Death Valley National Park in California may not sound
like a particularly inviting place from its name, and to be fair it
is the hottest, driest, and in parts, lowest place in the western hemisphere.
But desolate saltpans baking in 130 degrees Farenheit and 282 feet below
sea level are only part of Death Valley. The park covers 3 million acres
of dunes, canyons and rugged mountains. Despite the merciless desert
climate and the mere 1.96 inches of rainfall the park gets per year,
over 1000 kinds of plants live there, and there are numerous tenacious
species like the Devil’s Hole Pupfish and the Desert Big Horned
Sheep that survive within its confines. There are many stirring experience
to be had in Death Valley National Park; but bring lots of water.
There are many ways to see Death Valley National Park’s wonders.
Personal automobiles, 4-wheelers, mountain bikes and sturdy boots will
all suffice. Scenic viewpoints like Zabriskie Point and Dante’s
View are accessible by car, as is the astounding Ubehebe Crater. This
result of a mammoth eruption, the Ubehebe Crater is 900 yards wide and
800 feet deep. Hikers can trudge to the bottom of Ubehebe or its smaller
cousin Little Hebe, or take the Golden Canyon Interpretive Trail for
an easy self-guided tour o the canyon and the Red Cathedral rock formation.
Walking to the Badwater Basin in the summer is not recommended, but
everyone who visits the park should check out this lifeless sea of salt
at the lowest point in the western hemisphere. Experienced mountain
climbers might even want to take on the adjacent Telescope Peak. It’s
over 11,000-ft. to the summit, but the view is out of this world. Better
not forget that water.
We’re not kidding about the water,
folks, and you’d better make sure your vehicle is well tuned because
there’s no transportation in or out of Death Valley National Park.
