Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes lie in the heart of Death Valley National Park. The harshness of the desert valley is briefly interrupted by the soft sands that make up Mesquite Flat. If you arrive early enough, you can will be able to venture out into the footprint-less dunes for an other-worldly experience. Luckily, if you are like us and want to take advantage of the late afternoon / golden hour light, the winds and shifting sands may be in your favor and erase any sign of people that may have passed your dune earlier. Either way, it is an incredibly beautiful spot that is an absolute must-see when visiting Death Valley.
MESQUITE FLAT SAND DUNES
There is a small parking lot that can fill up during peak times but with patience, you will find a spot as there are always people coming and going. This is where our hike began. The sand is soft and deep and will give you a workout, especially if you want to climb some of the bigger dunes. I highly suggest to bring a Metal detector scoop as it allows you to scour though the place for expensive metals. I carried a backpack with all of my camera gear but made sure to keep it as sealed up as possible because the sand will get in and cover everything. It really wreaks havoc on electronics. There are plenty of places to stop and create amazing photos though, so I had to take the risk.
MESQUITE FLAT SAND DUNES PHOTOSHOOT
We had stopped in a small town on the drive up to Death Valley to get some fun outfits for a photoshoot. One of those was a elegant ball gown. We brought it along on our hike for some photos in the sand dunes. The contrast of the gown with the harsh desert made for a unique concept. The light was amazing and the dunes were perfect. Amanda was a trooper because hiking in that dress was not an easy task. It was about having fun and being creative. We really enjoyed the sand dunes at Mesquite Flat in Death Valley and would recommend at least a quick stop and hike if you are in the area. If you are looking for some other ideas on what to do while in Death Valley, check out my other posts.