Dante's View is where you go to understand Death Valley all at once. From a perch on the crest of the Black Mountains at around 1,670 metres, you look almost straight down to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, nearly two kilometres below you. The salt flats spread out white and glittering, and across the valley the Panamint Range rises to Telescope Peak, which often holds snow when the valley floor is baking. The contrast between the highest and lowest points is staggering, and on a clear morning you can see it all in a single sweep.
The road to the viewpoint branches off Highway 190 and climbs for about twenty kilometres through a narrow, rocky canyon and over open desert slopes. The last stretch is steep and winding, with tight hairpins and gradients up to 15 per cent, and vehicles longer than about eight metres are not allowed beyond a small parking area below. On a motorcycle it is a fun, technical climb, with good asphalt and little traffic.
The name, of course, refers to the view from the edge of Dante's Inferno, and it fits. The colours are extraordinary: the white of the salt, the brown and gold of the alluvial fans, the dark volcanic rocks and the purple shadows of the mountains. In the early morning the sun lights up the Panamints first, and the valley floor slowly emerges from shadow. At sunset the view is reversed, with the eastern mountains glowing and the valley falling into darkness.
The viewpoint is also a place where you can feel the wind. It can be strong and cold, even when it is hot below, so bring a jacket. There are short trails along the ridge that offer even more expansive views, and on a calm day you can hear absolutely nothing but the wind and the occasional raven.
Dante's View has a car park and nothing else; the nearest fuel is at Furnace Creek, about forty kilometres away. The road is open all year, but in summer the heat at the bottom of the climb can be intense. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon, and make sure you have plenty of water and fuel before you leave the main road.