Overview

The 49'ers Gateway Monument commemorates the emigrants who entered Death Valley in 1849 with hopes of quick passage to California -- the land of milk and honey. Instead they found hardship, nearly lost their lives, and as legend goes: named this "Death Valley."

Through this natural gateway the Death Valley Forty-Niners, more than one hundred emigrants from the middle west, seeking a short cut to gold fields of central California, entered Death Valley, December, 1849. All suffered from thirst and starvation. Two contingents passed southward here, the others proceeded northward seeking to escape from [the] region.

State Registered Landmark No. 442. Marker placed by California Centennials Commission. Base furnished by Death Valley 49ers, Inc. Dedicated December 3, 1949.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ... this area is about as safe as it gets except for being along a highway without a formal parking area. The speed limit is only 35 mph, but many drivers don't pay much attention to such limits.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, this isn't a hike, so leave the 10 Essentials in the car.

Getting to 49'ers Gateway Monument

The 49'ers Monument is located along Hwy 190 at Badwater Road in the central portion of Death Valley National Park, about 2 hours northwest of Las Vegas.

From town, drive out to Death Valley. From the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (Table 1, Site 0712), drive south on Highway 190 for about 1.25 miles to Badwater Road (Site 0741). Park here; the monument is on the north side of the highway intersection.