Devil's Golf Course is a 2.6 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Death Valley, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for walking and scenic driving and is best used from November until April.
Death Valley National Park charges a fee to enter. Fees are $30 per vehicle or $25 per motorcycle. If you are entering on foot, horse, or bike the fee is $15 per person. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $55. Get to the Devil's Golf Course parking lot by driving 1.3mi off Badwater Rd. You'll see a sign for where to turn in. The road dead ends into a paved parking lot. Admire the scenery from your car or walk out into the crazy rock field as far as you like. You can't see the interesting rocky structures from Badwater Road, and it's not talked about as much as Badwater Basin or Artists Palette close by, but definitely worth the short trip out. It's a strange alien landscape you won't likely see anywhere else.
I love this area and have always stopped to see it every time I go to Death Valley NP. Its just a short drive off the main road to see this very interesting area.
1/2021. This is not a trail. You literally drive on a short dirt road to a parking area to enjoy the funny salt/ sand structures. You can walk on and around them but be careful as they’re really sharp. Today it was very windy so it made it a bit of a challenge trying not to fall on the structures.
Super cool! You can hear the salt crystals changing if you’re quiet enough!
More of a point of interest than a hike since the distance of the “trail” includes a drivable road. To get the full effect of the expanding salt crystals, try and go to a place where there aren’t people. The pinging sound can be heard from the parking lot but it’s better to try and go out a bit. The rocks are sharp at times and can be unstable so make sure to move slowly.
Don't think it is good for hiking. it is very dusty but good to drive to the parking lot and take the picture of crystalized salt.
Not a hike, but a drive. Follow the road to the end point, get out of the car, see the cool stuff, take a few photos, get back in the car and leave. The Devil’s Golf Course was cool, and I doubt I’ll ever see salt formations like that again in my life, but it’s the first thing I would eliminate from an itinerary. Definitely more interesting things to experience within the park.
Like many have said before, this isn't a hike, but a photo op. After driving down the very rough, but flat, road, you end up at the golf course. Good luck finding your ball in this fairway! The formations are amazing. When we were there, there was a ranger talking about the formations and noted that there was lots of water just below the surface, the hard, hard surface. In the distance, to the southeast of the parking area, there was a hole drilled in the surface to the underground water. You can walk to it, but once you see the surface of this place, you'll probably decide to pass, like we did, so your legs won't be sliced and diced on the sharp shards of mineral formations. Another gem in DV.
The drive down is rocky so be safe. The rocks were cool to see. We loved it!