February · CA · NV

Death Valley National Park in February.

By Nicholas Major · Last updated

Death Valley National Park in February suits valley walks before the warmer, busier March peak. Furnace Creek averages 74°F (23°C) by day and 49°F (9°C) at night. Choose February for warmer days than January, with layers for early starts.

Furnace Creek low-valley station. Do not apply these normals to higher-elevation trails or mountain districts. Temperature normals include NOAA representative records with fewer than 30 observed years.

In short

February's average high sits between January's 67°F (20°C) and March's 83°F (28°C). Its monthly visit count is 73% of March's; that does not establish how busy a holiday weekend will be.

Check before you go

Use this pageShare or cite this guide
Add as a preferred source on Google

National Sites Guide

Share this page

Cite this page

Copy a citation

Choose a valley walk, then check the forecast

At Badwater Basin, you can stop at the boardwalk or continue onto the salt flats. NPS describes a 1.5–2 mile (2.4–3.2 km) round trip for the best salt-polygon views. At Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, there are no official trails; watch your footing and avoid animal burrows.

These are starting options, not a promise of comfortable conditions all day. Use the forecast to choose your walk, and keep a warm layer for the cooler morning or evening.

Do not build the trip around a bloom

Go for the desert scenery and walking, with flowers as a possible extra. NPS says spectacular spring wildflower displays are the exception. February dates alone do not establish whether you will see a display.

Keep mountain routes and holiday crowds separate

Furnace Creek weather describes the low valley. Higher elevations are cooler; the station's snowfall normal does not tell you whether a mountain road or trail is usable.

Monthly averages cannot isolate Presidents Day weekend. Confirm your overnight plans directly, then check official conditions and service hours. For the drive, use NPS directions: remote GPS routing can be unreliable, and backcountry roads need a suitable vehicle and driving experience.

Questions about February

Is February warmer than January in Death Valley?

Yes at the Furnace Creek station: the normal high rises from 67°F (20°C) in January to 74°F (23°C) in February. The February normal low is 49°F (9°C). Check the forecast rather than treating those averages as daily limits.

Is February less busy than March?

The park averages 118,305 February recreation visits versus 161,109 in March across 2021–2025. These monthly totals cannot predict a particular weekend, trail or parking lot.

Sources and limits

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals: DEATH VALLEY NP, CA US (USC00042319), -194 feet. Normal high: 73.7°F (23.2°C); normal low: 49.0°F (9.4°C). These are long-term averages, not a forecast.

NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025: 2021–2025 average recreation visits for Death Valley National Park (DEVA). The February 2025 count is 119,257. Counts measure visits, not unique people or a day's parking pressure.

Compare your dates

Independence

Independent site. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Data comes from the official NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025; editorial analysis is ours. The NPS Arrowhead and other NPS marks are not used.

Last updated · 2026-10-15