California Desert Family Multisport
Biking & Hiking in California's Mojave Desert
The majestic scale of Death Valley National Park exalts the senses of adults and kids alike. It's a place of surprising natural beauty, intriguing topographic extremes and ever-changing weather. And there's no better way than biking and hiking with Backroads to experience the rich palette, surreal geography and many moods of this remarkable valley in southeastern California's Mojave Desert. Sculpted rocks peer from behind huge rippling sand dunes. Brilliantly colored mountains frame isolated valleys and narrow canyons, and volcanic craters abound. And each evening, the sun sinks below rose-hued peaks in a desert sunset display like no other.
- Hike among rock formations that look like Neopolitan ice cream
- Relish in the peacefulness of the desert
- Zabriskie Point, with an extraordinary panoramic view of the Panamint Range
- Kids take in the desert scenery on horseback
- Spectacular Mosaic Canyon, where marble fragments are fused to the narrow rock walls
The Day-to-Day Itinerary
Days 1-4 Death Valley
Meet in Las Vegas 
Shuttle to Death Valley National Park Tour Scotty's Castle, a flamboyant Moorish-style hacienda featuring an indoor waterfall, 18 fireplaces and a pipe organ As you descend into the valley on your bike, the Great Salt Flats shimmering in the distance might trick you into believing you've reached the ocean's shore Hike amid the hidden wonders of the park, from a smooth water-carved canyon to a desert oasis where wildlife often gather Cap off the day with a walk along the sand dunes, then pedal back to the hotel for a little R & R Kids enjoy a morning horseback ride while adults bike to Badwater, the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level End your trip with a hike to Zabriskie Point, which offers one of the park's most stunning vistas - a panorama of the Panamint Mountains and the badlands' yellow sandstone.
Adult Route Rating What's this?
- Premiere Inns: These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.
- Casual Inns: These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the area with such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.
- Deluxe Family Camping: We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.
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Look at what other guests are saying about this trip!
For adventurous families looking to explore a remote landscape, the stark beauty and serenity of the desert is perfect. Adults love the smorgasbord of challenging biking options and hikes. Kids get a kick out of rolling down the powdery white sand dunes and biking through Badwater, the lowest spot in the country. This trip's M.O. is informal and relaxed, down to the casual accommodations and dining, so if that's your family's style, this multisport getaway is for you.- Trip Development Coordinator, California & the Southwest All Guest Reviews
For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the tour experts. For multisport tours in , trust our in-depth connections. To see all our multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning walking and hiking tours click here.
California Desert Family Multisport
AMID GEOLOGIC WONDERS: Premiere Inns
Furnace Creek Inn
Death Valley (3 nights) Located at 200 feet below sea level, the resort, which was originally built as a working ranch in the 1880s, features a golf course, spring-fed swimming pool, a children's playground and four restaurants.
California Desert Family Multisport
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Activity Level | Average Time | Biking Average | Walking Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 miles | 2-5 miles |
| 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
Kid-Friendly Routes
The route options below are for adults and older kids with more biking experience who are up for longer rides or hikes. For all other kids (and adults who choose), we make it easy to do even less than the shortest option mentioned above, usually by taking a short lift in one of our support vehicles. We are here to make sure everyone has a great time so there's no need for you to worry about whether your child will be able to "keep up."
Day 1
- Levels 1 to 4 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 11, 36, 54 miles
- 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
- Walking .75 miles (Kids)
Day 2
- Level 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
- Hiking 2, 4 miles
- Bike 24 miles
- 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Levels 1 to 4 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 6, 17, 34, 46 miles
- 1000 - 2000 feet elevation gain
- Horseback Riding (Kids) 1 hour
Day 4
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Hiking 2.8 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with no significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.