Living large in Death Valley

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This article was published 26/12/2015 (3545 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A mention of Death Valley National Park is likely to bring to mind a lifeless land smothered in unbearable heat. A land so arid and hot no one would want to visit, let alone live there. As frequent visitors to the park, we will be the first to admit the heat can sometimes be pretty oppressive. We once visited for a couple of days during early July when the temperature climbed above 50 C during an afternoon Fourth of July celebration. This may have been somewhat higher than normal, but consider the average August high temperature is 46 C. Desert dwellers often tell visitors the low humidity mostly offsets the effects of extreme summer heat, but 50 C and above is mighty hot no matter how low the humidity.

Adjusting a visit to the desert climate

While heat can certainly be an issue during a summer visit to Death Valley, it is important to realize not all of the park lies below sea level where the heat is especially intense. Elevations range from Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, at 86 metres below sea level, to Telescope Peak, the park’s highest elevation at 3,368 metres. Travel west on Highway 90 and the road climbs to Towne Pass at an elevation of 1,511 metres. It’s cooler here, but few visitors will want to spend a lot of time at this location.

Most park features that interest visitors sit at relatively low elevations that experience high summer temperatures. The answer to this problem is choosing to visit Death Valley during the fall, winter or spring, when temperatures moderate and the desert offers a more welcoming experience. We visited in late October and the weather was nearly perfect, with cool nights and warm sunny days. It was a little breezy, but you can’t always expect perfection.

Nights can be special since the evening skies above Death Valley are especially favourable for star gazing. The park is classified as Gold Tier by International Dark-Sky Association, a ranking that indicates astronomical objects seen in Death Valley are available only to some of the darkest locations across the globe.

With limited city lights outside the park and reduced lighting inside the park, visitors are able to see planets and stars that would be invisible in most locations. Monthly night sky programs offered by park rangers frequently include astronomy organization members who bring along high-powered telescopes to share with visitors.

 

History of Death Valley

Death Valley, established as a national monument in 1933, was upgraded to national park status in 1994 following the addition of 1.3 million acres. At nearly 3.4 million acres, it is America’s largest national park outside of Alaska. Death Valley is such a large park it never seems to be crowded even though it welcomed more than 1.1 million visitors in 2014. A surprising number of visitors arrive during the hot summer months, although many are members of tour groups that ride in large air-conditioned buses.

Like much of the American West, Death Valley enjoys an interesting history. Driving across Death Valley’s barren landscape, it is difficult to image millions of years ago this region was covered by a shallow sea. The sea slowly receded as the land was pushed upward by forces beneath the Earth’s surface. This was followed by millions of years of volcanic activity, mountain building, fault movement and erosion that created today’s rugged and unique landscape. Despite the silt and rocks that wash into the basin, the land continues to sink further below sea level.

Named by pioneers who passed through here in the mid-1800s, Death Valley became an important area for mining following the discovery of gold in California. Best known for its borax deposits, the area also experienced mining for gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, mercury, and more. Congressional legislation in 1976 restricted most mining in the park and in 2005 the last active mine was closed.

 

Special places in the park

Death Valley offers more geological and historical features than most visitors expect. The park is large and the features are scattered meaning a single day visit is unlikely to be sufficient to gain a good look at this desert jewel. Below are locations that we particularly enjoyed. Try to allocate enough time to visit as many as possible.

 

In the Furnace Creek Area:

Artist’s Drive This 14.5 kilometre one-way loop road traverses through beautiful ravines and colourful rock formations. The most remarkable area is Artists Palette where the hillside appears as if an artist has painted splotches in shades of red, green, yellow and brown; all a result of ancient volcanic activity and the oxidation of minerals in the sediments. The road includes sharp curves and steep dips so vehicles more than 17.7 meters in length are not permitted.

Badwater Basin, at 86 metres below sea level, is the lowest point in North America. Once the site of an ancient lake, evaporation left a layer of salt on the valley floor. A boardwalk that allows visitors to walk into the valley protects the tiny Badwater snails that live under the salt crust and feed on algae. After heavy rains that usually occur during winter months, a pond or shallow lake will form in this area.

Dante’s View, located in the Black Mountains, 1,669 metres above sea level is an outstanding view that offers the Panamint Mountains to the west, Badwater Basin below, and, on a clear day, most of the length of Death Valley. The top section of this side road has a very steep grade and sharp hair-pin turns, and is also not recommended for vehicles more than 17.7 metres long. For the more adventurous, a short hike to Dante’s Peak leads to an enhanced view of the park and beyond.

Devil’s Golf Course is a continuation of the salt pan on the valley floor from Badwater Basin, but at a slightly higher elevation. Because it is higher, this area does not retain water after a rainstorm which has allowed the salt crystals to weather into unusual shaped formations that look delicate but are actually hard and can be quite sharp. Visitors are allowed to walk on the Devil’s Golf Course but it is advisable to head the warning sign, “A fall could result in painful cuts or even broken bones.”

For an unusual golf course with real grass, visit the 18-hole, par 70, Furnace Creek Golf Course, which at 65.2 meters below sea level, is considered the lowest in the Western Hemisphere. It is said that golf balls here take on unusual flight characteristics. The course is located near the National Park Service visitor center.

Harmony Borax Works The Death Valley area was once known for its mining, although the activity was limited and sporadic. One of the earliest successful finds in 1881 was borax, and the Harmony Borax Works began processing ore two years later. The ore from here had to be transported using the famed 20 mule-teams165 miles to the railroad in the town of Mojave. The Harmony plant closed after five years but visitors can walk through the remains of the operation that includes huge wagons and water tank once pulled by the 20 mule-teams. The Borax Museum, located at Furnace Creek Ranch, is well worth a stop.

Zabriskie Point One of the park’s most popular stops for photos, the location is especially exceptional during sunrises and sunsets that produce contrasts in shades of the many colors of the badlands, majestic Zabriskie Point, and the flat salt valley floor. This serves as the trailhead for hikes to Golden Canyon and the Badlands Loop. The point was named after Christian B. Zabriskie (1864-1936) who oversaw Death Valley’s transition from mining to tourism during the time he was Vice President and General Manager of the Pacific Coast Borax Company.

 

Near Stovepipe Wells:

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Extensive sand dunes rise more than 30 metres from Mesquite Flat a few kilometres from Stovepipe Wells Village. The dunes have been created by winds carrying sand slowed by the surrounding mountains. The dunes are constantly shifting, although they remain in the same general location. A parking area is located near the dunes and visitors are permitted to climb at will. Early morning is a good time to view the ripples and wind patterns in the sand, and to see animal tracks.

 

Scotty’s Castle Built between 1922 and 1933 by Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson, is an iconic home that’s also known as Death Valley Ranch. Johnson was a good friend and benefactor to Walter Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty, a one-time performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and a prospector, who told people he built the mansion from proceeds from a secret gold mine. Park rangers offer living history tours of the castle several times a day. Unfortunately, the castle is currently closed due to heavy October rainstorms that washed out the road leading to the castle and caused mud damage to several of the area’s service buildings. For current information call 760-786-2392 or check the park’s website.

 

The Racetrack, best known for its mysteriously sliding rocks, is located between the Cottonwood and Last Chance Ranges in the northwestern section of the park. The sliding rocks leave indentations showing their paths across flat surface of the dry lake bed. Studies have been conducted to determine the cause of this movement, but there is yet no definite answer. The Racetrack is at the end of a dirt road that requires a high-clearance vehicle with heavy duty-tires.

 

Ubehebe (yoo-bee-Hee-bee) Crater, at 183 metres deep and 805 metres across, is the largest of the park’s Maar Volcanoes that are formed when hot magma moves toward ground water and heats it to steam. The resulting pressure eventually causes a tremendous explosion. The hike to the crater bottom is relatively easy, but the hike back out can be grueling. The 2.4-kilometer hike around the rim of crater can also be somewhat difficult due to loose footing on the trail.

 

If You Go:

Getting There: At 4,825 kilometres Death Valley is a long drive from Winnipeg. It is quicker and less expensive to fly to Las Vegas, rent a car, and drive the 193 kilometres to Death Valley’s Furnace Creek. Roundtrip flights between Winnipeg and Las Vegas begin at around $300.

Park Information: Additional information on Death Valley National Park is available by calling 760-786-3200 or visiting www.nps.gov/deva.

Food and Lodging: The Inn at Furnace Creek is a AAA Four-Diamond hotel built between 1927 and 1935. Rooms are elegant and the attractive dining room serves excellent meals. Room rates begin around $340. The Inn is open from October to early May.

Three other lodging and food establishments are located in the park. Just down the road from the Inn, The Ranch at Furnace Creek offers three categories of rooms with rates that begin at about US$140. Food is available at a steakhouse, café, a saloon and the general store sells some food items. Additional information on both properties is available by calling 800-236-7916, or visiting www.furnacecreekresort.com.

Stovepipe Wells Village, in the park’s midsection, offers rooms with rates beginning at US$122. The Village includes a restaurant, saloon and general store. For information call 760-786-2387, or visit www.escapetodeathvalley.com.

Panamint Springs Resort on the western edge of the park offers 14 rooms and one cottage with rates that begin at around US$80. The restaurant is noted for offering over 150 varieties of beer. For information call 775-482-7680, or visit www.deathvalley.com/psr.

Park Transportation: Farabee’s Jeep Rentals is across the road from the Inn at Furnace Creek. For information call 877-970-5337, or visit www.DeathValleyJeepRentals.com. Guided horseback trail rides and carriage rides are available at The Ranch at Furnace Creek Stables. Call 760-614-1018, or visit www.furnacecreekstables.net.

 

David and Kay Scott are authors of Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges (Globe Pequot). Visit them at www.valdosta.edu/dlscott/Scott