Death Valley

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Death Valley National Park is a United States National Park that is located in the Southern California Desert and in Nevada. Many travelers overlook the park due to the misguided belief that it is simply a lifeless, empty landscape, but this 3.4 million acre (14,000 km²) park is not only the largest park in the continental USA but arguably one of the most striking specimens of Mother Earth. Nearly every major geological era is elegantly exposed here in what sometimes appears to be one of her greatest tapestries, gloriously presenting her full spectrum.

The valley itself is 130 miles (210 km) long, between six and thirteen miles (10-21 km) wide and is surrounded by steep mountain ranges: the Panamint mountains to the west, and the Black, Funeral, and Grapevine mountains to the east. Its 3 million acres of wilderness and rich cultural history make it a lifetime's work to explore all that the valley has to offer.

	death valley Travel Guide : 1 Understand 1.1 Climate 1.2 Flora and fauna 2 Get in 2.1 Main Entrances 3 Fees/Permits 4 Get around 5 See 5.1 Common Points of Interest 5.2 Backcountry Sights 6 Do 7 Buy 7.1 Gas 8 Eat 9 Drink 10 Sleep 10.1 Lodging 10.1.1 Within the park 10.1.2 Outside of the park 10.2 Camping 10.3 Backcountry 11 Stay safe 12 Get out 13 External links

Understand

Climate

Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world. Air temperatures over 120 °F (49 °C) are common during the summer months of June, July, August and September. The record high in the park was recorded in 1913 at a blazing 134 °F (57 °C). This is second only to a 136 °F (58 °C) temperature taken in Libya in 1922.

Fortunately, temperatures from November through March are mild with highs averaging in the 60s and 70s (15-25) with winter nighttime lows usually in the 40s (5). This makes the winter and early spring the best seasons to visit.

Very little rain falls in the valley, but rainfall in the mountains often sends floodwaters roaring down narrow canyons, scouring boulders, rocks and soil along the way and eventually depositing them in the valley. These deposits are evident in the form of gigantic Alluvial fans seen throughout the valley. Many of these fans reach over a mile wide and are the product of hundreds and thousands of years of this process. The granular structure of these fans is also interesting to note as you will commonly see the larger boulders near the top of these structures and as you go further and further down, the granularity becomes finer and finer until you are finally left with the salts on the valley floor!

The higher elevations of the Panamint Range reach up to 11,049 feet (3,368 m) at Telescope Peak and are usually covered with snow from November to May, making a breathtaking backdrop to this unique desert climate.

A land of extremes and superlatives, there are locations within the park that allow the visitor to see both the lowest and highest elevations in the 48 contiguious United States on a clear day. As far as US phenomena occur, not only does it feature the hottest recorded temperature, but also reports the lowest annual precipitation, the tallest sand dunes, and at 13,628 square kilometers, is the largest National Park in the 48 contiguous United States.

Flora and fauna

Animal life is varied, and numerous species of reptiles, birds and mammals populate Death Valley, adapting well to the desert environment. However, many of these animals live a nocturnal lifestyle in order to escape the searing climate and can be difficult to spot.

The largest native mammal in the area, and perhaps the best studied member of the fauna, is the desert bighorn sheep. Small herds of sheep are most commonly found in the mountains surrounding Death Valley but at least occasionally visit the valley floor. Look for these animals near the springs and seeps that can be found throughout the park.

Over 350 species of birds are now known to inhabit or visit the area. And even native fish are to be found in Death Valley - several forms of desert pupfish of the genus Cyprinodon live in Salt Creek and other permanent bodies of water.

Get in

The nearest major cities to Death Valley are Las Vegas, which can be accessed by plane or bus, and Barstow, which can be accessed by bus and the Amtrak train. From these cities you will need to rent a car as there is no public transportation to and from the park. There are two small airstrips within the park for private plane access if you can afford such method of transportation.

The standard highway route to access the park is through SR 190, both from the east and the west. Details for this and other more adventurous ways in and out of the park are listed below.

Main Entrances

• From the East
  • Take SR 190 west from Death Valley Junction 20 miles into the park.
  • From US 95 in Nevada, take SR 374 west from Beatty 19 miles into the Valley.
• From the West
  • Going north on US 395 take SR 190 east from Olancha, through Panamint Springs and over Towne Pass (elevation 4956 feet). This road is steep and narrow along some sections and is slow going for vehicles pulling trailers.
  • Going south on US 395 take SR 136 east from Lone Pine to SR 190 east through Panamint Springs and proceed as above.
• From the North
  • From US 95 in Nevada, take SR 267 west from Scotty's Junction 26 miles towards Scotty's Castle.

When traveling from Las Vegas, proceed north on US 95 to Lathrop Wells. Then proceed south on SR 373 for 23 miles to Death Valley Junction. Then proceed west on SR 190 for 20 miles to the park entrance.

Many other more adventurous routes into the park are also available particularly for high clearance and 4x4 vehicles. Please reference the park map (http://www.nps.gov/deva/ppmaps/devamap1.pdf) for details. The route in from the Eureka Dunes in the north is notable along with the route from the Panamint Valley through Emigrant Pass from the southwest and the southern route on SR 178 west from Shoshone.

Note: Some roads in the park can occasionally be snowed in at the passes and may require chains in the winter. Please reference the Death Valley Morning Report (http://www.nps.gov/deva/Morning.pdf) for current weather and road conditions.

Fees/Permits

A seven day pass with unlimited re-entry is $10 for a standard vehicle (car/truck/van) and $5 for each individual traveling on foot, motorcycle, or bicycle (are you crazy!). However, individuals planning to visit many different National Parks in the USA may save money by purchasing a National Parks Pass for $50; this pass allows free entry to all national park areas.

Get around

A vehicle is highly recommended although during the more temperate seasons such as the fall and spring a nice bike ride may be in order. But be forewarned that climactic conditions in the park can be extreme so always check the Death Valley Weather (http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USLocalStd.asp?loc=uscapk104&seg=LocalWeather&prodgrp=Forecasts&product=Forecast&prodnav=none) forecast prior to entering and plan your activities accordingly.

It is also important to note that this and most other weather forecasts for the park refer to locations within the low altitude portion of the park and weather conditions at higher elevations can be dramatically different.

See

Common Points of Interest

• Aguereberry Point
• Amargosa Opera House
• Artist Drive. The rocks within this section of the park have been stained a myriad of colors by minerals within, creating a view that resembles an artist's palette.
• Badwater. At 282 feet below sea level, it's the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. A boardwalk and signs provide info on the local environment, and a trail leads out onto the salt flats.
• Cottonwood Canyon

• Dante's View. Spectacular view from an overlook just a mile or two away from Badwater, but 4000 feet taller. The road to Dante's View is a bit long, but the view is worth it. If you are towing a trailer, a parking lot is provided for you to leave your trailer behind before ascending the most difficult part of the road to Dante's View.
• Darwin Falls. A 15 foot waterfall that is particularly interesting in Spring. Traveling west of Panamint Springs on SR 190, turn left onto a dirt road that goes up a wash just before SR 190 starts climbing uphill. After about half a mile of dirt, gravel and rocks, there is a small parking lot. From the parking lot, hike about half a mile to a mile further into the canyon. Since this is the drinking water supply for Panamint Springs, please do not jump in, no matter how tempting it is.
• Death Valley Buttes
• Devil's Cornfield
• Devil's Golf Course. A bizarre landscape consisting of a vast field of salt crystals.
• Echo Canyon
• Golden Canyon. A popular hike located just south of Furnace Creek through a brilliantly-colored canyon. The best view is from the very end of the trail, which requires traversing through some narrow canyon walls and over ladders.
• Greenwater Ruins
• Grotto Canyon
• Marble Canyon
• Mosaic Canyon. This popular hike in the center of the park winds through a narrow, marbled canyon. Some climbing and scaling of slick marbled rock is required.
• Mushroom Rock. This oddly shaped rock is located on the road south of Furnace Creek.
• Natural Bridge. Travel south from Furnace Creek. Natural Bridge is just east of the main road via a dirt road. This natural bridge in a narrow canyon was created when erosion managed to undercut a section of the stream bed and eventually create a bridge well above the bottom of the canyon.
• Salt Creek. Travel south from Furnace Creek. Salt Creek is about two miles west of the main road via an easy dirt road. This place is great. Long ago Death Valley was a lake with fish in it; as the lake dried up and salinity increased the fish evolved to cope. Now they are restricted to a short, salty creek which springs up out of the desert, flows for a few hundred yards, and then disappears back into the sand.
• Sand Dunes. Near Stovepipe Wells. Most people think sand dunes are common in the desert. They aren't. There are two interesting areas of sand dunes in Death Valley. The largest is Eureka Dunes, accessible only to adventurous backcountry folks. This smaller set of dunes near Stovepipe Wells is still quite impressive.

• Scotty's Castle (Death Valley Ranch). A strange story about the creation of elaborate mansion in the valley involving sickness, fraud, and tall tales.
• Stovepipe Well
• Titus Canyon. An unimproved road into Death Valley that begins just west of Beatty (the road to Titus canyon heads north from the normal paved route from Beatty into Death Valley). Titus canyon is narrow, deep and spectacular. Due to narrowness, parts of this road are one-way, so you really need to start from the east end of the road. You don't need an off-road vehicle for this, normal cars should do fine, but don't bring the RV.
• Ubehebe Crater. Located in the northern part of the park near Scotty's Castle, this giant crater was formed by volcanic activity. Walking trails lead into and around the crater.
• Visitor Center And Museum. At Furnace Creek. When visiting Death Valley, start here and you may discover that some sight you hadn't been interested in turns out to really interest you. Or just figure out which of these many places you should really visit.
• Zabriskie Point. Famous viewpoint loved by photographers just east of Furnace Creek. View overlooks interesting weathered canyons. View is a two minute walk from the parking lot.

Backcountry Sights

• Barker Ranch. Charles Manson's hideaway.
• Charcoal Kilns
• Crankshaft Junction
• Desolation Canyon. Because it is not marked from the road, and not well marked on the map, a hike through this canyon offers solitude even beyond that of what is a very quiet park to begin with. The canyon isn't much to look at for the first 1/2 mile of the hike from the parking area, but beyond that, there is much to explore.
• Emigrant Canyon
• Eureka Sand Dunes. Tucked away in the north part of the park, accessible only by tens of miles of dirt road, these are the second tallest dunes in the United States. Don't let their out-of-the-way location deter you from visiting, however. The solitude only adds to the otherworldliness of the wind-swept sands, the highly rare Eureka Grass blades grasping for life in the dry mounds, and the panoramic view of the colorful Last Chance and Saline Ranges which flank the dunes on either side.

• Pleasant Canyon and South Park Canyon 4wd Loop
• Racetrack Playa. As with many points of interest within the park, this one is not easily accessible. The main route consists of 27 miles of dirt road, beginning at the Ubehebe Crater in the northern part of the park. However, the effort is well-rewarded with a site of twilight-zone proportions. A flat parched mud field contains basketball-sized rocks with tracks that show the movement they have made over the years.
• Tea Kettle Junction. Located in the backcountry near the Racetrack Playa, this signpost is decorated with numerous tea kettles and makes for a rather odd sight in the vast desert.
• Telescope Peak. Highest point in the park at 11,049 feet.

Do

• Hiking. There are numerous trails within the park, ranging in difficulty from short loops to overnight, mountainous treks. Always bring sufficient water when hiking in Death Valley; the heat can kill.
• Photography. The odd geologic formations in the park are great for early morning and late evening photography, although during the day the harsh sun tends to wash out most photographs. During March and April the wildflowers within the valley bloom, making it a particularly photogenic time of year.
• Stargazing. The clear desert air, scarcity of clouds, and and lack of nearby light pollution makes Death Valley an ideal spot for stargazing. Ideally come during a new moon to fully appreciate the darkness of the night sky.
• Four-wheel driving. Death Valley has numerous high-clearance roads that offer a challenge for four-wheel drive enthusiasts. Driving off-road is not permitted.
• Badwater ultramarathon. Only for the truly insane, the 135 mile course from Badwater (elevation -282 feet) to the Mt. Whitney trailhead (elevation 8360 feet) is billed as the world's toughest race. Adding to the difficulty, the race is held annually during July, the hottest month of the year. In 2004, 72 people toed the starting line, and 57 battered, burned, and exhausted souls officially finished by crossing the finish line within 60 hours (the course record is just over 25 hours). For those with a death wish, more info can be found at www.badwaterultra.com.

Buy

• Furnace Creek Visitor's Center
• Furnace Creek Inn Gift Shop
• Furnace Creek Ranch General Store
• Borax Museum
• Stovepipe Wells General Store
• Scotty's Castle Gift Shop

Gas

Although you can get gas in the park it typically costs up to a dollar more per gallon than outside the park. It is recommended to fuel up right outside the park before coming in. But once in the park, don't try to squeak out with just enough gas as the results can be fatal if you are stuck in the wilderness or just plain costly if you need to get gas brought to you by a tow truck.

• Furnace Creek Gas Station, 8am-6pm (24 hours a day by cr card) on SR 190
• Stovepipe Wells Gas Station, 8am-6pm on SR 190 (Currently Closed, Call NPS for More Information)
• Scotty's Castle Gas Station, 7am-6pm on SR 267

Eat

• Furnace Creek Inn Dinning Room The most upscale restaurant in Death Valley, very elegant, with a somewhat laid back dress code. Closed for summer season. Reservations are required for dinner and Sunday brunch. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served. Call 760-786-2345 for reservations.
• 49'er Coffee Shop
• Wrangler Buffet
• Wrangler Steakhouse
• Stovepipe Wells. Restaurant and convenience store.

Drink

• Corkscrew Salon

Sleep

Lodging

Within the park

There are 4 in-park lodging facilities in Death Valley National Park.

• Furnace Creek Inn. 1 (http://www.furnacecreekresort.com) This inn advertises itself as a first class, AAA Four Diamond historic resort with 66 rooms and full amenities. Rates range from $250-$370 per room with $20 per each additional person. Closed during summer season. 760-786-2345
• Furnace Creek Ranch. 2 (http://www.furnacecreekresort.com) Located in Furnace Creek, this establishment is the ranch style family oriented version of the above Inn with 224 rooms and rates ranging from $105 to $174 depending on the season and type of room. 760-786-2345
• Panamint Springs Resort. 3 (http://www.deathvalley.com/reserve/reserve.shtml) Located outside of the park, this resort is the most economical lodging option. The rooms are small and very out dated. Rates range from $65 to $139. 760-764-2002 x234
• Stovepipe Wells Village. 4 (http://www.xanterra-stovepipewells.com/) Motel-style lodging in Stovepipe Wells. The rooms are not fancy, and the running water in some rooms is not potable, but it is a perfectly comfortable and convenient place to stay. Rates tend to be cheaper than at Furnace Creek. Beware of the restaurant at Stovepipe Wells, though; it tends to be wannabe fancy and overpriced. Call early for reservations at the lodge. 760-786-2387

Outside of the park

• Death Valley Junction is the closest town outside of Death Valley, about thirty minutes away from the visitor's center it has one hotel, and an a theatre.
• Beatty is a town outside of Death Valley. It's a very cheap option.
• Lone Pine is two hours west of the park in California.
• Shoshone is an hour southeast of the park in California.

Camping

• Furnace Creek (Year round). Located 196 feet below sea level, Furnace Creek has 136 sites with water, tables, fireplaces, flush toilets, and dump station. Furnace Creek is $16 per night during the winter season and $10 a night during the summer.
• Mahogany Flat (Closed in winter). Mahogany Flat is located at 8,200 feet in the Panamint Mountains and is accessible to high clearance vehicles only. Depending upon road conditions, 4-wheel drive may be necessary. The campground has 10 sites, tables, fireplaces, and pit toilets. Mahogany Flat is free.
• Mesquite Spring (Year Round). Located at 1,800 feet 3 miles from Scotty's Castle, Mesquite Spring has 30 sites with water, tables, fireplaces, flush toilets, and a dump station. The fee is $10 a night.
• Stovepipe Wells (Closed in summer). Located at sea level, Stovepipe Wells has 190 sites with water, some tables, some fireplaces, flush toilets, and dump station. $10.00 per night.
• Sunset (Closed in summer). Located at 190 feet below sea level, Sunset has 1000 sites with water, flush toilets, and dump station. NO Fires Allowed. Sunset is $10.00 per night.
• Texas Spring (Closed in summer). Located at sea level, Texas Spring has 92 sites with water, tables, fireplaces, flush toilets, and dump station. Texas Spring is first come first served with self registration. From March 17th through April 15th, Texas Spring is designated primarily for tent camping with a limited number of RV sites. The fee is $12.00 per night. For the summer, reservations for the two Texas Springs campground group sites are available by calling (760) 786-3247.
• Thorndike (Closed in winter). Thorndike is located at 7,400 feet in the Panamint Mountains and is accessible to high clearance vehicles only. Depending on road conditions, 4-wheel drive may be necessary. Thorndike has 6 sites, tables, fireplaces, and pit toilets. Thorndike is free. ATTN: Due to extreme fire danger, campfires are prohibited at Thorndike Campground until further notice!
• Wildrose (Year round). Located at 4,100 feet in the Panamint Mountains, Wildrose has 23 sites, with tables, fireplaces, and pit toilets. Drinking water is available during the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Although it is windy enough that you'll need to take care to secure your campsite, it is still high enough in elevation that it presents more pleasant weather for camping than the valley floor. Being farther away from the more popular areas of the park induces a quieter setting as well. Wildrose is a free campground.

Backcountry

Backcountry camping is allowed 2 miles away from any developed area, paved road, or "day use only" area. Due to the rough dirt roads, backcountry roadside camping is generally only accessible to visitors with high clearance or 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Stay safe

Follow Desert Survival guidelines. The name of the park says it all. People have died within the borders of the park. Make sure you have plenty of water for any activity, whether it be on a backcountry trail, or on the main highway. Should you become stranded while driving, stay with your vehicle as it is likely to provide the only shade in the area.

If you are going a significant distance on any of the unpaved roads, phone a friend and tell them where you are going, when you will be back, when you will phone them again to tell them you are safe, and give them an emergency number to call if you don't get back in touch with them by a chosen deadline. Some of the unimproved roads eat tires for breakfast, and you could lose your spare tire too. In addition, make sure you have more than enough gas; roads may be impassable and can require unforeseen detours.

Get out

• Mount Whitney. The tallest mountain in the lower forty-eight states, Mt. Whitney is located west of the park on highway 190.
• Eastern Sierra. The Sierra Nevada mountains west of the park on highway 190 provide an ideal spot for backpackers.
• Las Vegas. America's playground, Sin City can be reached via numerous routes from the south and east exits of the park.

External links

• National Park Service Site (http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm)