From Nevada, you can access Death Valley by State Highway 373 from Amagosa Valley or State Highway 374 out of Beatty. Both turn south off U.S. Highway 95, a long and lonely road that leads you through land used for nuclear testing and an Air Force base at Indian Springs. As you leave Las Vegas and travel the United States highway, you'll pass several historical markers, including one at the turnoff for the Nevada nuclear test sites. You'll also pass a Las Vegas park with fishing ponds, a vineyard and, according to the Beatty Chamber of Commerce site, what is Southern Nevada's largest candy store.
Floyd Lamb Park is located In Tule Springs, 15 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Las Vegas City park is home to the historic Tule Springs ranch and provides a place to explore an oasis in the desert. There's a day use fee to use the park, which combines four lakes and desert landscaping with mountain views. It's a good place to picnic, fish or stretch your legs on the way to Death Valley.
9200 Tule Springs Road
Las Vegas, NV 89131
702-229-8100
lasvegasnevada.gov/TextOnly/Find/12095.htm
One of the few major towns between Las Vegas and the Death Valley turn-offs, Pahrump has casinos, restaurants, shopping and a museum. It also has a vineyard, taking advantage of fertile land in the Amargosa Valley. You can tour the winery and try local wine as well as explore the gourmet gift shop.
Pahrump Valley Vineyards
3810 Winery Road
Pahrump NV 89048
775-751-7800
pahrumpwinery.com
Beatty calls itself the Nevada gateway to Death Valley. The small town has motels, a hotel-casino, and services like gasoline and restaurants. There also is a museum. If you have children or are young at heart, you'll enjoy Beatty's impressive candy store, the Death Valley Nut and Candy Company. This store has hand-made ice cream and a bewildering array of candy.
Death Valley Nut and Candy Company
900 U.S. 95
Beatty, NV 89003
775-553-2100
beattynevada.us/Death-Valley-Nut-&-Candy.html
Take the road out towards Death Valley to find two offbeat attractions. Four miles west of Beatty on State Highway 374 you'll find a collection of outdoor sculptures called the Goldwell Museum. This eclectic outdoor art gallery is both eerie and beautiful, especially at dawn and dusk. The museum is adjacent to the remains of Rhyolite, a boomtown from Nevada's mining days. You can wander around the buildings and read the interpretive signs for structures, like Tom Kelly's Bottle House, a state historic landmark.
Rhyolite Ghost Town and Goldwell Open Air Museum
Nevada Highway 374
Beatty, NV 89003
Museum: 702-870-9946
goldwellmuseum.org
rhyolitesite.com
