Nature’s Colorful Palette -Exploring Artists Palette

Artists Palette is one of the unique landscape in Death Valley National Park which has vivid array of colored mountains.

Information about Artists Palette:

Roadtrip within a Roadtrip: 

When we visited Death Valley, we took a road trip from Las Vegas, NV. The drive was interesting. But driving to Artists Palette viewpoint within the Death Valley National Park is a road trip within a road trip. The entire 9-mile drive is a stunning stretch of black tarmac roads, winding through hills carved by the power of water.  It is easily one of the most spectacular drives in the entire park. The start of the drive is clearly marked, and the entire drive will take you about 45 minutes, depending on how much you stop and how fast people are driving in front of you. 

The first half of the drive features expansive views of painted Black Mountain hillside to your right and the sprawling Death Valley salt flats to the left. There are several dirt pullouts for photos, including one rather obvious pullout between mile 3 and mile 4.5 where you can stop and soak in the views. After about 4 miles you’ll slowly start to see the colorful hills emerge. As you approach the Artist’s Palette, there is an unmarked pullout, from where you can get great photos of the entire palette of colors. If you continue, you will come to the signpost with a turnout, where you can park and walk up close to the rocks. 

Why is it called Artists Palette?

A palette is a rigid, flat surface on which a painter arranges and mixes paints. This place is aptly named an Artists “Palette” because of the vivid array of colors such as red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and green, which are splashed across the hills of the Black Mountain range. These colors are from volcanic deposits rich in minerals such as iron oxides, copper, mica and chlorite, which creates the rainbow color effect. 

Unique Geography (and Chemistry!):

The mineral deposits of Artist’s Palette were formed by the action of volcanic rocks and hydrothermal systems. Over time, weathering and erosion led to oxidation of the minerals deposited on the surface, resulting in the Kaleidoscopic hues that we see today. Copper and mica produce the green and blue hues, manganese the purple, and iron oxide creates the fiery red, orange & yellow color.

Travel tips for the roadtrip to Artists Palette:

• When visiting Artists Palette, allow approximately 30 minutes to detour from Badwater Road along the one-way Artists Drive Scenic Loop. 
• The scenic Artists Palette drive which is a 9 mile round trip, has a vehicle length restriction of 25 ft. (7.6 m) due to sharp bends and large dips. 
• Artists Palette is located off of a one way loop road. If you miss the turn off you’ll have to ride back around, and this can take 40 minutes or more depending on traffic.
• Adventurous drivers will enjoy the dips, twists and turns on this fantastic drive. But with so many blind corners, it is very difficult to safely stop for photos. So exercise caution and most importantly common sense. 
• There isn’t an official trail but stick to the previously-established walking “paths” within the canyon. 
• You can even walk on the deposits. But I won’t recommend that you do this, as this landscape is fragile and the colors will crumble, which will be an absolute tragedy!  
• Although Artists Drive and Artists Palette are beautiful any time of the day, sunrise and sunset provide additional shadows and changing light, which further enhance the allure of this incredible place.