This was my first visit to Death Valley, having skipped it a couple times while in the neighborhood during the Summer. Even in October it can be pretty hot, but nothing close to the record set here in 1913 of 134F. The park is the hottest, driest and lowest point in the U.S. and the largest national park in the lower 48 states. It is a land of extremes, of course, including extreme desolation and extreme beauty.
The valley was once a lake, the last stop for water flowing from surrounding mountains. The result was a heavy concentration of minerals left as residue when all the water evaporated. The resulting salt pans are some of the largest in the world and contain huge quantities of borax along with other minerals. Even today, with less than 2.5 inches of precipitation annually in the valley, nearby mountains get as much as 15 inches per year, replenishing the valley's mineral content.
An exhibit marks where the Harmony Borax Works mined the useful mineral before it was carted away by the famous 20 mule teams.
The Furnace Creek Inn is an oasis enjoy by thousands of guests over the years, including the rich and famous from around the world.
This ugly part of the valley is known as "the Devil's Golf Course".
One of the many canyons is entered via an arch called Natural Bridge.
Views of the salt flats from high above, then at 282 feet below sea level. The amount of standing water at Badwater varies with rainfall in the nearby mountains.
For me, the beauty of the valley lies mostly in the variety of colors in the rock formations.
Colorful canyons are a delight to hike when dry, but would be life threatening during flash floods resulting from rain anywhere in the region. Because of such floods, the appearance of the valley is different each time you visit.
Zabriskie Point, with its view of Manly beacon, is a favorite location for photographers
There are five different sand dune fields in Death Valley. The dunes at Mesquite Flat are most easily accessed, therefore are likely the most popular. Eureka Dunes are possibly the largest in the U.S., but are more remote. Others are even more remote and less visited.
Ubehebe Crater is the result of volcanic activity that may have occurred as recently as 300 years ago. The largest crater in the park, it is 600 feet deep and half-mile across.
Officially known as Death Valley Ranch, this luxurious home was built by an engineer named Johnson as a desert vacation getaway for his wife. A desert rat, prospector, cowboy and BS artist named Scotty told everyone he built it, and it has come to be known as "Scotty's Castle".
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