Death Valley Dark Sky Festival casual kind-of-like-a-rally get together 21-23 February

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UTTransplant

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Seems like there is some interest in a Death Valley get together around the Dark Sky Festival that will be held 21-23 February. Kevin and I are regulars, and it is always an enjoyable activity. We will be camping at Sunset Campground in the Furnace Creek area. Cost has increased to the princely $18 regular per night or $9 with the geezer pass. The campground has flush toilets and some central water facilities, but is dry camping in what is basically an old gravel runway. There are nice dump stations and freshwater fill locations at the edge of the campground. But you don’t come to Death Valley to sit around the camper! The scenery is fabulous, the sunrises and sunsets usually wonderful, and the back roads particularly nice. After the big flood last year, some of those wonderful roads are still undergoing repair, so there might be fewer than before, but it will still be nice. Note no open or charcoal fires are allowed; propane fires only. The campground fees need to be paid by card at the kiosk or you can go to the ranger station with check or cash. Come with as full a fuel tank as possible; fuel is expensive! We will be arriving early the week before the rally. Just fine a handy spot and pull in.
 
If you're going to Death Valley, Pahrump is a good place to fuel up and get groceries before you go into the park. Gas and diesel is significantly cheaper than anywhere else in the area, about half of what you'll pay in the park itself. Pahrump has Albertson's, Smiths and Walmart for groceries and a Home Depot for other needs. All of these are along Hwy 160 in central Pahrump. Lakeside RV Park is a good place do laundry and fill your water tank before heading into Death Valley.

Pahrump is 54 miles west of Las Vegas, "over the hump". Even though Pahrump has close to 40,000 residents, as an unincorporated area it doesn't show up on most maps until you zoom in on it. Take Hwy 160 (Blue Diamond Rd) west from I-15 just south of I-215 and the Las Vegas strip. It's a 6-8 lane 55 mph expressway with about a dozen widely spaced traffic lights along the 8 miles to the outskirts of Las Vegas, then it's a 4 lane divided highway all the way into Pahrump.

It's 60 miles from Pahrump to Furnace Creek via Bell Vista Rd. about 4 miles north of the shopping district. You'll see the large directional sign on Hwy 160. Bell Vista Rd becomes Stateline Rd at the CA border and terminates at Death Valley Junction, home of the Amargosa Opera House. From there you can take Hwy 192 to Furnace Creek.

Beatty is 20 miles closer to Furnace Creek but fuel there is about a buck a gallon more than Pahrump prices. And Beatty doesn't have any grocery stores other than Family Dollar.
 
Note for those coming from Pahrump: There is a sign the road is weight limited well under the weight of most motorhomes. Ignore it. The limit is only to keep mining trucks out, and is not based on the true weight capacity of the road. However your RV GPS may not route you that way due to the database. Just turn on Bell Road and keep going. After a bit the GPS will know you are no longer weight limited and manage all the way to Sunset.
 
We are leaving Quartzsite tomorrow morning for very leisurely travel to Death Valley. We should be there on Monday. Steve, IBtripping, left this morning and will probably be there around the same time. Others were interested, but not in as long a stay. Hopefully the travel by the Government and Government contractor folks don’t get cancelled.
 

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