About Tarantula Ranch – Camping & Glamping Near Death Valley

About Tarantula Ranch

We’re the Schmidt family, and Tarantula Ranch began with our family’s love of Death Valley and the Mojave Desert.

Originally from Oregon, we started visiting Death Valley as an escape from the long, rainy Pacific Northwest winters. During the COVID pandemic, we purchased an 8-acre property in Amargosa Valley, Nevada, surrounded by public land and open desert. What began as a family desert retreat gradually grew into Tarantula Ranch—a small, family-owned campground, glamping property and working vineyard near Death Valley National Park.

Today, we welcome travelers looking for something a little different from a traditional Death Valley hotel. Guests can camp, stay in one of our unique glamping accommodations, bring an RV or enjoy a private guest accommodation while using Tarantula Ranch as a base for exploring Death Valley National Park and nearby Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

We’re located about 20 minutes from Death Valley Junction, approximately 45 minutes from Furnace Creek and about 90 minutes northwest of Las Vegas. Our location makes it possible to spend the day exploring Death Valley and return to a quiet desert property with hot showers, Wi-Fi, an outdoor kitchen, The Wine Hall and exceptionally dark night skies.

A Vineyard in the Mojave Desert

Tarantula Ranch is also home to a small working vineyard. We grow Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel grapes and make wine here in Amargosa Valley.

Grape harvest generally takes place during July and August, and guests visiting during the growing season may see vineyard work and winemaking taking place around the ranch. We are currently in the final stages of our wine licensing and expect to begin selling Tarantula Ranch wines in 2027.

Come for Death Valley. Stay for the Desert.

Many guests originally find us because they are planning a trip to Death Valley, but Tarantula Ranch has become part of the experience itself.

Our 8 acres are surrounded by public land and wide-open Mojave Desert. Guests can relax among the vines, cook outside, spend time in The Wine Hall, explore nearby Ash Meadows, watch incredible sunsets and step outside after dark beneath some of the darkest skies you’ll find at a private campground in the United States.

Tarantula Ranch has also been recognized by Sunset Magazine for its night-sky camping experience, and we regularly offer stargazing events throughout the year.

We aren’t a conventional hotel or resort. Tarantula Ranch is a small family property in the desert, complete with gravel roads, working vineyard areas, wildlife, occasional bugs, changing weather and a lot of quiet. That’s exactly what we love about it—and what we enjoy sharing with guests from around the world.

Welcome to Tarantula Ranch

Whether you’re looking for Death Valley camping, glamping near Death Valley, an RV site in Amargosa Valley, a longer desert stay or simply a memorable place to spend a few nights under the stars, we hope Tarantula Ranch becomes part of your adventure.