There is no formal trail or signage; bring a mapping aid and expect steep, loose sand that makes every climb strenuous.
Access and LogisticsThe route begins at the primitive Eureka Dunes Dry Camp on South Eureka Valley Road.
The route begins at the primitive Eureka Dunes Dry Camp on South Eureka Valley Road. From the Ubehebe Crater Road junction, the approach includes roughly 44 miles of graded dirt; the final 10 miles use narrow South Eureka Road. The campground has vault toilets but no potable water or other services, and rough access makes a high-clearance vehicle advisable. Carry all water, food, sun protection, and navigation supplies.
Nature and RulesStay on established roads when driving and avoid vegetation around the dune base, which…
Stay on established roads when driving and avoid vegetation around the dune base, which supports sensitive endemic plants and wildlife including the Mojave fringe-toed lizard. Sandboarding, sand skiing, and off-road vehicle travel on the dunes are prohibited. Pets are not allowed on this route. Cooler months are the practical season for this exposed desert walk.
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.
