If you have never visited Death Valley, you possibly picture it as a vast sea of sand; however, less than one percent of Death Valley is covered with dunes. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are the largest and most easily accessible.

Dunes require three things to exist: a source of sand, prevailing winds to move the sand, and a place for the sand to collect.

The eroded canyons and washes of Death Valley provide plenty of sand and the wind seems constant. But there are only a few areas in the park where the sand is trapped by geographic features such as mountains.

Other sand dunes in Death Valley National Park are Eureka Dunes, Saline Valley Dunes, Panamint Dunes and Ibex Dunes.

Source: Adapted from National Park Service brochures.