One of the most breathtaking national parks in the United States. Boasting 3,000 square miles of vastly beautiful scenery, Death Valley is known for being the hottest and driest place on earth.
Death Valley is located in the Mojave Desert in the Eastern part of California and the Southern end of Nevada. The park is open 365 days per year but the best time to visit the park, due to extreme temperatures, is in the winter time. Record temperatures in the summer have reached up to 134 degrees.
Sandwiched between the Armargosa and the Panamint mountain ranges this national park has the greatest elevation range of any park in the States. Its highest point Telescope Peak rises dramatically from the valley standing at 11,049 ft. The lowest point is Badwater Basin, one of the largest protected salt flats in the world where it’s thought that the salt deposits can be up to 9000 ft deep in places.
Though the name does not suggest, Death Valley is home to a large and diverse animal population.
From Coyotes, Wildcats, Mountain Lions and Dahl Sheep, all the way down to Roadrunners, Ravens, Kangaroo Rats and lizards, Death Valley is also home to quite a few endangered species, including the Desert Pupfish and the Desert Tortoise. Death Valley is also home to a diverse array of plant life, including Joshua Tree, Desert Holly, Mesquite, Pinyon-Juniper, and Alpine Limber Pine just to name a few.
Famous at one time for the mining of Borax, Death Valley offers a wealth of fascinating mining history and visitors can enjoy the Harmony Borax works as well as the Borax museum at Furnace Creek and 20 Mule Team Canyon.
Our favorite viewpoints:
Dante’s View for its dramatic vista of the valley floor gazing down on Badwater salt flats.
Zabriskie Point for its incredible colors and dune like appearance.
The Devils Golf Course for its large chunks of salt rocks.
Mesquite sand dunes at Stove Pipe Wells for some fun dune play.
Artist Drive- scenic 12 mile loop taking you to the heart of Death Valley climaxing with a view or the Artist Palette showcasing the fabulous array of colors and textures for which Death Valley is so famous for.
Why we love it:
There is nothing that can be compared to the rugged beauty of Death Valley. While far away from modern civilization, you can experience the great outdoors in ways that many only dream of.
Tip:
Time your visit so that you can visit the Mesquite sand dunes for sunrise or sunset. The views are spectacular and the colors really ‘pop’ at these times of the day.