The side trip from the main road to Badwater along Artist's Drive is a nice and fairly short diversion. Of course the highlight is Artist's Palette, which will only take a few minutes to view, and you can see it right from the parking area just off the road. The rest of the drive is pleasant and occasionally quite interesting as it goes through some of the tighter spots in this badlands area.

This was one of our favorite parts of Death Valley. The colors are varied and unlike anything else. As a note, there is a parking lot. You may initially see cars parked along the road, but I would suggest going to the parking lot. If you are able to, it is well worth it to go explore around once you are here. Some of the paths are steep and challenging, but there are some easier paths too.

As I said in another review, Death Valley has the most amazing and geographic oddities and attractions of any place in the world. However, nowhere have I ever seen a place where the ground has such a diversity of color within such a confined space. Artist Drive is one of the premier attractions and Must Do in Death Valley. However, the single place that best demonstrates the rich and diverse colors is Artist Palette. Here is such a small area the chemistry of the soil makes a tremendous difference the color from pink to green to purple to orange to brown. It truly is incredible to see, and we saw it on a cloudy day. What is equally amazing is how the colors can change so drastically with changes in the light. You can still see it on a cloudy day, but it is so much better in the sun. Still, this is simply a place you must see on any visit to DVNP.