Parking
Large gravel parking area at the boardwalk, about 1.2 miles down unpaved Salt Creek Road from CA-190; space for cars, RVs, and buses. Vault toilet at the trailhead.
Overview
About Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
Salt Creek Interpretive Trail is an easy, flat 0.8-mile total loop on a wooden boardwalk through one of Death Valley's rare desert wetlands. Interpretive signs, benches, broad valley views, and the chance to see endemic Salt Creek pupfish make this a rewarding short stop.
Why go
- Accessible, flat boardwalk with interpretive signs and benches
- Rare chance to see endemic Salt Creek pupfish and desert wetland habitat
Heads up
- Little shade and extreme summer heat
- Unpaved access road can be rough or washboarded
This short interpretive loop offers an accessible look at living water, salt-marsh vegetation, and one of Death Valley’s most distinctive endemic fish without a strenuous hike.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy GoMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Death Valley map
Full mapElevation-203–-171 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 Salt Creek Interpretive Trail, 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 tourMore stories near here in the app
- Devil's Cornfield: A Landscape Shaped by Wind
- Illusions of Heat: Mirages and Dust Devils
- Desert Pavement: The Park’s Fragile Stone Mosaic
- 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 Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
RouteFrom the trailhead, the boardwalk heads northwest beside Salt Creek, crosses the creek on a…
From the trailhead, the boardwalk heads northwest beside Salt Creek, crosses the creek on a boardwalk bridge, and returns along the opposite side before retracing the short shared approach to the parking area. The route is level and ADA accessible, but stay on the boardwalk to protect the fragile creek habitat.
What You’ll SeeSalt Creek supports pickleweed, saltgrass, birds, aquatic invertebrates, and Salt Creek…
Salt Creek supports pickleweed, saltgrass, birds, aquatic invertebrates, and Salt Creek pupfish, a fish adapted to this unusually saline water. Flow is generally strongest in the cooler months; water and fish activity can be less visible in summer and fall.
Access and LogisticsFrom CA-190, follow unpaved Salt Creek Road about 1.
From CA-190, follow unpaved Salt Creek Road about 1.2 miles to the large gravel parking area, approximately 13 miles west of Furnace Creek. The lot accommodates cars, RVs, and buses, and a vault toilet is available at the trailhead.
Tips and CautionsBring water even for this short walk.
Bring water even for this short walk. There is little shade, and Death Valley summer heat is dangerous; hiking is not advised after 10 a.m. in summer. Stay on the boardwalk at all times, and expect the unpaved access road to be rough or washboarded.
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.
