Damkier's Travels: Death Valley National Park

Me at the Lowest Point in the United States

Death Valley National Park is one of the most remote and extreme parts of Earth, but is conveniently located in Southern California. This legendary valley lies on the back of the massive Sierra Nevada mountain range and receives little to no rainfall and experiences the hottest climate in the world. Being a desert boy myself, I had to revisit Death Valley after having no luck finding pictures from my original trip.

Walking Across Salt Flats near Badwater

This area is extreme. There is little plant or animal life in such harsh conditions. Everything is named either death-something or devil's-something indicating that many people have died attempting to live or even pass through the area. Nevertheless, there is beauty in such a harsh climate which is what led to its designation as a National Park early on in the history of the park system. The park is massive, taking up a large section of the state, and houses a lot of wilderness areas completely untouched by humans. The mountainous parts of the park are home to lots of wildlife that is unique to the area.

Lone Hiker at Devil's Golf Course

Many visitors come to Death Valley as a day trip from Las Vegas. It is relatively easy to visit the Badwater and salt flats area of the park. This section is world famous for being 282 feet below sea level surrounded by massive mountain ranges for a surreal experience. Millenia of mountain runoff created a massive salt bed on which you can explore with no real restrictions. Even in the "cooler" months, this area still gets warm quickly with summer temperatures quickly approaching deadly levels.

Mountains near Artists Point

This area has long attracted visitors to gaze at the sheer color and clarity of the area. Death Valley is protected from lots of air and light pollutions making for crystal clear skies and nighttime views that display nearly every star in the universe. It is hard to drive around with so many great opportunities, but the hiking is also spectacular with great trails and amazing views. Conditions are famously harsh so prepare with LOTS of water and protective clothing.

Sand Dunes in Death Valley

Of course there are sand dunes in Death Valley! They have several, but the most popular are the Mesquite Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells on the western edge of the park. These dunes are very popular with people hiking or sledding all over them. If you hike out enough, you can enjoy the solitude and scenery with little to no interruption. Even with such remote conditions, the park maintains several hotels and visitor centers for much needed food, drink, water, and air conditioning.

Remote Entrance to Death Valley

One of the unique parts of Death Valley is the total silence. Once you get away from the roads and crowded sights, the sheer lack of noise is overwhelming. There are no birds or insects flying around. No wind rustling through your clothes or even planes overhead. Cell phones are useless with no texts or updates ringing in your pocket. You need to drag your feet on the ground to even remind you of what noise sounds like. This extreme desolation is a very unique experience in such an ever connected and hectic world.

Badwater

I highly recommend visiting Death Valley. Even though I was able to cram the park into a day trip, I really would rather spend the night in the park to enjoy the night sky and do some early morning hiking before the trails become too hot. This is a unique and spectacular part of our national park system and an enjoyable visit for all. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.