California Desert Family Multisport
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.
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.
AMID GEOLOGIC WONDERS: Premiere Inns
Furnace Creek Inn (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.
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 mile | 2-5 miles |
| Level 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| Level 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| Level 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| Level 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years
Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:
- 12+ cultural appreciation, difficulty/restrictions of activities and route
- 9+ several long adult dinners; difficulty/restrictions of activities and route
- 6+ several long adult dinners; parent may not be able to pull a Burley and/or there may be multiple activity restrictions
Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.
Guest Trip Reviews
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