Dante's View: Best Viewpoint & Fantastic Photography Spot in Death Valley! (Victorville, CA)

Instead of Alaska, this time I will introduce Dante's View in Death Valley National Park known for the best viewpoint and one of the great photography spots in Death Valley.
I was lucky to witness the amazing scenery created by the clouds in Dante's View on that day.

I droved to Death Valley from Las Vegas on road CA-190.

The traffic on CA-190 was almost non-existent, so it felt great to drive. Dante's View is about 16 miles (25 km.) south of Furnace Creek (in Death Valley National Park), and I went straight to Dante's View first.

When I climbed up to Dante’s Peak. It was absolutely fantastic to see the scenery that the clouds created!

The Dante's View terrace has an elevation of 5,476 feet (1,669 m.). Located on the north side of Coffin Peak of the Black Mountains, it has a grand overlook of Death Valley.
 
The view from here is considered to be one of the best spots in Death Valley for photography because of its sweeping views of the unique landscape. Also, it is known as a great place to see sunrises as well as for stargazing, offering an excellent location for night-time star viewing with telescopes.
 
Death Valley National Park rangers and various astronomy organizations hold stargazing events during the winter and spring months. Even without an organized event, the beautiful dark skies attract astronomy fans throughout the year.

With the overall panoramic view of Death Valley, I absolutely recommend Dante’s View as the must-visit place in Death Valley!
 
Clear weather allows visitors to see all the major landmarks from this point. The Owlshead Mountains can be seen 19 miles (30 km.) to the north, and the Funeral Mountains 31 miles (50 km.) to the south. Across Badwater Basin, the Panamint Range rises dramatically to Telescope Peak in the west, while the Greenwater Range stretches to the south. On extremely clear days, visitors can simultaneously see the highest and lowest points in the contiguous 48 states: Mount Whitney (elevation: 14,505 feet / 4,421 m. high) and Badwater (elevation: −282 feet / −86 m.).

I even felt like I was at home in Alaska when I was looking over the snow-capped mountains in the far distance from Dante’s View.

I can see that why Dante's View was used in the 1977 Star Wars film (the characters on top of the cliff overlook the fictional Mos Eisley spaceport, which was added into the scene later).

I felt the tall moutain range captured all the clouds here on that day. ;)
I was very lucky day to be able to witness such beautiful work by nature.

By the way, do you know why it is called Dante’s View? Here’s what I found out.

The terrace is named for Dante Alighieri, who wrote the “Divine Comedy” (Divina Commedia), in which he describes the 9 circles of Hell, the 7 terraces of Purgatory, and the 9 spheres of Paradise. In 1926, some employees of the Pacific Coast Borax Company were trying to pick the best view of Death Valley. They were leaning towards choosing Chloride Cliff in the Funeral Mountains when the Deputy Sheriff of Greenwater guided them to this peak a short distance from the Black Mountains. The group immediately changed their minds and chose this location, naming it Dante's View.

The cooler morning hours, when the sun is in the east, offer the best time to visit Dante’s View. The afternoon heat, especially in warmer months, can quickly become unbearable.

Several walking paths lead from the Dante's View parking lot. One of which leads to the very brink of the formation, offering a dramatic panoramic view of Death Valley. Another one leads a short distance to a small rest area with picnic tables.