Dante's View

Dante's View is a viewpoint terrace at height, on the north side of Coffin Peak, along the crest of the Black Mountains, overlooking Death Valley. Dante's View is about south of Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. Viewpoint From the Dante's View parking lot, visitors can take several paths, one of which leads to the very brink of the edge, offering a dramatic panoramic view. Another path leads north to a rest area with picnic tables. The best time to visit Dante's View is in the cooler morning hours, when the sun is in the east. Dante's View has a perfect view for night time star viewing with telescopes. General Dante's View provides a panoramic view of the southern Death Valley basin. To the south, the Owlshead Mountains, away can be seen, and to the north, the Funeral Mountains distant, are visible beyond Furnace Creek. To the West, across Badwater Basin, the Panamint Range rises dramatically to Telescope Peak. To the east is found the Greenwater Range. On very clear days, the highest and lowest points in the contiguous 48 states of the United States - Mount Whitney at 4,421 m (14,505 ft) and Badwater Basin at -86 m (-282 ft), respectively - can be seen. A part of the Devil's Golf Course is to the west-northwest, where it appears like a great sparkling ocean - instead it is solid halite salt. The crust of salt is thick and changes form after rain in the winter season dissolves the salt, to be recrystallized as the water evaporates. to the west-northwest, directly under Dante's View, is the Badwater Basin.