Los Angeles to Las Vegas RV Trip — 5-Day Mojave + Death Valley Route
Typical rate: $2,300-$3,000 all-in for two people, 5 days
Take this route with you Tap to open the full route in Google Maps — save it or start turn-by-turn navigation from your phone. Open in Google Maps → You start the day in Los Angeles traffic and end it in the lowest, hottest, quietest place in North America — then two days later you’re on the Las Vegas Strip. That range is what makes the LA-to-Vegas run such a satisfying short RV trip: 400-odd miles that swing from the Eastern Sierra to Death Valley’s salt flats to neon. It’s also a natural one-way, which is exactly why renters search for it. Here’s the 5-day route from Los Angeles — rebuilt around what’s actually open in Death Valley for 2026.
What does the route look like at a glance?
Five days, about 400 miles, Sierra to salt flats to the Strip, best November through March.
- Origin: Los Angeles, CA — Destination: Las Vegas, NV
- Distance: ~400 miles (a one-way trip)
- Recommended class: Class C 25-28 ft
- All-in budget: $2,300-$3,000 for two (including one-way fee)
- Best months: November–March (Death Valley is deadly hot in summer)
What’s open in Death Valley for 2026?
The main corridor and Furnace Creek are open; a few backcountry roads and Stovepipe Wells Campground are not. Plan around it and the classic trip still works.
- Open: Highway 190 and Badwater Road — the routes to Badwater, Zabriskie, Artists Drive, Dante’s View, and the Mesquite Dunes. Furnace Creek Campground (136 sites, Recreation.gov) and The Oasis at Death Valley are running.
- Closed: Stovepipe Wells Campground (waterline failure, not reopening), Titus Canyon Road (Oct 2026–Sep 2027), Wildrose, and the Scotty’s Castle road. Check the NPS conditions page before you commit.
Day-by-day route
Day 1: LA → Lone Pine
Pick up in Los Angeles and drive US-395 up the Eastern Sierra to Lone Pine, under the highest peaks in the Lower 48. Wander the Alabama Hills, where a thousand Westerns were filmed, the Sierra crest behind the rock arches. Camp: Tuttle Creek (BLM, ~$14).
Day 2: Lone Pine → Death Valley (Furnace Creek)
Drop east on CA-190 through Panamint Springs into the park, stopping at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells, then base at Furnace Creek. Catch the sunset at the Mesquite Dunes or Zabriskie Point. Camp: Furnace Creek (~$16-$36).
Day 3: Death Valley full day
The big loop of the open corridor: Badwater Basin (−282 ft, the lowest point in North America), the Artists Drive color badlands, Devils Golf Course, Zabriskie Point, and Dante’s View a mile above the valley floor for sunset. After dark, the sky is as good as it gets — this is a certified Dark Sky Park. Camp: Furnace Creek.
Day 4: Death Valley → Las Vegas
Roll out via CA-190 and I-15 (fuel in Pahrump), about three hours to Las Vegas. Set up at a Vegas RV resort and walk the Strip. Camp: a Las Vegas RV resort (~$65-$95, full hookup).
Day 5: Las Vegas → return
A last Vegas morning — Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon if you want one more landscape — then dump tanks, refuel, and return the rig (confirm the one-way fee ahead of time).
What does it cost all-in?
About $2,300-$3,000 for two — and the one-way fee is the number that moves. Our July 2026 pull of 3,398 live listings put the national median at $150/night; an LA-area Class C runs above it, and California fuel sits more than a dollar over the national average. Treat these as a research-date snapshot.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Class C rental: $175/night × 5 | $875 |
| One-way drop fee (LA → LAS) | $400–$700 |
| Booking fees + insurance + cleaning | $350–$500 |
| Fuel (400 mi @ 8 mpg @ $4.50/gal, CA) | $225 |
| Campgrounds (BLM, NPS, private) | $125–$200 |
| Food, propane, dining (2 people) | $300–$500 |
| All-in, 5 days | $2,275–$3,000 |
The one-way premium almost always beats a round trip’s backtrack. Our RV rental cost guide and one-way rentals guide cover the details.
Which RV class fits the desert?
A Class C, 25-28 ft — with air conditioning you trust.
| Class | LA-to-Vegas fit |
|---|---|
| Class B under 22 ft | Fits everywhere; easy in LA and on the Strip |
| Class C 25-30 ft | The sweet spot — Furnace Creek and Sierra sites |
| Class A 32+ ft | Length limits at the Death Valley campgrounds |
What goes wrong out here — and how do you handle it?
Death Valley’s dangers are heat and distance — respect both.
- Summer heat: don’t attempt May-September; 120°F+ overwhelms most rental AC.
- Stovepipe Wells closed: book Furnace Creek instead — don’t drive to a campground that isn’t reopening.
- Fuel gaps: top off before the park; fill again in Pahrump on the way to Vegas.
- One-way surprises: confirm the drop fee and that your owner permits one-way before booking.
- Event weeks in Vegas: NFR (December), EDC (June), and F1 (November) spike RV-resort rates — book those months ahead.
Bottom line
The 5-day LA-to-Vegas run is the most accessible desert RV trip in the country — Sierra to salt flats to the Strip. Base at Furnace Creek (not the closed Stovepipe Wells), go November through March, rent one-way, and confirm the AC. See our Los Angeles and Las Vegas city guides, the Death Valley NP guide, and — if Vegas is really your hub — the RV trips from Las Vegas guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Death Valley open in 2026 after the flooding?
Mostly, along the main corridor. Highway 190 and Badwater Road — the routes to the headline sights — are open, and Furnace Creek Campground and The Oasis at Death Valley are operating. But flood repairs continue: Stovepipe Wells Campground is not expected to reopen due to a waterline problem, Titus Canyon Road closes October 2026 through September 2027, and Wildrose and the Scotty's Castle road remain closed. Check the NPS conditions page before you go, but the classic loop is doable.
Where do you camp in Death Valley now?
Furnace Creek Campground is the RV base to book — 136 sites, reservable six months ahead on Recreation.gov, and central to Badwater, Zabriskie Point, and Artists Drive. The old go-to, Stovepipe Wells Campground, isn't reopening after a waterline failure. Furnace Creek also puts you next to The Oasis at Death Valley's Ranch and the visitor center for water, fuel, and supplies.
What does an LA-to-Las-Vegas RV trip cost?
About $2,300-$3,000 all-in for two over five days, including the one-way fee: roughly $875 for a Class C at $175/night, a $400-$700 one-way drop charge, $350-$500 in fees and insurance, ~$225 in California fuel, $125-$200 in campgrounds, and $300-$500 for food. The one-way fee is the trip's swing cost — and usually cheaper than driving back.
Should you rent one-way or round-trip?
One-way, for most people. LA-to-Vegas is a natural one-way pattern: dropping the rig in Las Vegas costs about $400-$700 more, but a round trip means retracing 300 miles, buying that fuel, and paying for the extra rental days. Cruise America and some peer-to-peer owners allow the one-way; confirm the fee and availability before you book, since not every owner permits drop-offs.
What size RV works for this desert route?
A Class C, 25-28 feet. It fits Furnace Creek and the Eastern Sierra campgrounds and handles the long desert grades and Vegas traffic. Class A rigs over about 32 feet run into length limits at the Death Valley campgrounds; a sub-22-foot van adds parking ease in LA and on the Strip if you don't need the room. Whatever you rent, confirm the AC is strong.
When is it too hot to do this trip?
May through September. Death Valley regularly tops 120°F in summer — it holds the highest air temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth — and most rental air conditioning simply can't keep a rig livable in that heat, with real safety risk if it fails. November through March is the window: mild days, cold desert nights, and the clearest dark skies of the year.