Artist's Palette, Death Valley - Furnace Creek, California

The 9-mile, one-way Artist's Drive takes you right into the canyons and dramatic geological formations of the Black Mountains, but none are quite as spectacular, memorable or photogenic as Artist's Palette. Caused by the oxidation of the different ores in these volcanic rocks (iron, mica and manganese), this stunning geological formation is worth a visit at any time of the day but the colors are particularly vivid in the late afternoon.

If you go:
The roads are fully paved throughout but take it easy - there are narrow canyons and tight turns along the way. As a result, this scenic drive is not accessible to vehicles over 25 ft / 7.6 m in length.

Phone Numbers:

Visitor information
+1 (760) 786-3200