Telescope Peak
Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mileage: 14 mi
Region: Death Valley NP
Elev. Gain: 3,760 ft
When to Go: May—Oct
Avg. Time: 7.5 hr
Parking: Small unpaved lot
Type: Out + Back
Pass: America the Beautiful or $30
Know Before You Go:
Bring micro-spikes if you’re hiking in shoulder season, there can be large patches of snow along the trail late into the season.
The last few miles to the trailhead are unpaved road and extremely steep, narrow and filled with potholes — those with smaller vehicles with low clearance can park at the kilns and hike the additional miles to the trailhead.
Be prepared for extreme elevation change, go slowly!
Our pro-tip: camp at the trailhead the night before your hike to help your body acclimate to the higher elevation.
Fun fact: from this trail you can see both the highest and lowest point in the continental US!