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Places To Go In
Southern California
The
Great California Deserts
| Death Valley |
Joshua Tree |
Mohave Desert |
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Death Valley
[MAP]
History & Overview
Death Valley National Park is a land
of magnificent extremes.
Not only does it contain the
lowest point in the entire Western Hemisphere, 282 feet below sea
level (Badwater Basin), but it is also one of the hottest places on
the face of the Earth. In the summer official temperatures
easily run to 120°F (49 °C) with the official record high being 134°F
(57 °C) back in 1934. Since official temperatures are recorded in
Furnace Creek, and there are even hotter micro climate pockets dotted
around the park (including Badwater Basin), you can be sure that
unofficial temps in the park can soar even higher. Death Valley is
extremely warm even in the cooler seasons (ranging from 60-90°F from
November to April), and because the annual rainfall is a mere 1.9
inches, it is also one of the most arid places on our planet.
But Death Valley had earned a reputation
as the land of extremes long before being sampled by technological
gadgetry. When the first white men stumbled into the region back
in 1849, looking for a route to California gold, they were humbled by
the fierce rise of mountains that ringed it on all sides. Hoping
for a short cut from the old Spanish Trail, they were disappointed to
find instead the teeth of the Panamints (rising 11,049 feet above sea
level) and the impressive swath cut by ranges now dubbed the Cottonwood,
Grapevine, and Funeral Ranges. And right there in the
middle, a 156-mile-long hell of glitteringly hot salt pan, sand dunes,
burning gravel, sulfuric laced creeks, and
a crazy quilt of seemingly every kind of
rock type and geological formation known to man.
In fact one early visitor to the region commented that it appeared to be
God's refuse heap, the place he threw all the "leftovers" when he was
done making the world.
Not surprisingly then, the valley
eventually attracted a slough of miners and prospectors, hoping for rich
veins of gold, silver, or other precious substances. But the
pay dirt turned out to be borax. The white mineral added to
detergents and other substances was found in some abundance in the
valley. But the difficulty turned out to be transporting it.
Just as the '49s had found earlier, the mountain ranges made passage for
borax laden wagons difficult. What's more, it proved to be prohibitively
expensive to bring food and other supplies into the valley, to provide
for teams of miners, many of them Chinese. In time the
operations fizzled out.
Tourists however were willing to shell
out their own money for food and transportation. And as more and
more of them found their way to the astonishing salt crystal formations
of Devil's Golf Course, the picturesque dunes at Stovepipe Wells, and the
gorgeously colored rock formations along Artist's Drive, they joined the
clamor to preserve this unique area.
In
1933 President Hoover declared the area a National Monument.
And in 1994 it was upgraded to
the status of National Park,
with an additional 2 million acres added to the area for preservation.
Visiting with Children
Visiting Death Valley
with Kids presents its own unique joys and challenges. The chief
joy is listening to their excitement over geological wonders never
before seen or imagined. And the chief challenge is introducing
them to said wonders while keeping them safe from heat, sun, and
dehydration -- without generating mind numbing boredom for all involved.
It may sound silly,
but your first task will
be to select a vehicle with air conditioning. If yours
doesn't have one, rent one! And if you simply refuse to do so, be
sure to visit only in the dead of winter, because even in spring and
fall, temperatures in your car will become dangerously warm. If
outside temps are 90-95°F...
temps in your car will likely be around 110°F.
And shade in the valley is scarce to nearly non-existent. If your
family is the sporty type and you plan to do a lot of hiking and biking
in the park, go in December or January.
Next, bring a good
quality cooler and stock it with ice, bottled water, and other
non-caffeinated beverages. You will lose a lot of water from
your system just sitting around, and much more so if you go out on walks
-- which are a must if you really want to experience the park. You'll
also therefore want sunscreen, lip balm, moisturizer, sunglasses, and
hats. Sunscreen should be obvious, but you shouldn't forget
coverage for your lips and good follow up moisturizers (for nighttime)
for lips and skin to prevent painful drying and cracking.
Sunglasses are necessary at Devil's Golf Course, where the glare off the
salt crystals makes it difficult to see, and can thus lead to missteps
and falls.
Hats are necessary
anytime you are in the sun at Death Valley --not merely to prevent sun
burn, but to staunch the horrific build up of heat atop your head which
can lead rapidly to heat stroke. Children are especially at risk
so plan accordingly. Other necessary clothing includes shorts,
good walking shoes, a change off of sandals, a light top and a light
sweater (for late evening). If you visit in winter, bring a warm coat for camping
as temps will dip down to 40°F at
night. Carry water with you everywhere you go, including walks.
Drink excessively. Restrooms can be found in campgrounds,
the gas stations, the Furnace Creek Ranch, at the Visitor's Center, at
the Bad Water stop, and at Artist's Drive. They are relatively
sparse however, so everyone stops for a "potty trot" when one is
available.
Don't forget to get out and get as
"hands on" as possible at each attraction. Kids are much more
sensory oriented than adults. This trip will mean much more to
them if they see the attractions up close and personal, rather than from
an air conditioned car (except perhaps for Artist's Drive). Let
them smell the bad water at Bad Water, touch the salt crystals at
Devil's Golf Course, and romp through the sand dunes near Stovepipe
Wells. And give them their own disposable cameras so they can take
photos of the things that interest them. But do warn
them to watch their step and to keep where they can see you at all times. Besides turning an ankle on loose stones
or gravel, they could potentially get too close to a rattle snake or
scorpion...or by taking a few quick wrong turns become lost in the dunes
or canyons.
Finally don't plan too long a day.
Go out for 2-3 hours in the morning, then plan a place to "lay low"
during the worst heat of the midday. Then you can head out
for a bit more sightseeing before sunset. But remember, the sun
sets quickly over the Panamints, so keep a small flashlight in
your pocket or fanny pack, just in case you don't get back to the car
quick enough. There are no streetlights out here, and the moon may
not rise for hours, so the desert is dark at night. It can
be easy to step in the wrong place and fall, or even to get lost.
Speaking of which, a compass in your pack is a good idea too.
Rangers report losing one or two visitors to the park every year,
individuals who head out into the desert never to be see again.
So don't let children wander off out of eyesight! There is a
reason its called Death Valley.
Where to Go -- MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Artist's Drive
No description of Artist's Drive prepares
the visitor for the amazing hues and color combinations in these rock
formations -- even photographs rarely do it justice. Teals,
amethyst, and a variety of others in odd splashes and patterns.
Best of all, you can take in the sites while basking in your car's air
conditioning -- a great rest after trudging about in the hot sun.
The 9-mile long drive is punctuated by a small parking lot where
visitors may get out and use restroom, read the placard about geologic
chemistry of the formation, and take some nice tourist shots with the
kids. Please note: Artist's Drive is not suitable for RVs
due to road narrowness and dips.
Bad Water
No trip to Death Valley is complete
without a stop in Bad Water. At 282 feet below sea level it is the
lowest point in the entire Western Hemisphere. Take the short
flight of stairs down to a small spring fed pool that is 2-3 times
saltier than the ocean. Peer around the murky water to see if you
can spot the tiny Bad Water snail. Then raise your eyes across the
valley floor to note the 11,049 foot high Telescope Peak, highest point
in the Panamint Mountains, and in Death Valley National Park.
Even as temperatures sizzle at Bad Water, Telescope Peak is mantled in
snow. Turn around and raise your eyes part way up the rock wall behind the
parking lot and try to spot the tiny sign that marks sea level.
Try not to panic when you realize how far under water you'd be anywhere
else on the planet.
For extra fun, try digging down into the
hard packed earth near the little boardwalk path. (Of course you
brought a small shovel or spade.) After digging only a couple of
inches you'll hit water. When you get bored with investigating
this phenomenon, do
not follow all the other people
wandering out further onto the valley floor (a.k.a. the hard pan or
playa). They don't know where
they're going, they're just following the people in front of them, who
followed someone else, and so on. There's nothing at all to see out there -- except
an exercise in silly human herd mentality... and people working up a good case of heat stroke.
Just head back to the car instead -- and don't forget to hit the
restrooms before you leave.
Planning Tip: Located about
a 30 minutes drive south of Furnace Creek Ranch, Bad Water is easy to
reach and is well combined with visits to the Devil's Golf Course and
Artist's Drive.
Borax Museum
Back in the 1880s, miners seeking borax
called it "white gold" because it was deemed similarly rare and sought after. Although nowadays it is more familiar as a
laundry additive, borax has been used in a variety of ways: as a mild
antiseptic, a food preservative, and as a key ingredient in soldering,
welding, smelting, and even in glazing fine china.
Located at the Furnace Creek Ranch, the
small Borax Museum building is an exhibit in itself. Originally
constructed in 20 Mule Team Canyon in 1885 by F. M. "Borax" Smith, it
was used as an office, ore checking station, and laboratory, as well as
a bunkhouse. Hauled to the Ranch in 1954, it is now part of a
larger display of historic mining and farming relics from various
periods in Death Valley history. Other exhibits include the 20
mule team barn and an old locomotive one used to haul ore.
After you visit the museum, drive over to
the site of the
Harmony Borax Works,
just a few miles north of the Ranch, on Highway 190. A short 1/4
mile walk circles past a 20 mule team wagon (circa 1880), the remains of
the old adobe building that was part of the borax processing plant.
It's not a super impressive site for young kids, but more thoughtful
ones can survey the sweltering locale of the worker's camps and marvel
at the difficulties the men (many of them Chinese) for such small
rewards.
To learn more about
the history of Borax in the park
click here.
Devil's Cornfield
Don't make a special trip to see this attraction. For starters,
it's a bit less impressive than some of the other sites mentioned in this
section. And secondly, you won't need to -- it's right on your
way! Located on Highway 190, just south of the dunes at
Stovepipe Wells, you'll pass right through an odd formation that
resembles bundles of cornstalks, cut, bound, and stacked in neat,
regular rows.
Planning Tip: Combine your
view of the Cornfield with a visit to the Dunes, or any journey from
Stovepipe Wells to Furnace Creek, or vise versa.
Devil's Golf Course
Kids cannot help but be impressed by the
spectacle of the Devil's Golf Course. Crusty lumps and pillars of
salt rise in dense formation from the underlying hard pan to glitter
like the surface of great crystalline geode. Yet this is the same
salt you use on your table. Be sure to let the kids get out and
clamber through, but closed toe shoes are recommended for the littlest
ones and the formations are abrasive. As for the name, it arose
from the notion that "it was linkage so rough only the devil could play
golf on it." Back in the 1880s, Chinese laborers were hired to
beat the rough ground near this area with sledge hammers so that 20 mule
teams, carrying borax, could pass more easily.
Planning Tip: Located about
20 minutes drive south of Furnace Creek Ranch, the Devil's Golf Course
can be reached by detouring out onto a stretch of rough bumpy road.
Drive slowly to minimize vehicle damage. Combine your visit with
your trip to Bad Water, Artist's Drive, and Natural Bridge.
Furnace Creek Visitor's Center
& Museum
Highway 190
Furnace Creek, CA
760-786-2331
A great selection of books and gifts
relevant to the park plus a nice little museum addressing the history,
prehistory, wildlife, climate, and geology of the park. Rangers
offer a variety of fascinating talks and events (see schedule), and a 12
minute introductory slide show is shown every 30 minutes in the
auditorium. Best of all, it's all air conditioned so you may want
to stop in more than once. Public restrooms are located outside.
The Visitor's Center and Museum is
located near the Furnace Creek Ranch (and gas station), and only 24
miles from Stovepipe Wells. Note that you can pay your park
entrance fee here and rangers are on hand at the information desk to
answer a variety of questions, including road conditions in the park.
Children wishing to participate in
the park's Junior Ranger program may pick up materials here (as
well as the
Shoshone Museum and the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce visitors center, the Scotty's Castle ticket
office, and the Beatty Ranger station). Once children have completed
the
activities, they may return to a visitor or ranger station to receive a
Junior Ranger badge. For additional information, and to become a
web ranger, kids may visit
http://www.nps.gov/webranger
.
Furnace
Creek Ranch
Even if you don't stay in the Ranch's
motel or campground, you'll want to stop here with the kids for a
cold dish of ice cream at the general store. Besides
generous cups of soft serve ice cream, the store offers bags of ice and
cold drinks, as well as a variety of other basic food stuffs (some at
vastly inflated prices) to restock your food supplies. Souvenirs
of all kinds also abound, including jewelry, books, and T-shirts.
The Ranch also provides a few other food
options including the 49'er Cafe, which is open all day, and the
Wrangler Steak house which is only open for dinner.
It's a great place to stop for a meal if you're out sight seeing.
But be warned, there's usually a wait to be seated. In the
early morning the Wrangler serves a big buffet breakfast in a
casual atmosphere. Please note that those seeking more elegant
dining, can head up the hill to the Furnace Creek Inn (Call 760-786-2345
for reservations).
The Ranch is also the home of the
Borax Museum, the Furnace Creek
Golf Course, a Post Office, and is a great place to take the
kids swimming. Simply stop in at the main office to pay a modest
fee and get a key card for pool entrance. The pool, which
is fed by an underground spring and therefore only lightly chlorinated,
and has lounge chairs, a restroom, and private hot showers.
Pool rules stipulate a shower before swimming, so campers take advantage
and bring your shampoo and etc. There is a playground next to the
pool area as well as a lush lawn. Dotted with shade trees, the
large lawn makes an ideal place for picnicking with the kids.
Horseback riding is also available at the
Ranch, October through May, but call ahead for more information
(760-786-2345).
Golden Canyon
Early morning and late afternoon are
great times to enjoy a hike in Golden Canyon as the high jutting walls
on each side will cast considerable shade. In late afternoon the
rock walls take on the golden hues for which it is named. Points
of interest along the walk include the many small nooks and crannies and
hidey holes, many of which are highly accessible, as well as the washed
out remains of a small stretch of old paved road. It's a great
opportunity to talk about the powers of water erosion.
Kids familiar with the original Star Wars
movie (now called Episode IV, A New Hope) will enjoy the fact that
George Lucas used Golden Canyon to film scenes from the movie. Try
to spot the actual place where the Jawa blasted R2D2! But more
importantly, don't forget to drink plenty of water while you hike.
And although this popular hike is only a 2 mile round trip it is not
recommended in summer and even the high midday temps of Spring and
Autumn may cause dangerous dehydration.
Planning Tip: Golden Canyon is
about a 10 minute drive south from Furnace Creek Ranch. There is
as small parking lot at the trailhead and a restroom.
Mosaic Canyon
Mosaic Canyon is another great place to
hike with children. Although the full trail extends about 4
miles, round trip, one need only hike in a short distance to reach the
fascinating marble formations that make it so popular, as well the
breccia rock formations that give the area its name.
Appearing to be broken into numerous
small and colorful pieces, this breccia rock resembles the ruins of an
antique mosaic. The difference of course is that this "mosaic" was
not fitted together by human hands...and one would be hard pressed to
see an actual picture laid out in its colorful fragments.
Nonetheless, this is a great place for
kids to explore the power of wind and water erosion as they scramble
over and through the smooth and twisting marble channels. Just
remember to come during the cooler hours of the day (early morning or
late afternoon) carry plenty of water, and to cut your hike short,
according to the age and ability of your children.
Planning Tip: Mosaic
Canyon is located just west Stovepipe Wells, off Highway 190. The
trailhead is located 2 miles from the highway down a gravel road.
Sand Dunes
There's nothing children love more than exploring and the sand dunes on
hwy. 190 are the perfect place to do just that. In the early morning
children can follow the tracks made by little critters the night before
and guess who was chasing whom out on the dunes. The residents and
visitors of the sand dunes include such notables as kangaroo rats,
lizards, beetles, sidewinders, mice, kit fox and coyotes.
moderate, 1/2-mile
round-trip (or longer) improvisational walk across sand dunes. Start
either 2 miles east of the Village of Stovepipe Wells or from San Dunes
Picnic Area, 19 miles north of the Visitor Center. Best light at dawn
and dusk. Keep sight of your car since distances can be deceiving in the
desert.
The best time to enjoy the sand dunes is when lighting is most dramatic
during the early morning or late afternoon. Moonlight hikes are also
magical, but be alert for rattlesnakes during the warmer months.
Salt Creek
In the spring when the pupfish are active, Salt Creek is a
great place for children to watch them as they dart, play and guard
their territory. The boardwalk trail protects the pupfish and other
insects and creatures that live in the creek from being damaged by
humans walking on their habitat. Please stay on the boardwalk as you
enjoy the antics of the pupfish. Salt Creek is on a gravel road just off
hwy. 190 near the Beatty cut off road in the center of the park.
easy,
1/2-mile (1 hour) round-trip along intermittent, spring-fed Salt Creek
where Desert Pupfish can be seen in the spring. Starts 1 mile off Route
190, 23 miles south of Visitor Center.
In the spring months, visitors to Salt Creek can stroll along a one-mile
wheelchair- accessible boardwalk to view one of the species of pupfish
in Death Valley. These little fish were fresh water fish during the time
that Lake Manly existed but as the lake dried up they were stranded in
different streams and creeks where they adapted to salt water
conditions. Salt Creek is the most attainable location for viewing
pupfish in Death Valley. In the summer it's the best example of the
evaporation rate in Death Valley as its flow will completely dry out
during the hottest months.
Zabriskie Point.
This is a gorgeous viewpoint set high in
the Furnace Mountains, along Highway 190 just east above Furnace Creek.
A sweeping panorama along with incredible striations and blending of
rock layers and mineral types create a breathtaking, not-to-be-missed
vista that is easily accessible to families with children.
Leave your vehicle in the parking lot and
take the short, but steep walk up to the overlook. Be warned that
the "safety" walls around the viewpoint are quite low, so parents and
children will need to agree in advance about safe and appropriate
behavior (i.e. "no leaning over, running, or daredevil antics, etc.").
EXTRA ATTRACTIONS
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.
Marble Canyon.
A popular hiking
destination. While accessible only by a long, sandy
road followed by a technical rock crawl through a
wash, this hike is worth the headache (or fun) of
getting to the base of the trail. Before you go,
consult rangers about the location of various
petrogylphs along the canyon walls. Though some have
been vandalized recently, many are in pristine
condition.
Natural Bridge.
Created a few million years ago by water
erosion that undercut the main stream bed, Death Valley's Natural Bridge
formation spans 46 feet. That said, the formation itself is not
that spectacular, as Natural Bridges go. ("Oh boy, a big red
rock...") But if you're desperate for another "short" hike,
this one is 1.5 miles roundtrip, moderately challenging, and takes about
an hour to complete.
Planning Tip: Natural Bridge
is located about 13 miles south of Furnace Creek, off Highway 178.
The 2.5 mile gravel road from the highway to the trailhead was quite
bumpy when we visited ("washboard ruts") and seems better suited to four
wheel drive vehicles.
Father Crowley Point
If you're entering the park from the west
entrance, via Highway 190, you'll want to make a brief stop at Father
Crowley Point for impressive overview of the park.
Note: as you continue on, tell passengers
to keep a look out (to the west) for
Mt.
Whitney. At 14,495 feet (4400 meters), it's the highest peak
in the lower 48 states
Race Track 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. IN the spring months, brine shrimp - which hibernate
when the water dries up, only to emerge months or even years later - are
often visible in the muddy puddles here.
Explanation: How did those big rocks end up on that strange
terrain? One of the more unusual places here on
Earth occurs inside
Death
Valley, California,
USA.
There a dried lakebed named
Racetrack Playa exists that is almost perfectly flat, with the odd
exception of some very large stones, one of which is
pictured above. Now the flatness and texture of large
playa like Racetrack are fascinating but not
scientifically puzzling -- they are caused by mud flowing, drying,
and cracking after a heavy rain. Only recently, however, has a
viable
scientific hypothesis been given to explain
how 300-kilogram stones
ended up near the middle of such a large flat surface.
Unfortunately, as frequently happens in science, a seemingly
surreal
problem ends up having a relatively mundane solution.
It
turns out that high winds after a rain can push even heavy rocks
across a momentarily slick lakebed.
Rhyolite
There's nothing like a ghost town to whet one's appetite for
exploring. The ruins and buildings of Rhyolite reflect the ambition that
built the town and the feeling that the boom would last forever. Here
one can visit the school built in 1909 and wonder what the children did
there. The train depot waits for a train that will never come. The jail
only hints at the stories of the people who were patrons of the cells.
The Bottle House, built by a 76-year man produces a sense of wonder at
the symmetry and design work that went into the building. As if the
ruins weren't enough, latter day artists created sculptures that grace
the town. There are the ghostly figures of the Last Supper, the
whimsical Prospector and the Penguin and the towering Lady of the Desert
to name a few of the works in the outdoor sculpture garden in Rhyolite.
Saratoga Springs
Scotty's Castle
Death Valley
National Park
760-786-2392
The highlight of a visit to
Scotty's Castle is the 50 minute long guided living history tour of the
interior of the main house. The tours are first come first served on the
day of the tour and the first tour starts at 9:00 a.m. Tickets are
available at the Castle Ticket Office during the winter months and at
the Gas House Museum during the summer. The last tour for the day starts
at 5:00 p.m. and the grounds close for the day at 6:00 p.m. During the
winter season, November through April, rangers present daily "grounds
talks" on a variety of historical topics. Check at the Castle Ticket
Office for titles and times. A self-guiding tour of the Castle grounds,
including the Gas House, is available. Check at the Castle Ticket Office
for information and guide booklet.
Located at the north end of Death Valley National Park 53 miles from
Furnace Creek and approximately 45 miles from Stovepipe Wells Village.
From U.S. Route 95, 154 miles north of Las Vegas, it is 26 miles from
Nevada State Route 267.
Exhibits cover the facinating history of the Castle with special
emphasis on the two personalities Death Valley Scotty and Albert Mussey
Johnson.
During the summer season, from April through October, the Gas House
Museum is the ticket office for guided tours of Scotty's Castle. The
Death Valley Natural History Association operates a book sales outlet in
the Gas House Museum. The Association makes available books and
information on the story of Scotty's Castle and general information on
Death Valley. Amfac Parks & Resorts operates a sandwich shop and curio
shop on the Castle grounds, and also operates a gasoline station during
the day.
Windy Point Trail -- moderate,
3/4-mile round-trip from Scotty's Castle, 53 miles north of Visitor
Center on Route 267. This nature trail climbs 160 feet to Scotty's grave
overlooking his Death Valley ranch.
Tie Canyon Trail -- easy,
3/4-mile round-trip leads to a canyon near Scotty's Castle used to store
building materials.
Titus Canyon
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, but be warned - going down into the crater is a
difficult undertaking, and it may be best to enjoy the view from the
top.
Death Valley Gas Stations
and Car Repair FiascosGetting gas in Death Valley is a big deal. Not only are the stations few and far between, but
running out of gas as temperatures soar far into the triple digits can bring
serious consequences for you and your group. Here is a listing of
stations where you can fill up. Please note however,
this is not the big city. Stations are not open at all
hours and some have severely limited hours of operation.
In addition please note that this is an extremely rural and
isolated region and that any of these gas stations could be
closed at any time due to technical difficulties, so it's
best to never let your tank get too low. Finally,
expect to pay significantly more for gas at these stations
than you would outside the national park.
- Scotty's Gas (Petrol) Station -
located on SR 267 near Scotty's
Castle. Open 9 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. PST (hours may vary with season)
- Stovepipe Wells --
located on SR 190 near the Stovepipe Wells Campground
Resort. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (hours may vary with
season)
- Furnace Creek -- located in the village of Furnace Creek, close to the
Furnace Creek Ranch Campground, and the Death Valley
Visitors Center and Museum. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(hours may vary with season)
About getting service and repairs for
your vehicle: Do
not leave home without your spare tire, car
jack, and etc. The roads in and
around Death Valley are of uneven quality
and the heat is brutal -- we've seen a small
gravel rock in Death Valley generate enough
heat to melt the surface of our car tire, in
spring. Added to which visitors
encounter the occasional broken glass and
the nail in the tire (things do bounce out
of those maintenance carts out at the
Ranch). And when damage to tires
does happen, you'd better hope you're close
to one of the few service stations because
your cell phone won't work out here.
What's more, once you get to the service
station, there's no guarantee that the guy
who knows how to fix your problem is on duty
or can be reached. (We once left Death
Valley sans tail lights because the wiring
specialist was stranded in Las Vegas after
his tow truck broke down...)
So bring
your spare, bring your tools, and... keep
plenty of bottled water in the car!
We
recommend always carrying a cooler of ice
and chilled water. And don't forget,
you can head off a lot of car repair
emergencies by if you get your vehicle/RV in
for a thorough servicing before you
leave home.
|
For more information about Death Valley:
National Park Service, Death Valley
Wikitravel, Death Valley
Death Valley Chamber of Commerce
Death Valley in 3-D (you'll
need a pair of red/green 3-D glasses)
Joshua Tree
favored by many because the drive is less arduous
great spring break destination -- cooler days, flowers blooming.
but cold at night. sometimes even snow.
favorite camping Jumbo Rocks and Hidden Valley.
hiking
at Rattlesnake Canyon.
''On Foot in Joshua Tree'' by Patty Furbush
Joshua Tree National Park is popular
with the more thoughtful traveller - there is no spectacular central
attraction as is the case with other Southwest parks, just many square
miles of wild, unspoilt desert scenery. Two factors make the park
special; the eerie, spiky Joshua trees which grow densely in many areas,
and occasional clumps of huge granite boulders, up to 100 feet high.
This is not a place just to drive past; visitors should explore for a
while away from the roads - climb some rocks or walk amongst the trees
and cacti, but most of all spend a night here and watch the sun set. The
Joshuas are especially atmospheric and spooky at dusk, when their stark,
irregular outlines seem almost menacing.
In addition to the rocks and trees, the park also
has hiking trails, 4WD routes, several historic sites and five oases
where California fan palm trees grow in their natural surroundings. It
is reached from the south by a junction of I-10, or from the north by
two roads that fork off CA 62, starting from the towns of Joshua Tree
and Twentynine Palms.
The best approach, if applicable, is the westward drive along CA 62 from
Parker in Arizona, 108 miles away. This follows the Santa Fe railroad
for a while, then crosses empty lands typical of the Mojave Desert with
sand dunes and dried lake beds, and past rugged mountains en route to
Twentynine Palms. Near the town, on both CA 62 and the parallel Amboy
Road there are many abandoned buildings, at quite widely-spaced
intervals over a distance of several miles, which give the whole area a
rather sad, mournful air, especially near sunset.
Joshua Tree, formerly a National Monument, was
promoted to a National Park in 1994, along with
Death Valley, and was extended by 230,000 acres, mainly remote
mountainous regions at the south and east edges. The land lies at the
transition between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, and has vegetation
and scenery representative of both.
Mohave
The Mojave
desert may have a reputation as being a hot, rattlesnake-infested sandy
wasteland, but it has numerous special places of interest, and the vast
open spaces do have a special, stark beauty of their own, which has to
be experienced in person to be fully appreciated. Despite the apparent
emptiness, quite a lot of the land is put to use; there are four huge
military bases, up to 50 miles in extent, and scattered but extensive
habitation in the area west of Barstow. What remains is
not just sand and inhospitable mountains, but also ghost towns, volcanic
craters and lava, historic sites and buildings, various other unusual
geological features and even a diverse range of wildlife. The desert may
seem timeless, unending and indestructible, but it is threatened by a
variety of developments - expansion of the army reservations, mining,
land-fill rubbish dumps and new housing construction.
The East Mojave: The most unspoilt and
unpopulated region is the East Mojave, and a large expanse between I-40
and I-15 containing much scenic and unusual terrain has been protected
for many years as a National Scenic Area. This was redesignated a
National Preserve following the California Desert Protection Act of
1994, a move which in theory affords the land greater protection, but
has met with mixed responses owing to the possible detrimental effects
of the likely increase in visitation and publicity.
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Places
1 Cima Dome
2 Cinder Cone Lava Beds
3 Devils Playground
4 Kelso Dunes
5 Providence Mountains
6 Granite Pass
7 Amboy Crater |
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Roads
1 Kelbaker
2 Cima
3 Morning Star Mine
4 Kelso-Cima
5 Essex
6 National Trails Highway |
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Roads: Various types of
roads cross the 1.6 million acres of the Preserve; most are unpaved and
lead to old towns, water wells and dozens of mines, some still in use.
Main (paved) routes into the area leave from three I-15 exits; the
Kelbaker, Cima and Morning Star Mine roads, which converge at Cima, from
which a
good quality road runs south through Kelso and eventually over I-40
to Amboy. This passes close to many of the points of interest and the
journey from I-15 makes a great drive of 2 hours or so. It also forms
part of the shortest route from Las Vegas to Palm Springs
Anza Borrego
Anza Borrego Desert is the largest state park
in the Southwest, covering 600,000 acres from the edge of the coastal
mountains east to the Salton Sea and south almost to the US/Mexico
border, and equals the more famous national parks further north for
varied, unspoilt desert scenery. The elevation ranges from 6,200 feet to
just 150 feet; the land beyond the east edge descends to below sea
level, and the temperature can be appropriately extreme, with 120°F not
uncommon - the average July maximum is 110°F - and a 30°F difference
possible between the often cloud covered western peaks and the parched
deserts far below. Such is the heat in summer that the visitor centre is
open only at weekends, as far fewer people visit here than in the cooler
seasons. Hiking, backpacking and exploring
are the main activities, and entry to the park is good value at $6
(2005). Camping is allowed without further charge anywhere away from the
main roads though there are several official sites with fees starting
from $20 per night. In spring, many people visit just to see the
profusion of many different types of wildflowers that cover the park,
beginning in the deserts during February to March and progressing up the
canyons in early summerThree main roads
lead into Anza Borrego Desert State Park; S22 across the north, CA 78
across the middle and S2 running southeast-northwest, mostly close to
the western edge. There are many unpaved tracks leading into the
backcountry but the majority require 4WD.
The dispersed town of Borrego Springs lies at the centre of the park,
which is characterised by one large flat basin bordered on three sides
by the mountain ranges. The slopes hide many canyons with palms, cacti
and yucca near the basin changing through bushes to pine trees near the
summits.
The high country offers plenty of trails, some of which extend into the
adjacent Cleveland and San Bernadino National Forest lands to the west
and north, and these areas are especially popular in summer when the
heat in the lower areas can be too intense. Away from the hills, most of
the park is desert - covered by densely growing cacti in some areas but
with bare rock and eroded badlands in others, through which run numerous
narrow, slot-like canyons and other interesting rocky features.
Send us some email! |
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Where to Camp
Furnace Creek Ranch Resort
760-786-2345
www.furnacecreekresort.com
Stovepipe Wells Village
760-786-2387
www.stovepipewells.com
National
Park Service Campgrounds
1-800-365-CAMP
www.nps.gov/deva/
pphtml/camping.html
Includes:
Furnace Creek
Serves both tent and RV (reservations available in winter
months)
Mesquite Springs
Campground
tent and RV
Texas Springs
tent and RV
Sunset
Campground
RV
Emigrant campground
tent only
Mahogany Flat
tent only
Thorndike
tent only
Wildrose
tent only
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