Artist Palette / Artist Drive (Death Valley National Park)

Artist Palette and Artist Drive are located in the Black Mountains within the confines of Death Valley National Park.  Artist Drive is a one way nine mile scenic drive through the most colorful area in the park boundaries. You access Artist Drive from Badwater Road, 8.55 miles south of the Badwater Road / Route 190 intersection or 7.33 miles north of the parking area at Bad Water Basin.

Artist Drive loops you up to the top of an alluvial fan at the base of the Black Mountains. The road at times is like a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs at every turn as you wind through the narrow walls on each side of you. The most spectacular location along Artist Drive is the Artist Palette. A turn off and parking area is provided to give you the opportunity to enjoy the array of colors that is present. The colors in the rock is a result of the oxidation of different metals (red, pink and yellow is from iron salts, green is from decomposing tuff-derived mica, and manganese produces the purple).

Those that enjoy hiking, or even longer strolls can enjoy the maze of short gulches that wind up to the base of the mountain. This gives you an opportunity to see the colorful stones close up.