Regional guide
Death Valley RV Camping: Hookup Sites, Dry Camps & Desert Survival TipsPanamint Springs sits just inside the park's western boundary on Highway 190, about 30 miles west of Stovepipe Wells. It is a privately operated resort — the only one on the west side of the park — and it functions as a fuel stop, restaurant, motel, and campground rolled into one.
The RV sites offer full hookups, which is the primary draw. After days of dry camping in the park, pulling into a site with water, electric, and sewer feels like a minor miracle. The resort also has a restaurant that serves solid American food and cold beer — the kind of place where you do not need a menu because the burger is why you are here.
The setting is high desert at about 2,000 feet, with the Panamint Range rising sharply to the east. Father Crowley Vista Point, one of the most dramatic overlooks in the park, is a short drive east. The approach from the west (via Ridgecrest or Lone Pine) traverses some beautiful Eastern Sierra country.
The trade-off is distance. You are 48 miles from Furnace Creek and about an hour's drive from the major central valley attractions. Panamint Springs works best as a staging point for the western half of the park or as a comfortable overnight on a through-trip along Highway 190.
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