November 7, 2025.
Since we had so much time to spend in Death Valley, I made an effort to visit the more remote parts of the park. Most of these places were inaccessible due to flood damage, with one exception: Ibex Dunes. Upon further research, I learned that there was also a natural spring in the area. We decided to drive out to this lonely place and visit two of these extraordinary features at once.
Remember that Death Valley is a lonely place with few services. Roads can be poorly maintained and peppered with hazards like deep sand, washboard surfaces, washed out areas and terrain that requires 4×4, high clearance vehicles. Though our van has the capability of managing many of these hazards, we really don’t like pushing the limits. It also serves as our home and carrier of all our worldly possessions. We don’t want to get in a pickle. Knowing this, we decided it was worth just a few miles of potentially sketchy driving to reach this out-of-the-way destination.
After some moderately stressful and very rattly driving, we arrived at a wide spot in the road a couple miles from the turnoff to Saratoga Springs that would be good enough to camp overnight. From there, we could see the dunes. I was grateful to have barely caught the sunset and to have arrived before it got dark.
Saratoga Spring
The next morning, I hopped on my bike and rode down to Saratoga Spring. I had done little research, so I didn’t know what to expect. Maybe a trickle of water and a few plants, I thought. When I got to the parking lot, there was nothing to see besides a wall of invasive reeds that were taller than me. Oh well, at least I got a nice bike ride.
I walked up and over a small rise, where I was shocked to see a large, shimmering body of water. On the edge of the pond, a bright, white egret stood searching for its next meal. Ducks swam about the surface. In the air, the trills and chips of rock wrens, horned larks and other little birds gave even more dimension to this place.
And all around, the stark beauty of Death Valley made itself known. I noticed hills and mountains of various sizes. Stripes and veins and wrinkles of color zigzagged down the most impressive peaks. At my feet, a wide array of plants grew. It was so exciting to see this much life and greenery in the desert.
I followed the trail along the side of the lake. When it continued into the mountains, I curved left to follow the water line. The dense vegetation kept me from getting too close to the water, so I walked up and down the undulating sand hills instead. From there, I could continue to watch and listen to birds. I made a full circuit of the lake without too much trouble, then hopped back on my bike and rode back to the van.
The next day, I’d return with Aaron so he could see this magical place and so I’d have more time to sit down and paint.
Ibex Dunes
The afternoon was oppressively hot. I sat in my camp chair on the shady side of the van and waited impatiently for dusk. Then, we packed some snacks and lots of water and began our trek out to the dunes.
There is an official sign at a “trailhead” for the Ibex Dunes, but there’s no parking area and no hiking trail. This is not a place to visit if you’re looking for any amenities! But no worries, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are accessible to most visitors, with a pit toilet, paved parking lot and short access route from a major park road. We’d already seen those a couple times, so we were ready to level up.
We could see the high dune from the van, so we headed in that general direction. I ran a GPS track on my phone as a backup navigation tool, but we practiced our “reading the landscape” skills to keep ourselves on route in both directions.
I noticed a few flowering plants along the way. The striking fuschia blooms of the desert sand verbena greeted us as we began our hike. Later on, as we approached the base of the largest dune, I noticed some flying objects buzzing around a few shrubs. Upon closer inspection, we found some Thurber’s sandpaper plant in the last gasps of blooming. The white flowers attracted some kind of little brown moth that reminded me of the sphinx moths we’d seen in Eastern Oregon a couple years ago. Eeee! I was thrilled to make this discovery. They were so fun to watch.
But we hadn’t yet reached the main act: climbing up to the highpoint of the dunes. This was, of course, my idea. Aaron wasn’t too thrilled about it but I knew it would be easier than it looked. The steep sand hill was daunting and it really made us work hard to get up there. We ended up crawling on our hands and knees to make it up the final push. But then, as the sun was about to put on its brilliant evening performance, we reached the knife edge crest of sand. Phew! Time for snacks and cold drinks!
Sitting atop a sand dune as the sun sets is a peak experience. I’ll never tire of this.
Every second, the light changed. Where to look? The mountains? The sand dunes? The sky? There was so much to see in so little time. Sunsets force you to be present in the moment, which is one reason why I think we enjoy them so much. We sat there and took it all in, then began walking downhill once the sun dropped below the horizon. We took out our headlamps for the inevitable moment where it would be too dark to see where we were going. The fading mountain silhouettes in the distance helped guide us right back to the van. What a beautiful way to spend a Friday evening.
Tips for visiting
Standard Death Valley rules apply. Make sure you’re prepared for absolutely anything to go wrong, as there are no services for many miles. Ask the ranger for up-to-date road conditions before you head out. Be prepared to turn around at any point if it’s not as good as you expected. Check the weather forecast. Avoid this place in the hottest months of the year, since there is no shade or access to water. Carry a full size spare and know how to use it. Carry a communication device besides your cell phone, such as a Garmin inReach or satellite phone. Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll return. Know that off-roading on the dunes is not allowed here. If you’re into that, visit the Dumont Dunes OHV area just across the highway instead.
Death Valley is a real treasure, but it demands preparation, respect and humility. Travel smart!
